Clubland
How the Working Men’s Club Shaped Britain
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Clubland
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Narrated by:
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Pete Brown
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By:
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Pete Brown
About this listen
Ferment Magazine’s Best Beer Book of the Year
The untold story of a British institution.
Pete Brown is a convivial guide on this journey through the intoxicating history of the working men’s clubs. From the movement’s founding by teetotaller social reformer the Reverend Henry Solly to the booze-soaked mid-century heyday, when more than seven million Brits were members, this warm-hearted and entertaining book reveals how and why the clubs became the cornerstone of Britain’s social life—offering much more than cheap Federation Bitter and chicken in a basket.
Often dismissed as relics of a bygone age—bastions of bigotry and racism—Brown reminds us that long before the days of Phoenix Nights 3,000-seat venues routinely played host to stars like Shirley Bassey, Louis Armstrong and the Bee Gees, offering entertainment for all the family, and close to home at that. Britain’s best-known comedians made reputations through a thick miasma of smoke, from Sunniside to Skegness. For a young man growing up in the pit town of Barnsley, this was a radiant wonderland that transformed those who entered.
Brown explores the clubs’ role in defining masculinity, community and class identity for generations of men in Britain’s industrial towns. They were, at their best, a vehicle for social mobility and self-improvement, run as cooperatives for working people by working people: an informal, community-owned pre-cursor to the Welfare State.
As the movement approaches its 160th anniversary, this exuberant book brings to life the thrills and the spills of a cultural phenomenon that might still be rescued from irrelevance.
©2022 Pete Brown (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers LimitedListeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
"Pete Brown is a brilliant master of ceremonies as he brings the history of these fine institutions to life and demonstrates their importance in working class communities across the country." (Alan Johnson, author of This Boy)
"A compelling mixture of social history, vivid reportage and candid autobiography, Clubland makes a crucial contribution to our understanding of Britain in the last century and a half." (David Kynaston, author of Austerity Britain)
"Leave any flat-capped clichés at the door: Brown offers an earnest exploration of this crucially formative area of British social history." (John Warland, author of Liquid History)
What listeners say about Clubland
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anthony Prime
- 10-02-24
Superb *accsessible* chronicle of WM Clubs
Bought this out of curiosity and because I usually enjoy Pete's work and, having just finished the book, I'm itching to rerun it.
This is a fine mix of anecdotes, records of triumphs and disasters, characters, opportunities and threats to the club movement. Pete argues pretty successfully that in our modern world the need for club culture is becoming more, not less important and necessary (and if you're thinking stereotypically that "club = cheap booze in shabby surroundings", Pete provides some valuable but at times "tough love" critical context).
I cant say much more more positive than that this book has caused me to investigate membership of my local club as a valuable social resource!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- garethlane
- 14-10-22
wonderful insight into a working class culture
a wonderful pilgrimage through clubland asking why, when where who. by the returning prodigal son of a Barnsley Club man. This book has clearly been a labour of love for the writer. he pays homage, warns of the dangers, and maps a path ahead for clubland. all in a language the clubman can understand. in the best tradition of the club itself
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- Stuart Ross
- 20-01-23
great listen
very entertaining, well read, really filled in the gaps in clubland knowledge, learned a lot about the history and brought back a lot of memories of when I used a local club for a few years.
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- Martin Roberts
- 12-06-22
Full of great social history!
An interesting book full of great social history and some proper characters! Written in Petes usual great style. Only disappointment is that the concertina band club from Mexborough wasn’t included as I think it’s one of the most unique in the country.
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- Dr
- 03-02-23
A beautiful historical work of art.
Brown has created a thorough and comprehensive narrative of the British working men's Club, delivered with humour and humanity. No other work quite captures the importance, both socially and politically, that clubs have had in the UK.
If it's good enough for Shirley Bassey...
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 14-08-22
Great Book
Until pointed out in this book I never realised the roles clubs played throughout the past 160 or so years in working class life. Very informative and the book flows great from one topic to another. Narration is really good too.
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- Liam_H
- 11-12-22
Best book I've read this year
A fantastic read. A history, present and future of the working mans club. The author reads his own work of a tour of clubs across the country
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- kenneth
- 08-05-23
Well I never knew that!
I thought the above a lot whist listening. Another superb work by Pete possibly the best since Man Walks Into a Pub. Lord Reith would love it, informs, Educates and Entertains but mainly Entertains.
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- Anonymous User
- 21-02-23
A love letter to traditional working class entertainment
Fascinating and personal journey through the history of working men’s clubs. Brown delivers a well-researched love letter to traditional working class entertainment with enthusiasm and a compelling fondness.
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- daniel watkins
- 30-08-23
A great book
A fabulous insight into the background and future of clubland. Another great book from Pete. Well worth a listen
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