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The Hellfire Club
The compelling story of the rise and fall of a shocking secret society. In the ruined abbeys and elaborately decorated caves of England, the notorious Hellfire Club held meetings that shocked and terrified the countryside. London madams scoured the city for young girls to supply the club. Rakes flocked to meetings. Yet it was typical of late eighteenth century England that the club's members included famous men from the worlds of art and politics, even the then-Prime Minister. The list of members could almost be mistaken for the honours list of the most eminent men of the day and when news of the clubs activities leaked out, it caused the biggest political scandal in British history. Brilliant, perverse, equally capable of elaborately obscene jests and the intricacies of parliamentary politics, the members of the Hellfire Club were the most astonishing men of their time. Since its inception over two hundred years ago, the record of their revels has fascinated and repulsed the world.
233 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1961
18 people are currently reading
330 people want to read
About the author
Daniel P. Mannix
44 books62 followersDaniel Pratt Mannix IV was best known as an American author and journalist. His life was remarkably different from other writers of his generation. His career included times as a side show performer, magician, trainer of eagles and film maker.
The Grest Zadma was a stage name Mannix used as a magician. He also entertained as a sword swallower and fire eater in a traveling carnival sideshow. Magazine articles about these experiences, co-written with his wife, became very popular in 1944 and 1945.
As an author Mannix covered a wide variety of subject matter. His more than 25 books ranged from fictional animal stories for children, the natural history of animals, and adventurous accounts about hunting big game to sensational adult non-fiction topics such as a biography of the occultist Aleister Crowley, sympathetic accounts of carnival performers and sideshow freaks, and works describing, among other things, the Hellfire Club, the Atlantic slave trade, the history of torture, and the Roman games. His output of essays and articles was extensive.
The Grest Zadma was a stage name Mannix used as a magician. He also entertained as a sword swallower and fire eater in a traveling carnival sideshow. Magazine articles about these experiences, co-written with his wife, became very popular in 1944 and 1945.
As an author Mannix covered a wide variety of subject matter. His more than 25 books ranged from fictional animal stories for children, the natural history of animals, and adventurous accounts about hunting big game to sensational adult non-fiction topics such as a biography of the occultist Aleister Crowley, sympathetic accounts of carnival performers and sideshow freaks, and works describing, among other things, the Hellfire Club, the Atlantic slave trade, the history of torture, and the Roman games. His output of essays and articles was extensive.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 24, 2013
This is some silly pop-history, but I still enjoyed reading it. Is it accurate? Who knows. There's no way to check because there are no foot/endnotes or bibliographical references. It doesn't really matter though, because it's entertaining to read about the terrible things that aristocrats did to people in the 18th century. They really didn't give two shits about the part of the population that was worth less than 10,000 pounds a year. If that meant abducting young women newly arrived in London, so that they could be deflowered, so be it.
As long as you go in expecting it to be a mostly unreliable, you can enjoy a light read about the hedonism and debauchery of 18th century England.
As long as you go in expecting it to be a mostly unreliable, you can enjoy a light read about the hedonism and debauchery of 18th century England.
April 7, 2024
AN EXCELLENT HISTORY OF THIS NOTORIOUS ORGANIZATION
Daniel Pratt Mannix (1911-1997) was an American writer, journalist, photographer, sideshow performer, stage magician, animal trainer, and filmmaker. [NOTE: page numbers below refer to a 186-page paperback edition.]
