After years of pressure, the Garrick Club has voted to allow women to join the exclusive club in London’s West End. The all-male private members’ club was founded in 1831 and has been under scrutiny for its outdated policies. Reports reveal that the club’s membership list included notable individuals such as judges, lawyers, cabinet ministers, MPs, as well as actors, rock stars, and senior journalists.
The club’s recent decision was made after reconsidering the legal wording surrounding membership. Notably, the head of the Civil Service Simon Case and chief of MI6 Richard Moore have resigned from the club after its membership list was revealed. Reports state that nearly 60% of the club’s members voted in favour of allowing women to join.
Analysis of the club’s rules by senior judges revealed that there was nothing in the Garrick’s constitution preventing women from being allowed to join. The 1925 Law of Property Act advises that in legal documents, the word “he” should also be read to mean “she.” The vote confirming the resolution required a 50% majority, unlike previous votes on the same issue that required a two-thirds majority.
High-profile members include Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, former cabinet ministers Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, Kwasi Kwarteng, and Robert Buckland, as well as BBC broadcasters John Simpson and Melvyn Bragg. The Garrick Club has not yet released a statement regarding the recent decision.
Overall, this development is a significant milestone for the all-male private members’ club and a victory for advocates of gender equality
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