I got to wondering about social clubs, especially since the Skyline Club has been very good to us, allowing us to use their facilities for At The Top networking events. I figured the history of social clubs would hearken back to Britain, but wasn’t sure how they made their way to modern-day America. So I did a little digging, and saw that social clubs have a long, rich history that goes back more than 450 years.
The first clubs were formed in Britain in the early 1700s, although there were clubs that existed in the 1600s as just informal gatherings who met to eat and drink together. In fact, the first clubs were formed around the drinking of coffee, which had been introduced from Turkey in 1652.
According to Wikipedia, working men’s clubs were developed in England so working-class men could “attend lectures and take part in recreational pursuits.” One of the most famous clubs was the Bread Street or Friday Street Club. Some believe that William Shakespeare and Sir Walter Raleigh were members of Bread Street, although no one knows for sure. Still, it’s nice to think they might have.
In the rest of Europe, social clubs were more political that gastronomic and recreational, many of them forming around a political ideal or movement. A lot of these clubs were shut down or repressed after their particular movement or party was shut down by the political majorities (revolutions and major upheavals having played their part, as well).
Clubs have certainly changed and improved since they started over 450 years ago. But the one idea remains the same: camaraderie and fellowship. Meeting new people, forming new personal and business relationships, and having fun. Whether you’re interested in making new friends, finding new business contacts, or plotting the overthrow of the French monarchy, social clubs are a great way to make that all happen. (Okay, maybe not the French monarchy thing, but you get the idea.)
After you attend an At The Top event, visit the Skyline Social Club again and see what they have to offer.
For more information on the Skyline Club, call (317) 263-5000 or visit www.Skyline-Indy.com.
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