Dave,
In the early days a lot of British cycling clubs were
linked to other associations, Religion, Politics,
Factories and shops etc.
Clarion Labour Party, Spartacus Communist Party,
Primrose Tory Party, St. Christopher's Catholic Church
the list is endless and shows just how divided British
society once was.
The Primrose came from these beginnings: small
meeting was opened at the Carlton Club in London on
the 17th November 1883 and the 'Primrose Tory League'
(the Tory part of the title was soon to be dropped)
was launched by Lord Randolph Churchill, (father of
Sir Winston Churchill), Mr. (later Sir) John Gorst,
Sir H. Drummond Wolff, Mr. Percy Mitford, Colonel Fred
Burnaby, Sir Alfred Slade and others, who constituted
themselves the Grand Council of the Primrose League.
The cycling club was an offshoot from this.
These are some links to also help you:
http://www.wcml.org.uk/
http://www.wcml.org.uk/
http://www.clarioncc.org/
Also try Warwick University they have lots of material on British cycling, clubs, makers etc.
Of course the links and affiliations are all but forgotten nowadays and they are just simply cycling clubs.
Mick Butler late London Typographical Society PS.Posted this to a political student who is doing some research thought it might be of interest to the CR List.
Thats all for now. Keep those wheels spinning, in your memories if not still on the road. Be lucky Mick Butler Huntingdon UK.