He wrote in the first chapter of this 1959 book, “Weird stories were told of the fabulously rich and brilliant Sir Francis Dashwood… However, ‘Hell-Fire Francis’ was far more than an enormously rich man with a genius of obscenity. He was one of the most influential figures of the 18th century, He created the notorious Hell-Fire Club, an association dedicated to Black Magic, sexual orgies, and political conspiracies. The club included among its members the Prime Minister of England, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Lord Mayor of London, the First Lord of the Admiralty, the son of the Archbishop of Canterbury, several of England’s greatest artists and poets, the Prince of Wales, and even Benjamin Franklin. The American Revolution has been attributed the indirect product of this uncanny group.” (Pg. 2)
He recounts, “Sir Francis was introduced to London club life… The members of these clubs were all wealthy young noblemen and so were virtually immune from arrest… All the clubs specialized in sex. On the bulletin boards were posted lists of famous madams and noted prostitutes, with their specialties listed after each girl’s name, somewhat like the batting average of well-known ball players.” (Pg. 4-5)
He reports, “Most of all, Sir Francis was interested in the Roman Catholic Church. Since the Revolution in 1688… Catholicism had been under a cloud in Great Britain, and to young men like Sir Francis it had become surrounded by an aura of horrified fascination… the young man had a desperate need for religion---especially a religion with the magnificent pomp and ceremony of Catholicism… Yet as an ardent follower of the skeptical Voltaire and the cynical Rabelais, Sir Francis felt duty-bound to sneer at all religion. Still, he haunted the cathedrals with the desperation of a dehydrated man trying to reach a fountain even though it may prove to be a mirage.” (Pg. 8)
He actually converted to Catholicism, after he mistook four green eyes he spied through a window at night (which belonged to two cats mating) for “A devi with four shining eyes” (Pg. 11): “Sir Francis plunged into religion with all the enthusiasm he had shown for sex, drink, art, and archaeology… He would… start preaching to his astonished friends, who could not understand what had happened to Sir Francis Dashwood, the notorious hellraker… The circumstances of Sir Francis’ conversion became the joke of London society. The baronet was not merely humiliated, he suffered a shock from which he never completely recovered… Now he underwent a reaction as violent as had been his conversion. He determined to prove to the world that he was no sentimental dupe. He would devote the rest of his life to ridiculing religion, particularly Catholicism. And not only religion but all moral principles as well. Sir Francis decided to found a club to further his aims.” (Pg. 12-13)
He explains, “There had been for many years a Hell-Fire Club which held its meetings … in downtown London… The original Hell-Fire Club had been abolished by special order of the Lord High Chancellor, because even in that broadminded time the members had carried things a little too far when the celebrated Mass on the body of a naked girl stretched out on one of the barroom tables. But Sir Francis was delighted by the club’s principles and set up his own circle… in imitation of the earlier group.” (Pg. 19)
He states, “The usual intent of a Black Mass ceremony is to invoke the devil for magical purposes. [Practitioners] probably had no real hope of being able to invoke Satan… and the whole procedure was intended more to ridicule Catholicism than as an actual incantation.” (Pg. 30)
He says, “Exhibitionism, as typified by the voyeurism, was for some reason or other a deeply ingrained characteristic of the period. It was the controlling factor of Sir Francis’ life and that of many other men…In the brothels of the period, couches were arranged around the walls for these community exhibitions… The Hell-Fire Club’s Roman Room was designed for this purpose… Apparently the aristocracy need the inspiration of each other’s company before they could perform the sexual act. Most of the ‘nuns’ were recruited from the fashionable [prostitution houses] of London.” (Pg 34)
He notes, “As the descendants of these gentlemen are for the most part still very prominent in English society, historians have tried to excuse the antics of the Hell-Fire Club by saying that the members weren’t much worse than most aristocrats of the period.” (Pg. 66)
He records, “In 1760, when George II died, the son of Pince Fritz ascended the throne as George III. He was only twenty-two and hadn’t been able to learn to read until he was ten. The Hell-Fire Club played an important part in forming the young King’s mind. Some of the members…were highly intelligent men who knew that a policy of armed reprisals against the American Colonists would be useless… It was an age of revolt… The combination of debauchery and genius was irresistible to the smart young men of the 18th century. And clever men could use the power of the club to advance themselves politically.” (Pg. 70-71)
He laments, “Unfortunately, we don’t know the details of these parties, which might give us an interesting sidelight on the nature of the club members. The orgies were apparently recorded in the club’s minutes… We do know the emphasis that the club put on securing virgins for the parties… Deflowering virgins was a mania with 18th century rakes… Another outstanding passion was for flagellation… Many of the rakes had to be flogged before they could show any interest in women. These men had used up their energies by ceaseless dissipation and could only respond to some drastic treatment.” (Pg. 113-114)
He acknowledges, “Since the secretary of the Hell-Fire Club burned the club’s records the day before his death, there is no absolute proof that [Benjamin] Franklin (or anyone else for that matter) was a member. But we do know that he paid constant visits … and in 1772 made a special trip from London to spend sixteen days with Sir Francis. We also know that there seems to be no special reason why Franklin should have gone to Wycombe at this special time unless he was a member. Only club members were allowed at Wycombe during club meetings… Under the circumstances, Franklin would have been shortsighted if he hadn’t joined the club. He was a diplomat trying to help his country and the club gave him the entrée to some of the most influential men in England.” (Pg. 118)
Later, he adds, “A curious result of Franklin’s membership in the Hell-Fire Club was the publication of the ‘Franklin Prayer Book’ which became the basis of the ‘Book of Common Prayer’ still used in most American [Episcopalian] Churches today. The two men were sitting before a fire … discussing religion. Both agreed that the current prayer book was intolerably long and dull and as well contained many passages that no intelligent man could believe. They resolved, as Sir Francis later wrote, ‘to relieve the well-disposed from the inflection of interminable prayers.’” (Pg. 121)
This book will be of great interest to those seriously studying this Club, and the manners and morals of this era.
