Social club

The term can also refer to a criminal headquarters, such as the Ravenite Social Club or the Cage.

The Reverend Henry Solly founded the Working Men's Club and Institute Union (CIU) for this purpose in 1862.

Many middle-class social reformers founded these clubs during the temperance movement as a place to relax without alcohol, but in time this changed.

They became a combination of public houses (pubs), music-halls and clubs, becoming places to be entertained, to drink socially and to play bar games.

British clubs are usually run by a committee that will also include three 'officer' positions – chair, secretary and treasurer.

However, clubs tend to have more single members than married,[citation needed] and many clubs exist for only single people, only married couples or only people with certain sexual orientations (homosexuality, pansexuality, bisexuality or heterosexuality).

Some social clubs have function halls which members, or sometimes the general public, can rent for parties.

Many young men and women pledge during their freshman year of college in order to become a "brother" or "sister" of a fraternity or sorority.