5 exclusive secret societies with famous men as members.

A very bright spotlight is currently shining on the secret societies of the rich and famous – and it’s all because of a book that makes allegations involving British Prime Minister David Cameron and a dead pig.

There was a time when most of us thought of these “secret societies” as nothing more Grand Poobah kind of affairs, where men met in secret, donned silly hats and laughed about having a night off from the missus.

But extracts of the biography Call Me Dave, by Lord Ashcroft and Isabel Oakeshott, paint a picture of the Piers Gaveston dining club that’s anything but.

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According to Lord Ashcroft, Cameron was also a member of another infamous secret society called The Bullingdon Club. One Tory colleague invited to join the same club reportedly walked out in disgust after describing the scene as a highly select band of the super rich "getting drunk and standing on restaurant tables, shouting about 'f***ing plebs'."

"It was all about despising poor people."

Secret societies are nothing new and have existed for centuries, complete with secret passwords and handshakes, business deals in darkened backrooms and, more often than not, connections to power. But what draws the rich, famous and powerful to these clubs? And what's in it for them?

Let’s have a brief look at the most infamous secret societies throughout history.

1. Skull and Bones (Originally known as Brotherhood of Death).

Purpose of the club: This is one of the oldest secret societies in the United States and was made of elite Yale University alumni. Formed in 1832 by Alfonso Taft, the 'Bonesman', as they are called, have bi-weekly meetings in their 'sanctum', which is known as 'The Tomb'. What happens after that is largely conjecture, since members never talk about it. What is known is that the club only allows 15 new members a year, so there are only about 800 living members at any one time.

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A lot of the ‘Bonesmen’ have gone on to positions of great power. The society is surrounded by conspiracy theories, the most popular of which is that the CIA was built on members from the group. The CIA released a statement in 2007 in which it denied that the group was an incubator for the CIA.

Well known members, past or present: Former US President George Bush Senior; former US Presdient George W Bush; former US president William Taft; Time Magazine founder Henry Luce.

2. The Freemasons

Purpose of the society:  The Freemasons are one of the most secretive and controversial religious groups in the world. Masons have existed for centuries – and if we are to believe their claims, they've existed covertly for even longer. Freemasonry began in medieval Europe as a guild for stonemasons, but lived on as a social organization. Described as a benevolent fraternal organisation with ritual and structure, it is apolitical. Members have a belief in a higher deity, and is fundamentally Christian.

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Most scholars agree the hierarchy of Freemasonry includes 33 degrees. Freemasons begin as Entered Apprentices and can work their way all the way to Sovereign Grand Inspector General. Allegations have been made that Freemasonry is the hidden hand that controls governments and global finances. However, this has always been strenuously denied.

Well known members past or present: George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Winston Churchill, Mozart, Davy Crockett, Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Houdini, Gerald Ford, Henry Ford, John Wayne, even Colonel Sanders. Australians include Sir Donald Bradman, Edward Barton and Graham Kennedy.

3. The Bullingdon Club.

Purpose of the club:  The Bullingdon Club is an exclusive, but unofficial, all-male student dining club based in Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is noted for its wealthy members, grand banquets and boisterous rituals, such as vandalising restaurants and college rooms.

Originally founded more than 200 years ago as a hunting and cricket club, it was limited to only 30 members. Today the Bullingdon is still primarily a dining club, although a vestige of the club's sporting links survives in its support of an annual point to point race. Basically nothing more than a social club, the Lord Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, a former member of the Bullingdon Club has since tried to distance himself from it, calling it "a truly shameful vignette of almost superhuman undergraduate arrogance, toffishness and twittishness”.

Well known members past or present; UK Prime Minister, David Cameron; Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

4. The Pacifica House, Brown University.

Purpose of society: Formed in 1824, the Pacifica House (also known as The Franklin Society) is the oldest student secret society in America. It was formed during a year when a large class entered Brown University and there were too many members to fit into the existing literary debating societies. The group's motto was 'Knowledge is Power'. The group was thought to have dissolved in the 1840's, but traces were found up until the mid 20th century before they went completely underground.

Today, the group has changed its name to Societas Domi Pacifica, and continue to tap an unknown number of juniors every year to join.

Well known members past or present: Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay accepted honorary memberships.

5. Seven Society, University of Virginia.

Purpose of society: Quite possibly the best secret-keepers in the world, the Seven Society at the University of Virginia only reveal their members after their death. The society, which was founded in 1905, place a wreath of black magnolias in the shape of a "7" at the gravesite. The bell tower of the University Chapel also chimes at seven-second intervals on the seventh dissonant chord when it is seven past the hour. A notice is published in the University's Alumni News.

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The society are known around campus for the good deeds they secretly do for the community and donations they offer initiatives - usually in multiples of seven.

It is unclear how the society was formed, but legend says that 8 men arranged to meet one night and only 7 showed up. Sucks to be the guy shunned for life.

Well known members past or present: Understandably there are no present members known, but a previous notable name is Edward Stettinius, Jr, secretary of state under Presidents Roosevelt and Truman.

Do you know of any other secret societies? Let us know in the comments.