Daniel Pratt Mannix (1911-1997) was an American writer, journalist, photographer, sideshow performer, stage magician, animal trainer, and filmmaker. [NOTE: page numbers below refer to a 186-page paperback edition.]
He wrote in the first chapter of this 1959 book, “Weird stories were told of the fabulously rich and brilliant Sir Francis Dashwood… However, ‘Hell-Fire Francis’ was far more than an enormously rich man with a genius of obscenity. He was one of the most influential figures of the 18th century, He created the notorious Hell-Fire Club, an association dedicated to Black Magic, sexual orgies, and political conspiracies. The club included among its members the Prime Minister of England, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Lord Mayor of London, the First Lord of the Admiralty, the son of the Archbishop of Canterbury, several of England’s greatest artists and poets, the Prince of Wales, and even Benjamin Franklin. The American Revolution has been attributed the indirect product of this uncanny group.” (Pg. 2)
He recounts, “Sir Francis was introduced to London club life… The members of these clubs were all wealthy young noblemen and so were virtually immune from arrest… All the clubs specialized in sex. On the bulletin boards were posted lists of famous madams and noted prostitutes, with their specialties listed after each girl’s name, somewhat like the batting average of well-known ball players.” (Pg. 4-5)
He reports, “Most of all, Sir Francis was interested in the Roman Catholic Church. Since the Revolution in 1688… Catholicism had been under a cloud in Great Britain, and to young men like Sir Francis it had become surrounded by an aura of horrified fascination… the young man had a desperate need for religion---especially a religion with the magnificent pomp and ceremony of Catholicism… Yet as an ardent follower of the skeptical Voltaire and the cynical Rabelais, Sir Francis felt duty-bound to sneer at all religion. Still, he haunted the cathedrals with the desperation of a dehydrated man trying to reach a fountain even though it may prove to be a mirage.” (Pg. 8)
He actually converted to Catholicism, after he mistook four green eyes he spied through a window at night (which belonged to two cats mating) for “A devi with four shining eyes” (Pg. 11): “Sir Francis plunged into religion with all the enthusiasm he had shown for sex, drink, art, and archaeology… He would… start preaching to his astonished friends, who could not understand what had happened to Sir Francis Dashwood, the notorious hellraker… The circumstances of Sir Francis’ conversion became the joke of London society. The baronet was not merely humiliated, he suffered a shock from which he never completely recovered… Now he underwent a reaction as violent as had been his conversion. He determined to prove to the world that he was no sentimental dupe. He would devote the rest of his life to ridiculing religion, particularly Catholicism. And not only religion but all moral principles as well. Sir Francis decided to found a club to further his aims.” (Pg. 12-13)
He explains, “There had been for many years a Hell-Fire Club which held its meetings … in downtown London… The original Hell-Fire Club had been abolished by special order of the Lord High Chancellor, because even in that broadminded time the members had carried things a little too far when the celebrated Mass on the body of a naked girl stretched out on one of the barroom tables. But Sir Francis was delighted by the club’s principles and set up his own circle… in imitation of the earlier group.” (Pg. 19)
He states, “The usual intent of a Black Mass ceremony is to invoke the devil for magical purposes. [Practitioners] probably had no real hope of being able to invoke Satan… and the whole procedure was intended more to ridicule Catholicism than as an actual incantation.” (Pg. 30)
He says, “Exhibitionism, as typified by the voyeurism, was for some reason or other a deeply ingrained characteristic of the period. It was the controlling factor of Sir Francis’ life and that of many other men…In the brothels of the period, couches were arranged around the walls for these community exhibitions… The Hell-Fire Club’s Roman Room was designed for this purpose… Apparently the aristocracy need the inspiration of each other’s company before they could perform the sexual act. Most of the ‘nuns’ were recruited from the fashionable [prostitution houses] of London.” (Pg 34)
He notes, “As the descendants of these gentlemen are for the most part still very prominent in English society, historians have tried to excuse the antics of the Hell-Fire Club by saying that the members weren’t much worse than most aristocrats of the period.” (Pg. 66)
He records, “In 1760, when George II died, the son of Pince Fritz ascended the throne as George III. He was only twenty-two and hadn’t been able to learn to read until he was ten. The Hell-Fire Club played an important part in forming the young King’s mind. Some of the members…were highly intelligent men who knew that a policy of armed reprisals against the American Colonists would be useless… It was an age of revolt… The combination of debauchery and genius was irresistible to the smart young men of the 18th century. And clever men could use the power of the club to advance themselves politically.” (Pg. 70-71)
