British Clubs and Societies 1580-1800

Much of the book is devoted to providing the first in-depth scholarly description of these avowedly urban institutions. The London Journal This is Peter Clark's most impressive book to date. It charts with magisterial authority the emergence of that peculiarly British institution, the (usually) male club from its origins in the seventeenth century to its full flowering in the mid- to late eighteenth century. The London Journal ... examines every type of assocation ranging from political, philanthropic, cultural and artistic associations to professional assocations and Masonic lodges. The Journal of European Economic History Clark's book represents a major contribution to recent debates about the nature of eighteenth-century British society ... this is a most valuable addition to the literature on urban society in the British Isles and English-speaking parts of its empire in the eighteenth century. It is not just historians of Britain who will want to read it and reflect on its many important conclusions. Journal of Early Modern History The analysis is clear, judicious, and always respectful of the sometimes contradictory patterns and evidence ... enormously richly documented and frequently very diverting. Clark offers readers many wonderful snapshots of the joys, distractions, and pitfalls of club life in this period. Journal of Early Modern History An informative, analytical and well-written book ... contains several findings of prime importance ... Clark's convincing interpretation is based on a genuinely historical understanding of eighteenth century societies. Scandinavian Economic History Review A magisterial survey ... Drawing on his impressive knowledge of the scattered source material, Clark gives a comprehensive picture of British and, in some cases, colonial clubs and societies, their overall development, organizational structures, and membership patterns from the late sixteenth century to 1800. German Historical Institute Bulletin In this prodigiously well packed, engrossing, and important book, Peter Clark claims a new significance for the swarming world of voluntary associations as a vital social resource in Britain's passage to modernity. The Journal of American History More than enough to guarantee this book an important place in future bibliographies. Leslie Mitchell, Times Literary Supplement This is, in almost every respect, a very fine book. Frank Field, The Independent British Clubs and Societies bears the stamp of authority: it covers a constellation of clubs, and provides a persuasive account of their development. Roy Porter, London Review of Books