ABSTRACT

The Club and Institute Union was founded in 1862 to enable working men to meet, talk and improve themselves ‘free from intoxicating drinks’. By the twentieth century, clubs were providing a unique mix of relaxations, such as billiards or dominoes, alongside a radical political agenda and, increasingly, professionalised entertainment, as concert parties or individual music hall artistes were engaged. Housing estates sprang up with few facilities, and new clubs were built to meet the need, especially in the north and often with the backing of local authorities. New agencies sprang up to supply these new variety halls with acts, though plenty of former variety stars also performed in the clubs. Most famous, probably, was Bernard Manning, an abrasive performer who owned his own club, the Embassy in Manchester, where he continued to perform until his death in 2007. By 1980, having paid too many performers too much, many clubs were floundering.