He laments, “Unfortunately, we don’t know the details of these parties, which might give us an interesting sidelight on the nature of the club members. The orgies were apparently recorded in the club’s minutes… We do know the emphasis that the club put on securing virgins for the parties… Deflowering virgins was a mania with 18th century rakes… Another outstanding passion was for flagellation… Many of the rakes had to be flogged before they could show any interest in women. These men had used up their energies by ceaseless dissipation and could only respond to some drastic treatment.” (Pg. 113-114)
He acknowledges, “Since the secretary of the Hell-Fire Club burned the club’s records the day before his death, there is no absolute proof that [Benjamin] Franklin (or anyone else for that matter) was a member. But we do know that he paid constant visits … and in 1772 made a special trip from London to spend sixteen days with Sir Francis. We also know that there seems to be no special reason why Franklin should have gone to Wycombe at this special time unless he was a member. Only club members were allowed at Wycombe during club meetings… Under the circumstances, Franklin would have been shortsighted if he hadn’t joined the club. He was a diplomat trying to help his country and the club gave him the entrée to some of the most influential men in England.” (Pg. 118)
Later, he adds, “A curious result of Franklin’s membership in the Hell-Fire Club was the publication of the ‘Franklin Prayer Book’ which became the basis of the ‘Book of Common Prayer’ still used in most American [Episcopalian] Churches today. The two men were sitting before a fire … discussing religion. Both agreed that the current prayer book was intolerably long and dull and as well contained many passages that no intelligent man could believe. They resolved, as Sir Francis later wrote, ‘to relieve the well-disposed from the inflection of interminable prayers.’” (Pg. 121)
This book will be of great interest to those seriously studying this Club, and the manners and morals of this era.
August 19, 2015
This is a historical book. I didn't enjoy this book even for a moment.
The book tells of a secret society in England known as the hell fire club. Most of the members were aristocrats, includibg tge novelist Laurence Stern, author of Tristan Shandy. This is wbat is alleged in the book.
The Organisation practiced black magic, they also conducted sexual orgies in tbe club. The members rangedy from politicians, poets, novelists etc.
They members were divided into two, the superior members and the inferior memberst. The superior members were 12 in number, with their leader as Sir Francis Dashwood.
If you are a Kenyan then I must add tvat the novel refers to some of tbe practices which were conducted by the mau mau and draws a parallel with the ones practiced in tbe club.
I dont recommend tbis book, but you can read it for your own knowledge.
The book tells of a secret society in England known as the hell fire club. Most of the members were aristocrats, includibg tge novelist Laurence Stern, author of Tristan Shandy. This is wbat is alleged in the book.
The Organisation practiced black magic, they also conducted sexual orgies in tbe club. The members rangedy from politicians, poets, novelists etc.
They members were divided into two, the superior members and the inferior memberst. The superior members were 12 in number, with their leader as Sir Francis Dashwood.
If you are a Kenyan then I must add tvat the novel refers to some of tbe practices which were conducted by the mau mau and draws a parallel with the ones practiced in tbe club.
I dont recommend tbis book, but you can read it for your own knowledge.
December 1, 2016
The true story of wealth and privilege at its most debauched; the kind of tale the word 'rollicking' was coined for. Orgies, black masses, an underground lair that most Bond villains would sell their cats for, and a wit worthy of Wilde. It also paints the War Of Independence in a sinister new light. A lot on the Gordon riots and the political upheaval of the times - but unfortunately, most of what actually happened during their services has been forever lost; secretary, Paul Whitehead burning the minutes at the Club's demise. That's my only gripe - where's the validation? Mannix rarely names his sources. A snapshot then, but a fascinating one.
September 1, 2012
Provided me with a bunch of information. It was interesting, a quick read, but informative. Not sure how much has been fact checked or confirmed, but the material gave me some helpful leads to follow and further research.
August 15, 2013
Like occult shit and sleazy 19th century gentlemen? Read this book because that's the only reason you'd need to.
