Beer, Bingo, Politics and Englebert Humperdinck: Documenting 150 years of Working Men's Clubs

This month's talk at Stroud Green and Harringay library on Working Men's Clubs was another excellent one.

Ruth Cherrington, who at the moment is singlehandedly documenting the history of Working Men's Clubs across Britain on her site Club Historians and through her book, Not Just Beer and Bingo, treated a full house to a fascinating walk from the beginning of the club movement through its heyday in the 60s and 70s to the present day where many clubs are struggling to survive and some are being forced to close.

Some of the audience at Stroud Green and Harringay Library

Ruth focused her talk on some of the many local clubs in this part of London, including Wood Green Social Club and the Langham Working Men's Club on Green Lanes. The Langham began life in a rented shop in Turnpike Lane in 1908, while Wood Green Social Club was forced to be 'dry' because they had a teetotal patron to help them set up in the building, a situation that lasted until 1949! Many local clubs were established by local transport workers, such as the Railwaymen in Finsbury Park.

Ruth Cherrington

Ruth admitted that the decline of the clubs is a cause for concern and down to many factors, including the changing nature of leisure but was optimistic that some of the clubs can and will adapt, pointing to the success of Bethnal Green as an example of how clubs can change and thrive again. 

Not Just Beer and Bingo

Much, much more about this can be found at Ruth's website Club Historians where you'll also find links to buy her book, Not Just Beer and Bingo A Social History of Working Men's Clubs. Ruth has also written on History Workshop Online about this topic.

Many thanks to Ruth from the Friends of Stroud Green and Harringay Library for donating her time on a Saturday afternoon to deliver us a brilliant talk.

Next month's talk at the library will be on 24th November by Lydia Rivlin on the history of the side saddle.