Hellfire Club – a Hair Raising Origin Story
This society is responsible for more than one goosebump among us. Just the name creates a sense of otherworldly sin. The history of the Hellfire Club is actually a history of multiple organizations that operated under the title of hellfire clubs. They were known for their iniquity and out-of-control revelry. Philip, the Duke of Wharton(1698-1731), is credited with founding the first so-named Hellfire Club in 1719 when he was just 20 years old. The original intention of Wharton’s club was for the performance of “satirical religious ceremonies”. The original club even accepted female members – unlike its predecessors.
According to Geoffery Ashe’s The Hell-Fire Clubs: A History of Anti-Morality, club members came to meetings dressed as characters from the Bible and dined on such delicacies as “Holy Ghost Pie,” “Breast of Venus,” and “Devil’s Loin,” while drinking “Hellfire punch.” To nobody’s surprise, these blasphemous gatherings did not go over well with more religious authorities and monarchs. King George I disbanded the group in 1721. However, other, more infamous and dark clubs popped up with their own intentions. The Hellfire Club of Dublin was founded by Richard Parsons in 1735 and boasted a devilish reputation. Black masses, sacrifices, and general dark practices were hosted there. There is even one story of the Devil himself appearing at one gathering.