[1][2] In January 1762, a private society was established at 50 Pall Mall by Messrs. Boothby and James in response to having been blackballed for membership of White's.

In September 1777 William Brooks, a wine merchant and money lender who acted as Master, or manager, for Almack's, commissioned Henry Holland to design and construct a purpose-built clubhouse at a site on neighbouring St James's Street.

The new clubhouse was built of yellow brick and Portland stone in a Palladian style similar to Holland's early country houses.

The interior of the building remained fairly unchanged until 1889 when neighbouring 2 Park Place, which had been purchased a few years before, was converted and adapted as part of Brooks's.

[5] In 1978, the St James's Club amalgamated with Brooks's, adding to its membership some European royalty, members of the British diplomatic corps and writers.