MOUTH OF THE WEAR Arguing about men only clubs is not the best use of time
The sporadically arising issue of men only clubs is upon us once more.
Cherie Blair is still smarting from being left outside the Garrick Club, in 1976, while Tony was admitted. The place is a famously women-free zone, which is clearly burning the soul of Mrs Blair QC.
The Garrick’s 1,300, entirely male membership includes some of the dullest men in Britain, encompassing judges, politicians, minor aristocracy, bankers and worst of all, actors. Why would Cherie, or anyone for that matter, wish to join? Until recently there were womanless clubs in Sunderland. Many readers will remember this in pubs too. Is the argument even worth the effort? It’s easily avoided.
For more years than I care to remember, my grubby cohorts and I have met each Sunday for sherry after benediction. No woman has ever joined us, nor wanted to. This is because no woman, understandably, has ever expressed the slightest desire to listen to hours of fatuous bickering about Gordon Armstrong’s contribution to the 1992 FA Cup final.
However, I can’t help but suspect that if we blokes laid down the law (ha!) and ordered (ha!) women not to attend, they would be there en masse the following week, on principle. Mrs Blair claims a principle. But the real reason people want to join the Garrick, and what sets it apart from working men’s clubs in the North East, is the opportunity to schmooze with big hitters.
However, if the membership rules were changed the schmoozing / back-scratching / networking (ugh) would simply become even more furtive.
Also, membership still remains subject to anonymous “blackballing”. It’s possible that rules could be changed to allow female membership, only to find that a woman can’t join anyway because an unknown person voted against, with no explanation required.
Furthermore there are various women only groups, such as the University Women’s Club, the nearest the Garrick Club has to a female equivalent. Then there is the WI; and Mrs Blair’s husband learned from personal experience not to mess with them.
It’s quite amusing that the Garrick Club still manages to be less progressive than the Pallion Club ever was.