April 24, 2018
It's been a long time since I've come across a book that holds such a condensed wealth of knowledge. There's no filler; each page is packed with fascinating tidbits of history, and the level of detail is particularly rare. Every other sentence I would stop reading and jot down a note to google another factoid or piece of trivia revealed, which later sent me into a wild maze of wikipedia pages and historical sites.
Far from just detailing the wild exploits of the Hell-Fire Club - a society of hedonistic, artistic and morally depraved bored aristocrats who wielded massive political influence - the book opens a portal to 18th century London in its most grotesque, and paints a picture of life at the time which illuminates the class differences, the sexual depravity, the religious degeneracy, the proliferation of diseases, and the ruthless political scene, down to the architectural and decorative styles, the international cultural influences, and the strange fashions - each topic interwoven naturally into the tales of the hell-rakes. The portrait is not sympathetic in the least to the English populace and culture and may easily induce nausea even in the most degenerate post-modernist, but it's fascinating nonetheless.
This is the kind of book that you can open at any page to be instantly drawn in and entertained.
Far from just detailing the wild exploits of the Hell-Fire Club - a society of hedonistic, artistic and morally depraved bored aristocrats who wielded massive political influence - the book opens a portal to 18th century London in its most grotesque, and paints a picture of life at the time which illuminates the class differences, the sexual depravity, the religious degeneracy, the proliferation of diseases, and the ruthless political scene, down to the architectural and decorative styles, the international cultural influences, and the strange fashions - each topic interwoven naturally into the tales of the hell-rakes. The portrait is not sympathetic in the least to the English populace and culture and may easily induce nausea even in the most degenerate post-modernist, but it's fascinating nonetheless.
This is the kind of book that you can open at any page to be instantly drawn in and entertained.
August 27, 2021
The stories about these fools are very entertaining. John Wilkes, the Earl of Sandwich, even Ben Franklin all have their time in the spotlight as part of or because of their association with the club founded by Sir Francis Dashwood. Is the research sound? Impossible to say. The book shares no sources, which is disappointing but is also typical of Daniel Mannix's non-fiction.
June 23, 2023
Popular history of the infamous Hellfire Club, where rich people engaged in all sorts of shenanigans while coming up with rules about how other people should live.
Sort of like Bilderberg and other groups today. The more things change...
Sort of like Bilderberg and other groups today. The more things change...
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November 5, 2024Please do not contact Hell Fire Club, they are scammers, just like their book selling partners. I ordered books from them, transferred money, but they did not send me the books. The money was also not returned. They do not respond to letters asking for refunds. Don't repeat my mistake.
May 1, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyed this.
September 25, 2011
Not the sort of thing I normally read, but an aquaintance loaned it to me so I gave it a shot. I didn't hate it, but I'm not in any hurry to read it again, either. Bawdy to the point of being soft-core pornography, it's ribald take on 18th century Britain is disturbing in it's nonchalant sexism. Apparently the book is historical, but the complete lack of footnotes, bibliography or documentation of any type leaves me sceptical. The cover proclaims it "the underground classic." Apparently "classic" has a different meaning underground.
May 16, 2007
Oh heavens I completely forgot about this book! I believe my reaction to it at the time I read it was a shock of identification though in a sense very me-specific. I adore the function of play in the world so very much. However I feel that investing time into preserving what you despise by enshrining it inside yourself via obsessive thought no matter how deeply rooted and supposedly unconscious or whatever probably serves against one's aims.
Well, now I'm just writing. oops
Well, now I'm just writing. oops
June 15, 2007
Learn about the roots of the American Revolution in this very interesting history book. Learn how a few sexual deviants shaped the modern world as we know it. Learn about key members of the Hell Fire Club including Benjamin Franklin. Learn how the political break up of the club influenced American colonists to break away from the British. Quick, interesting read especially if you are interested in learning the history you were never taught in school.
October 23, 2014
I really enjoyed reading this book but I found it hard to discern how much of it comes from reliable sources and how much of it comes from hearsay or imagination. Mannix isn't very clear on where he gets all of his information. Still though, an entertaining read.
April 21, 2008
Mortifying. It's as though we had no idea what bodily fluids the powerful were swapping behind closed doors.
July 15, 2008
If you are into psud-masochism, this is your book...not sadomasochism, sorry some of you. An quirky look back at some naughty boys who have great power in Great Britain historically.
January 9, 2016
Couldn't get into it, and a lot of it seems like complete bullshit, due to no references or bibliography.
August 12, 2023
I have grown tired of hearsay being packaged as history just because an author wants to gossip. Give me first hand evidence backed by sources and documentation.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews