Expert comment & analysis on ‘Clubland’ - the hidden world of private members’ clubs.

A Substack newsletter by Dr Seth Thévoz, author of London Clubland: A Companion for the Curious (2025), Behind Closed Doors: The Secret Life of London Private Members’ Clubs (2022), and Club Government: How the Early Victorian World was Ruled from London Clubs (2018).

Drawing on over 15 years of research, and extensive first-hand experience of closely studying clubs past and present, as well as being involved in club governance, club consultancy and speaking in clubs across four continents, this newsletter is global in scope, looking at the unique culture, economics and history of clubs worldwide. The back-catalogue of articles is also a considerable resource for those involved in clubs, whether professionally or as volunteers. It seeks to be robustly researched - and a lot of fun.

A more detailed explanation of the Substack’s scope can be read here, and you can find out more about the author here.

Why subscribe?

Subscribe to get full access to the newsletter (including member-only posts), online resources, publication archives, and to be able to request club-related topics as the subject of articles.

Most articles are free to access, but paying members receive bonuses such as the monthly Clubland news round-up, of club media coverage from around the world.

What subscribers say

“It made my day better!”

“It’s very, very good, and very, very interesting.”

“Utterly niche and I love it.”

“Really interesting & informative.”

“I’m very much enjoying your Clubland Substack. Definitely worth the money.”

“Thanks Seth for your great work. I read all your posts with interest!…Thank you so much, and please keep it coming!”

Public testimonials

“Dr Seth Thévoz knows a lot about London clubs, and I do mean a lot.”

Former House of Commons clerk Eliot Wilson

“What he doesn't know about private members’ clubs isn’t worth knowing, he has an encyclopaedic knowledge of clubs that have existed over time; clubs that have ceased to exist; [and] clubs that have existed only in literature or in the arts or but that have never actually existed in reality.”

Conservative Party historian Lee David Evans

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