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Journalism of Courage
September 29: The Marleybone Cricket Club (MCC), which used to run the game in England and wrote its first laws in 1835, joined the 20th century with less than two years left yesterday by voting to allow women to become members.
Nearly 70 percent of the club’s membership chose to break with a 211-year-old tradition and let ladies into the long room at Lord’s for the first time.
The club, whose membership includes former British Prime Minister John Major and the Rolling Stone’s Mick Jagger, voted 69.8 percent in favour of the move, meeting the required two-thirds majority. Earlier this year a majority 55.7 per cent voted to admit women, falling short of the required two-thirds.
A total of 13,466 members took part in the vote, some 77 percent of the membership of 17,250. 9,394 voted in favour and 4,072 voted against. During what Ingleby-Mackenzie described as an `acrimonious’ special general meeting at Lord’s, some conservative members continued to voice their objections. Following the meeting, clubpresident Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie said: “It’s a great thing for cricket and for the club. There will be a better atmosphere in the club. I’m delighted we have been able to achieve this. This completely vindicates what we have done. This is the clearest statement of the wishes of the club.” The decision came two days before Ingelby-Mackenzie steps down from office.
The move also opens the way for the club to receive funds from Britain’s National Lottery, which some observers suggested was a reason for the historic change.
But there was one sour note for women’s rights when he suggested that the club could create an all-male bar in the pavilion.
“I’m a member of Sunningdale Golf Club and the Turf Club. They have all-male bars as well as mixed and the atmosphere there allows gentlemen to discuss gentlemen matters."
Women could be in the pavilion as early as next season if they are proposed as honorary members. But the overwhelming majority of ladies wishing to join will have to go on an 18-yearwaiting list and be behind the thousands of men waiting to join.
Rachel Heyhoe-Flint, the former England women’s captain, who tried to break down the barriers in 1991 said: “It’s been well worth waiting for. But I still have to wait and see if I am going to be admitted.”
There was, however, hard-core opposition. One member, Robert Titchener-Barratt, said the proposition was shoved down the club’s throat.
“The committee has acted with arrogance and self-importance saying we’re going to push this through whether you members like it or not,” he said. “The president has set his heart on making this the crowning glory of his time in office.” Other speakers at yesterday’s meeting, where the vote was announced, said the move was pushed through like propagandists in a communist state.
