Vincent's Club

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]

Vincent's Club
Formation1863 (1863)
Location
  • 1A King Edward Street
Coordinates51.7522°N 1.2549°W / 51.7522; -1.2549
Membership
Oxford Blues (predominantly)
President
Matthew Williams
Websitewww.vincents.org

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 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. 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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