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Vincent's Club

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Coordinates: 51°45′08″N 1°15′18″W / 51.7522°N 1.2549°W / 51.7522; -1.2549
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Vincent's Club
Formation1863 (1863)
Location
  • 1A King Edward Street
Coordinates51°45′08″N 1°15′18″W / 51.7522°N 1.2549°W / 51.7522; -1.2549
Membership
Oxford Blues (predominantly)
President
Matthew Williams
Websitewww.vincents.org

Vincent's Club, popularly known as Vinnie's, is a private members' club in Oxford. The club's membership consists predominantly, but not exclusively, of sporting blues of the University of Oxford.[1]

History

Vincent's Club was founded in 1863 by oarsman Walter Bradford Woodgate[2] of Brasenose College, Oxford, who became the first president of the club.[3] Dissatisfied with the permissive admission policies and lack of refreshments at the Oxford Union,[4] Woodgate established his own club and stated that it "should consist of the picked hundred of the University, selected for all-round qualities; social, physical and intellectual qualities being duly considered."[5]

Vincent's Club quickly gained considerable prestige, which it enjoys to this day. J.S.G. Pemberton regarded it as "the premier Social Club of the University",[6] while in 1894 The Isis could describe Vincent's as "a sacred Temple ... to those whom, by virtue of themselves, their athletic powers, and their social and general good-fellowship, a grateful University delighteth to honour", with membership considered to be "the diploma which the University of Undergraduates grants in due season to her most successful and deserving sons".[7]

Roger Bannister, president of the club in 1950, celebrated at Vincent's after running the world's first sub-four-minute mile at the Iffley Road track in 1954.[8] The Beatles visited the club in 1964.[9]

Membership

From the club's foundation, influenced by Woodgate's own sporting interests, the membership has been dominated by sportspeople. However, there has never been a sporting qualification for membership and membership does not accompany a Blue.[10] The club was originally limited to only 100 resident members, but as the university has expanded, so too has the club.[11]

Members are elected for life.[11] The club's constitution was amended to permit the admission of women on 9 March 2016.[12]

Clubhouse

The club was originally located in the old reading rooms which J. H. Vincent, a printer, had previously kept at 90 High Street.[13] Between 1894 and 1931, the club occupied premises at 6-7 High Street.[14]

Since 1931, the club has been located at 1A King Edward Street, in upstairs premises above Shepherd & Woodward on the High Street in central Oxford. Completely refurbished in 2014,[15] the club's facilities include a bar, lounge area, dining room, conference room, kitchen and administrative offices.[16]

Club regalia

Vincent’s members are entitled to wear the club tie, which is dark blue with silver crowns, or a silver crown lapel pin.  The club tie, adopted in 1926,[4] is particularly renowned and was regarded by J.C. Masterman as "a sort of passport all over the English-speaking world".[11]

Notable members[17]

Royalty:

Politics & Law:

Military:

Academic:

Religion:

Business:

Arts:

Sportspeople:

Other:

See also

References

  1. ^ Lack, Alastair. "'Once a member, always a member'". Oxford Mail, 11th December 2009
  2. ^ Michael G. Brock and M. C. Curthoys, The History of the University of Oxford, Volume 7, Part 2. Oxford University Press, 2000. ISBN 978-0-19-951017-7. Page 536.
  3. ^ W. B. Woodgate, Reminiscences of an old sportsman, Vincent's Club, Oxford, UK.
  4. ^ a b A Happy Breed of Men, Oxford Mail
  5. ^ Hibbert, Christopher (1988). "Vincent's Club". The Encyclopaedia of Oxford. London: Macmillan. pp. 483−484. ISBN 978-0-333-39917-0.
  6. ^ J. S. G. Pemberton, 'The social life', in J. Wells (ed.), Oxford and Oxford Life (1892), 91
  7. ^ M. C. Curthoys, M. G. Brock (eds.). The History of the University of Oxford: Volume VII: Nineteenth-Century Oxford, Part 2. (2000). United Kingdom: Clarendon Press. 536.
  8. ^ Bannister, Roger (2015). Twin Tracks: The Autobiography. The Robson Press. ISBN 9781849548366.
  9. ^ Razzall, Tim (2014). Chance Encounters: Tales from a Varied Life. Biteback Publishing. ISBN 9781849548205.
  10. ^ E. W. Swanton, An Oxford Institution, Vincent's Club, Oxford, UK.
  11. ^ a b c J. C. Masterman, Vincent's Club, Vincent's Club, Oxford, UK.
  12. ^ Kodsi, Daniel (18 March 2016). "Vincent's Club ends gender exclusivity". Cherwell. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  13. ^ "The High, Oxford: No 90". www.oxfordhistory.org.uk. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  14. ^ "The High, Oxford: 6-7". www.oxfordhistory.org.uk. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  15. ^ "Club Refurbishments". Vincent's Club. 30 September 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  16. ^ "Vincent's Club | Conference Oxford". conference-oxford.com. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  17. ^ Lee, Simon (2014). Vincent's 1863-2013. London: Third Millennium Information. ISBN 978 1 908990 33 4.
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