What is the Garrick Club? A male-only elite made up of MPs, judges, actors, musicians - and even King Charles
The Garrick Club, located in the heart of London, is a private club exclusively for men. Membership is comprised of individuals from various areas within the British hierarchy.
Established in 1831, this club holds the claim of being among the most senior organizations exclusively for members globally.
It is said that this group has around 1,500 members. They include at least 160 experienced legal professionals, at least 10 Members of Parliament still holding office, a few dozen Lords, leaders of government organizations, performers in the entertainment industry, creative individuals, and successful entrepreneurs.
According to reports, King Charles is supposedly part of a group called the "knighthoods," consisting of approximately 150 individuals who pay roughly £1,000 annually for admittance to its fine dining establishments, lavish lounges, and private suites.
Ladies are basically not allowed to join the club and were previously not even permitted to visit as a member's guest or spouse before 2010.
Even in present times, women who visit the club's main office located in London's bustling West End are directed to enter through a different door and are seated separately from the main dining area.
Everyone who is not a member of the establishment must be accompanied by one to gain access. Any guests will receive menus that do not include prices, and they are not permitted to pay for anything. Additionally, giving gratuity to any individual members of the staff is not allowed.
The high-end association made news when The Guardian disclosed a register of top members, such as Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, and former minister Jacob Rees-Mogg.
More politicians were mentioned, including individuals who work alongside Gove such as Simon Hoare, as well as former justice secretary Robert Buckland and former Conservative Party member of European Parliament Lord Hannan. Additionally, Kwasi Kwarteng was elected as a member in 2022, just a few days before serving as Chancellor under Liz Truss for a brief period of time.
Simon Case, who held the position of chief civil servant in the UK, has stepped down from his membership due to the backlash he received for the criteria for membership which only allows males to join.
According to reports, a number of prominent actors from popular TV series and movies such as Succession, Downton Abbey, House, and Sherlock Holmes have been identified as members of the arts community. These actors include Brian Cox, Matthew Macfadyen, Hugh Bonneville, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Benedict Cumberbatch, David Suchet, and Damian Lewis.
The list included some well-known people like Roy Hodgson who used to manage England and Liverpool football teams, John Simpson who worked as a journalist, Mark Knopfler who played guitar for the band Dire Straits, and Paul Smith who worked as a designer.
The former participants comprised of artist knighthood Sir John Gielgud and authors like Charles Dickens, HG Wells and AA Milne who is known for creating Winnie-The-Pooh. Additionally, composer Edward Elgar was also a part of the group.
Learn more: Roy Hodgson hospitalized due to illness New definition of extremism introduced despite warnings Former Gogglebox celebrity chosen as Labour candidate to challenge Oliver Dowden.
Back in 2011, an effort was made to include Joanna Lumley as the foremost female member of the club. Hugh Bonneville had put forth her name for the proposal.
The team sought legal advice and determined that females were not eligible for membership, despite laws promoting fairness. As a result, she was rejected.
Many efforts to modify their standards for admission have been met with opposition from individuals who are set on preserving their selective customs.
In 1993, Jeremy Paxman was rejected from the club because of his book, Friends In High Places, which was deemed to be against the establishment. However, in 2004, he was allowed to rejoin the club.
Back in 1831, a cluster of men established "a literary society" whose objective was to boost drama and gather manuscripts of plays.
The initial individuals were labeled as an "elegant and worldly bunch" that comprised of 24 nobleman, alongside authors, performers, artists and book publishers.
The association received its appellation as a tribute to David Garrick, a prominent actor and dramatist of the past era, for his remarkable performances and direction at the Theatre Royal, which gained widespread admiration from the populace of the 19th century.
When choosing who could become a member, the initial group in charge declared that "it's preferable to keep out 10 people who aren't problematic than to admit a single person who is extremely dull".
According to the website of the club, this principle guarantees the presence of a "vibrant ambiance".
Since 1864, the club has been situated in the building where it presently stands, and the street was subsequently renamed Garrick Street after the dramatist.
Back in 1956, the ownership of the Winnie-The-Pooh books was handed over to four groups: AA Milne's family, the Garrick Club, Westminster School, and the Royal Literary Fund.
Back in 1998, individuals declined the opportunity to receive a large sum of money from Disney for selling the licensing rights to the beloved kids' books.
However, after a span of three years, the club succumbed and Disney managed to obtain the film rights for a period of 25 years.
The Garrick departed as the most affluent men's club in the nation, possessing a sum of approximately £60 million.
The organization still possesses one of the largest collections of theatrical materials in the world, which includes a significant number of written works, stage performances, and papers, as well as an extensive set of artworks and sketches.
