At least four judges have resigned from the Garrick Club as a storm grows over its men-only membership policy.
Women have been repeatedly blocked from joining the Covent Garden club, which opened its doors in 1831 and has around 1,500 members.
Last week the membership list of the exclusive club, which includes actors, MPs and lawyers, was revealed for the first time via the Guardian — fuelling fresh criticism of its “ridiculously outdated rule”.
The issue led to the head of the Civil Service Simon Case quitting his membership a day after being questioned by MPs about his involvement in the institution.
The head of MI6 Sir Richard Moore is also said to have resigned.
The Judicial Office has confirmed the appeal court judge Sir Keith Lindblom and the high court judges Sir Nicholas Cusworth, Sir Nicholas Lavender and Sir Ian Dove had resigned.
The Guardian reports that more judges may have resigned but not told the Judicial Office.
The four judges were among dozens in the legal profession who have been revealed as members.
High court judges, current and former ministers in the Ministry of Justice and numerous senior solicitors have been revealed as club members.
More than 80 lawyers in England and Wales have called on judges to give up their memberships.
Dr Charlotte Proudman, who coordinated the open letter along with her fellow barrister Elisabeth Traugott, told Sky News on Monday morning: “I hope that we see a domino effect, with more and more people slowly starting to resign. And I certainly hope by the end of this week that all of the judges have resigned from the Garrick Club.
“And, if they haven’t, well we’ll have to see what’s next.”
The row was reignited in 2022 when the lawyer who originally ruled it could bar women changed his mind and said there was no legal justification to stay men-only. A poll of members last November found 51 per cent were in favour of admitting women but club rules require a two-thirds majority to change its position.
Among the names on the members list are actors Matthew Macfadyen, Benedict Cumberbatch and Damian Lewis as well as the chief executive of the Royal Opera House, Alex Beard, and Antonio Pappano, who is now chief conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.
The club, named after legendary actor David Garrick, has always drawn members from the arts including actor Sir John Gielgud and writers such as Charles Dickens, HG Wells and Winnie-the-Pooh author AA Milne.
