Gentlemen's club

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The noted gentleman's Reform Club
The noted gentleman's Reform Club

A gentlemen's club is a members-only private club of a type originally set up by and for English upper class men. Today, however, they are generally more open about the sex and social status of members. Many countries outside the United Kingdom have prominent gentlemen's clubs.

In United States the term "gentlemen's club" is frequently used as a euphemism for strip clubs — a trend also increasingly common in the United Kingdom, with chains such as Stringfellows and Spearmint Rhino using the term in this way.

Contents

[edit] History

The original gentlemen's clubs were established in the West End of London. Even today, the area of St. James's is still sometimes referred to as 'clubland'. Clubs took over the role occupied by coffee houses in 18th century London to some degree, and reached the height of their influence in the late 19th century. Often, they were formed by groups of acquaintances who shared some interest or pursuit. Gambling, usually on cards, was central to the activities of many. Others were characterised by their members' interest in politics, literature, sport, or some other pursuit. In other cases, the connection between the members was membership of the same branch of the armed forces, or a background at the same university. Some of the older clubs were highly aristocratic, but over time, increasingly more were founded. By the late 19th century, any man with a credible claim to the status of "gentleman" was able to find a club willing to admit him, unless his character was very objectionable in some way or he was "unclubbable" (incidentally, a word first used by Samuel Johnson).[1] This came to include professionals who had to earn their income, such as doctors and lawyers.

It should be noted that public entertainments, such as musical performances and the like, were not a feature of this sort of club. The clubs were, in effect, "second homes" where men could relax, mix with their friends, play parlour games, get a meal, and sometimes stay overnight. They allowed upper- and upper-middle-class men with modest incomes to spend their time in grand surroundings; the richer clubs were built by the same architects as the finest country houses of the time, and had the same types of interiors. They also were a convenient retreat for men who wished to get away from their female relations. Many men spent much of their lives in their club.

The class requirements relaxed gradually throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. In addition from the late 20th century some clubs opened to women as guests and as members, partly to help keep up membership levels.

[edit] Current status

Traditional gentlemen's clubs are no longer as popular or influential as they once were, but many have seen a resurgence of popularity in recent years. Some top clubs still maintain distinctions which are often undefined and rarely explained to those who do not satisfy their membership requirements. After reaching the top of a long waiting list, there is a real possibility of being blackballed; the proposer of such a person is expected to resign, as he failed to withdraw his undesirable candidate.

Today gentlemen's clubs exist throughout the world, predominantly in Commonwealth countries and the United States, i.e. the Anglosphere. Many clubs offer reciprocal hospitality to other clubs' members when travelling abroad.

In Britain and particularly London, there is a continuum between the original gentlemen's clubs and the more modern but otherwise similar private members' clubs such the Groucho Club, Soho House and Home House. All offer similar facilities such as food, drink, comfortable surroundings, venue hire and in many cases accommodation.

[edit] United Kingdom

There are perhaps some 25 London gentlemen's clubs of particular note, from the Athenaeum to White's, see the full list of London's gentlemen's clubs. Many other estimable clubs (such as the yacht clubs) have a specific character which places them outside the mainstream, or may have sacrificed their individuality for the commercial interest of attracting enough members regardless of their common interests. (See article at club for a further discussion of these distinctions.)

Discussion of trade or business is usually not allowed in London gentlemen's clubs, but increasingly more people in politics and business use clubs in the UK and around the world for debates and conferences on current affairs. For example, the Commonwealth Club in London counts former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, and former Australian Prime Minister John Howard as influential people who have spoken there. The use of such establishments for public discussion and debate, however, is in its infancy, as many of the larger and more established clubs strictly enforce their rules on such matters.

Liverpool's Athenaeum Club, Church Alley, was founded in 1797 by art collector and social reformer William Roscoe and friends. Its famous library contains many rare and fascinating books. Proprietors (members) and guests also relax in the newsroom and restaurant. There are many interest groups which meet in the club.

[edit] Quirks of membership

Some clubs have highly specific membership requirements. For example, the Caledonian Club in London requires "being of direct Scottish descent, that is to say, tracing descent from a Scottish father or mother, grandfather or grandmother" or "having, in the opinion of the Committee, the closest association with Scotland." The Travellers Club, from its foundation in 1819, has excluded from membership anyone who has not met a very specific travelling requirement. Rule 6 of the club's constitution states that "no person be considered eligible to the Travellers' Club, who shall not have travelled out of the British islands[2] to a distance of at least 500 miles from London in a direct line".[3] The Harvard Club is open to all who have a connection with Harvard University. The Reform Club requires its potential members to attest that they would have supported the 1832 Reform Act, whilst certain members of the East India Club must have attended at one of its subscribing public schools.

[edit] Australia

Australia has several gentlemen's clubs in Sydney and Melbourne. These include the Australian Club, the Melbourne Club, the Weld Club, the Athenaeum Club (named after its counterpart in London), and the Savage Club.

[edit] United States

Main article: List of American gentlemen's clubs

Most major cities in the United States have at least one traditional gentlemen's club. Gentlemen's clubs are more prevalent, however, in older cities such as New Orleans and around the east coast in New York City (which has the largest number of prominent clubs), Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington, D.C.. Some American clubs have reciprocal relationships with the older clubs in London, with each other, and with other clubs around the world. The oldest existing American clubs date to the 19th century; the Somerset Club in Boston, founded in 1826, is arguably the oldest.

[edit] South Africa

South Africa is home to the Rand Club in downtown Johannesburg.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Oxford English Dictionary Probably 1764
  2. ^ The term British islands as used in the quotation does not equate to the more modern meaning of the term as described here. It is unclear what the author of the rule had in mind when using British islands. Possibilities include British Isles or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
  3. ^ Peter Cunningham, Hand-Book of London, 1850