1 week Ago By Olivia Cleal
An elite men-only club in London to allow women members to join the exclusive club for the first time in its 193-year history. The Garrick Club, located in London’s West End, was founded in 1831 as a place where “actors and men of refinement and education might meet on equal terms”. The club, which now has over a thousand members – including politicians, actors, high court judges and even King Charles III – has never allowed women to join.
But a two-hour debate, followed by a vote on Tuesday night, decided applications for women to join the Garrick would now be accepted. According to an exclusive report from , English actor Stephen Fry and radio broadcaster James Naughtie were two members who gave speeches during the two-hour debate, advocating for the admission of women in the Garrick. Following the debate, 562 members (59.
98 per cent) voted in favour of women joining the club, with 375 (40.02 per cent) voting against. In an email , the chair of the Garrick Club Christopher Kirker assured members “usual waiting times” for the acceptance of applications to the Club “will apply to all regardless of sex”.
According to sources, the admission of new members can take anywhere between 12 months and up to 10 years. However, Kirker indicated the Club “may need to decide to consider one or two exceptional or even Distinguished lady members soon”. These potential women candidates that the Club “may need” to fast-track applications for include academic Mary Bea.
