Wiktionary
n. (plural of clubman English)
Wikipedia
Clubmen were bands of local defence vigilantes during the English Civil War (1642–1651) who tried to protect their localities against the excesses of the armies of both sides in the war. They sought to join together to prevent their wives and daughters being raped by soldiers of both sides, themselves being forcibly conscripted to fight by one side or the other, their crops and property being damaged or seized by the armies and their lives threatened or intimidated by soldiers, battle followers, looters, deserters or refugees. As their name suggests, they were mostly armed with cudgels, flails, scythes and sickles fastened to long poles. They were otherwise unarmed.
Initially Clubmen gatherings came together spontaneously in response to the actions of soldiers in their localities. But as the war went on Clubmen in some areas were organised by the local gentry and churchmen and were a force which both sides in the war had to take into account when planning a campaign and garrisoning some areas, particularly in the south and west. The Clubmen, distinguishing themselves by white ribbands, were of a third party, neither Royalist nor Parliamentarian, and they were repressed severely by the authorities on both sides. Though Lord Fairfax met with clubmen and negotiated with them, eventually he moved against them.
Usage examples of "clubmen".
And one and all, like those clubmen with their opened coats, had shed something of caste, and creed, and custom, and by the cock of their hats, the pace of their walk, their laughter, or their silence, revealed their common kinship under the passionate heavens.
I was surrounded by the stale smut of clubmen, stories to disturb callow youth, ads for transparencies, truedup dice and bustpads, proprietary articles and why wear a truss with testimonial from ruptured gentleman.
I search out secrets about my fellow clubmen in spite of their stuffy reticence.
As I began hesitantly to walk down Pall Mall, jostled by the clubmen scurrying to get in out of the rain, I remembered times past at Baker Street when my friend had chafed in frustration because no interesting mystery presented itself for his scrutiny.
This, too, was strange, and a friendly smile became fixed upon her face, and of those who saw it-- shop-girls, women of fashion, coachmen, clubmen, policemen--most felt a little warmth about their hearts.