London’s private members’ clubs have histories stretching back for centuries, but few are as old as The Garrick Club. Founded in 1831 it can count the likes of H.G. Wells, Charles Dickens, A.A. Milne, T.S. Eliot, and P.G. Wodehouse among its past members. But though times have changed beyond all recognition, this club still has one foot very much lodged in the past as they still outright refuses to admit women as members.
Yup, The Garrick Club stands alone as the only club of its type that’s firmly “for gentlemen only” and all efforts to reform or modernize that rule have been met with fierce resistance from its members. This may yet change, in 2015 a members’ vote was held on whether to admit women. 50.5% of voted to allow female members, but as a two-thirds majority is required the motion failed.
This has left The Garrick Club as a lumbering dinosaur in the 21st century and membership of such an exclusionary and sexist institution is proving controversial. The Guardian newspaper has been campaigning for reform for years, but just got hold of the club’s highly confidential membership list, which includes some major actors you’ll know and love.
Before we list them, we want to underline that just because an actor is a member doesn’t mean they’re sexist or even that they support the “no women” rule. For example, at least one, Succession star Brian Cox, has said it’s “about time” women are admitted. That said, with public figures in the United Kingdom now resigning their memberships, it’s time to list who’s still on its books.
As per The Guardian, here are the notable actors who are members:
- Brian Cox, star of Succession
- Matthew Macfadyen, star of Succession
- Benedict Cumberbatch, the MCU’s Doctor Strange
- Hugh Bonneville, star of Downton Abbey and the Paddington movies
- Hugh Laurie, star of House M.D.
- Stephen Fry, TV Presenter, star of The Hobbit and Harry Potter audiobook narrator
- David Suchet, star of Poirot
- Damian Lewis, star of Homeland and Billions
We suspect many more top names will be revealed over the next few days, so watch this list for more. As far as we can see there has been little comment by those named on this list, though protests have begun against the organization. Theater director Jude Kelly (also founder of the Women of the World Foundation) didn’t mince words:
“I don’t understand why anybody would think that it’s still OK to join a men-only members’ club. It sends a very peculiar message if you head a major arts organisation, but you are a member of a club that doesn’t accept women.”
We can’t say it clearer than that, other than to add that we’re very disappointed that some actors we have a lot of respect for are fully paid-up members of such a sexist institution.