Clubs which brought working men together sociably took many forms, including friendly societies for mutual insurance and gatherings in pubs or beerhouses for news and information and to enjoy shared interests and pursuits such as music and gardening. But the working men's club movement, as such, was a product of philanthropic and controlling concerns within the mid-Victorian middle classes, anxious to reclaim the working man from the pub and its temptations to alcoholic, political, and other excesses. The prime mover in the foundation of the Workingmen's Club and Institute Union, established in 1862, was the Revd Henry Solly, a unitarian minister whose experiments in Lancaster had convinced him of the viability of this approach to social reform. But the CIU itself soon threw off most of the restrictions intended by its original patrons, and beer soon appeared as part of the clubs' attractions, followed by musical and comic entertainment. As with other cultural initiatives promoted from above, working men took what they wanted from the CIU and rejected the rest.
Working men's club
| British History: working men's clubs |
| Wikipedia: Working men's club |
Working men's clubs are a type of private social club founded in the 19th century in industrial areas of Great Britain, particularly the North of England, to provide recreation and education for working class men and their families. There are 3,000 working men's clubs in the UK. [1]
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Purpose
Despite the educational ambitions, most working men's clubs are recreational. Typically, clubs have a bar for the sale and consumption of alcohol, snooker or pool tables, and many provide food. They often provide entertainment such as bingo, raffles, live music and comedy. They are also known for their charitable works. In recent years, declining membership has seen many clubs close down and others struggle to remain open. Some groups try to raise the profile of clubs, pointing to their historical legacies (www.club historians.co.uk)and their community roles.
Membership and structure
A working men's club is a non-profit organisation run by members through a committee, usually elected annually. Each club has rules which tend to be vigorously enforced. The committee will discipline members (common punishments being a warning, or a ban for a period) for violations. Despite the name, women are allowed to be members in many clubs, and virtually all clubs allow entry to women. Non-members are not allowed entry unless signed in by a member.
While all members pay an annual fee, the primary income comes from alcohol. A club will retain paid staff, such as barmen, stewards, caretakers and cleaners.
Club and Institute Union
Most clubs affiliate to the Working Men's Club and Institute Union (commonly known as the CIU or C&IU). The CIU is affiliated to the Committee of Registered Clubs Associations or CORCA. A member of one affiliated club is entitled to use the facilities of other clubs.
The CIU has two purposes; to provide a national voice for clubs, and to provide discounted products and services for clubs.
Brewery
Until 2004, the CIU ran a brewery in Dunston, Tyne and Wear. This produced ales and lagers under the Federation brand. The brewery and brands were sold to Scottish & Newcastle for £16.2M [2], although CIU clubs still receive discounted beer. These discounts are passed to members.
Impact of July 2007 smoking ban
In December 2007 a poll by the British Institute of Innkeeping and the Federation of Licensed Victuallers' Associations found that overall revenue was 7.3% down as more men opted to drink at home where they could also smoke[3].
References
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ "Scottish & Newcastle – Financial News". Scottish & Newcastle plc. 2004-07-14. http://www.s-n.com/sn_acq/ir/finnews/rnsitem?id=1089792001nRNSN8162A. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
- ^ "Working men's clubs hardest hit by smoking ban". Daily Telegraph. 2007-12-18.
External links
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
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Copyrights:
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 | British History. A Dictionary of British History. Copyright © 2001, 2004 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Working men's club". Read more |
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Mentioned in
- Angelica (Rock Band, '90s)
- Clubbed (2007 Crime Film)
- Idle Working Men's Club
- Houldsworth Working Men's Club
