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Published by Clubs of London
Exploring the stories behind London's most fascinating private members' clubs, from centuries-old institutions in St James's to the modern clubs shaping the city today.
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In this episode, I’m exploring the story of the Royal Automobile Club, or the RAC. Founded in 1897 by a group of pioneering motorists, the Club helped transform the motor car from a noisy curiosity into part of everyday British life. Its story takes us from the Red Flag Act and the Thousand Mile Trial to roadside patrols, the creation of Silverstone and the first Formula One World Championship race. I also head inside its enormous Pall Mall clubhouse, with its changing display of historic cars, grand dining rooms, Turkish baths and one of London’s most spectacular swimming pools. Then there’s Woodcote Park, the Club’s 350-acre country estate near Epsom. Plus, I explain how RAC breakdown cover began here, why the orange vans are no longer connected to the private club, and how the sale of the business reportedly gave each member a £34,000 windfall. Sign up to the Patreon to hear me talk more casually about my own experiences of the RAC, my recent visit to the National Liberal Club, a quick trip to the Walbrook and my continuing attempts to improve at snooker in the Reform Club.
This is a preview of a longer episode where I talk candidly about five of my favourite books about London's clubs. If you'd like to hear the full episode, you can sign up here . ------------------------------------------------------------- I recently posted an Instagram carousel sharing five of my favourite books about London’s members’ clubs, so I thought I’d record a little companion piece for Patreon, where I can go into a bit more detail about why I like them and what you’ll actually find inside. There’s Anthony Lejeune’s wonderful glimpse inside the old world of Clubland, Seth Thévoz’s detailed guide to clubs past and present, Andrew Jones and Laura Hodgson’s beautiful exploration of club interiors, plus deep dives into two of St James’s most famous institutions, White’s and Brooks’s. So, if you’ve seen the Instagram post and want to know a little more about the books, consider this the extended version.
Over on Patreon, I'll be doing a monthly exclusive Q&A episode answering your questions about clubs, myself and all things in between. Here's a preview of the very first one. If you'd like to hear the full episode, you can sign up here . Along with the monthly Q&As, you'll also get extended podcast episodes, behind-the-scenes content from each recording, and be the first to hear about new videos, visits and other projects I'm working on. Welcome to a Patreon-exclusive Q&A episode of the Clubs of London podcast. Rather than focusing on the history of a single club, this episode is dedicated entirely to your questions which were submitted on here and Instagram. We discuss everything from which club I would choose if I could travel back in time, to whether London's historic clubs are under threat, how to become a member without any existing connections, and which club is best for meeting finance CEOs and other City figures. We also compare the clubs of St James's and Mayfair, explore how London's club culture has influenced private clubs around the world, discuss whether Black's Club has a true successor, which club has the most beautiful bathroom (it's The Walbrook btw) and settle the all-important question of which club has the best-designed layout—following my recent (and rather boozy) lunch at White's, where I completely fell in love with the way the club flows from room to room. If you have any questions for a future episode, let me know!
Founded in 1762, Boodle's is London's second-oldest club and one of its most understated. Unlike White's or Brooks's, it has never been defined by scandal or political intrigue. Instead, it built its reputation on comfort, privacy and tradition. In this episode of Clubs of London , we explore the story of the club named after a waiter, whose members have included Adam Smith, Edward Gibbon, Beau Brummell, Ian Fleming and Sir Winston Churchill. Along the way, we discover how Boodle's became the spiritual home of the English country gentleman, why Fleming considered it the ideal club, and how this remarkably peaceful institution has managed to survive for more than two and a half centuries. Sources: Anthony Lejeune's The Gentlemen's Clubs of London ; Andrew Jones and Laura Hodgson's A London Club ; the Boodle's Wikipedia page; and Geri Walton's 2014 article, Boodle's: A London Gentlemen's Club . Support on Patreon Follow on Instagram
For more than three centuries, White’s has stood at the centre of British establishment life. Born as a chocolate house in the seventeenth century, it evolved into the most famous gentlemen’s club in the world, a place associated with prime ministers, princes, gamblers, dandies, soldiers and some of the most powerful figures in British history. In this episode, we trace White’s extraordinary journey from Georgian gambling den to the pinnacle of London clubland. Along the way, we explore Beau Brummell’s famous bow window, aristocratic wagers, political influence, the Millionaires’ Squadron, Evelyn Waugh, Randolph Churchill, David Cameron and the controversies that continue to surround one of Britain’s most exclusive institutions. If you enjoyed this episode, follow Clubs of London on Instagram at @clubsoflondon. If you have stories, memories, or insights relating to London’s clubs, I'd love to hear from you at clubsoflondon@gmail.com . Anthony Lejeune, The Gentlemen’s Clubs of London Edward Couzens-Lake, White’s: London’s Most Exclusive Club Quills & Quartos, White’s: A Gentleman’s World of Exclusivity White’s Club Wikipedia entry RAF Benevolent Fund — History of No. 601 Squadron Forces News — The Millionaires’ Squadron
Buck’s Club is one of London’s most influential private members’ clubs. Founded by a group of young cavalry officers in the aftermath of the First World War, it became the birthplace of the Buck’s Fizz, inspired P. G. Wodehouse’s Drones Club and helped redefine what a gentlemen’s club could be in the twentieth century. In this episode, we explore the remarkable story of founder Herbert Buckmaster, the club’s wartime origins, its famous American Bar, the legendary barman McGarry and the colourful characters who have passed through its doors over the last century. If you enjoyed this episode, follow Clubs of London on Instagram at @clubsoflondon. If you have stories, memories, or insights relating to London’s clubs, I'd love to hear from you at clubsoflondon@gmail.com . Sources Anthony Lejeune, The Gentlemen’s Clubs of London Andrew Jones & Laura Hodgson, A London Club Lew Toulmin, "Buck’s Club" Old Shirburnian Society — Herbert Buckmaster biography
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