London's Men-Only Garrick Club Opens Doors For Women After 193 Years

Members of a 193-year-old private club in London voted to accept women to join the institution. Founded in 1831, the gentlemen's club went through years of pressure to admit female members. On May 7, nearly 60% of members voted in favour of female membership in a historic move. Senior judges concluded that there was nothing in the Garrick's constitution preventing women from being allowed to join. Notably, this is not the first time that voting was held on this matter at the club. The vote confirming women's admission required a 50% majority, while previous votes had required a two-thirds majority.

Long-Pending Resolution For Inclusivity 

One of London's oldest member clubs, the Garricks opened its doors to women members for the first time after years of debates. Several activists also accused the private institution of elitism and misogyny, while holding rallies and campaigns to support women's admission. Reportedly, 562 members voted in favour while 375 voted against.

Reportedly, the head of the Civil Service, Simon Case, and the chief of MI6, Richard Moore, recently resigned from the club after its membership list was revealed. The Guardian reported that actor Stephen Fry and journalist James Naughtie were among the members who gave short speeches arguing for the admission of women.

The Guardian led an investigation which revealed that the club had received letters and emails from more than 200 members informing them that they would resign if the vote had gone against women. At least four judges also resigned amid intense media focus on the large number of senior members who had previously voted against the admission of women. 

Jude Kelly, a theatre artist and the founder of an organisation called Women of the World Foundation, told the publication, “These clubs were created as places for people who were given superior privileges. This is not the same as having an all-girls picnic or a boys-only cricket club. This is a place that sustained male power.”

Several women are reportedly being nominated for membership--  classicist Mary Beard, former home secretary Amber Rudd, Channel 4 News presenter Cathy Newman, new Labour peer Ayesha Hazarika, actor Juliet Stevenson, Margaret Casely-Hayford, chancellor of Coventry University, and Elizabeth Gloster, formerly an appeal court judge.

The publication also reported that Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, and former cabinet ministers including Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, Kwasi Kwarteng and Robert Buckland, were revealed as members this year. BBC journalists John Simpson and Melvyn Bragg were also on the list of admissions.