kids encyclopedia robot

Vincent's Club facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
"Vincent's" redirects here. For other uses, see St. Vincent's.
Quick facts for kids
Vincent's Club
Vincents1.jpg
The front door of Vincent's Club
Formation 1863 (1863)
Location
  • 1A King Edward Street
Membership
 Oxford Blues (predominantly)
President
 Tom Barrett

Vincent's Club, often called Vinnie's, is a special club in Oxford. Most members are top athletes from the University of Oxford. These athletes are known as Oxford Blues.

Discovering Vincent's Club History

Vincent's Club started in 1863. It was founded by Walter Bradford Woodgate, a rower from Brasenose College, Oxford. He became the club's first president. Woodgate wanted a club for the very best students. He felt the club should have "the picked hundred of the University." Members were chosen for their social, physical, and intellectual skills.

How Vincent's Club Grew

Vincent's Club quickly became very important. J.S.G. Pemberton called it the "premier Social Club of the University." In 1894, The Isis described it as a "sacred Temple." Being a member was seen as a special award. It showed that students were successful and well-liked.

Famous Moments at Vinnie's

Many famous people have been part of Vincent's Club. Roger Bannister, who was president in 1950, celebrated there. This was after he ran the world's first sub-four-minute mile in 1954. Even The Beatles visited the club in 1964.

Who Can Join Vincent's Club?

From the very beginning, many members were sports stars. This was because of Woodgate's love for sports. However, you don't have to be an athlete to join. Getting an Oxford Blue (a top sports award) does not automatically make you a member. The club first allowed only 100 members. But as the university grew, so did the club.

Membership Rules

To join, you must be a student at Oxford University when you are chosen. Once you are a member, you stay a member for life. In 2016, the club changed its rules. This allowed women to become members too.

Exploring the Clubhouse

The club first met in old reading rooms. These rooms were once owned by a printer named J. H. Vincent. They were located at 90 High Street. From 1894 to 1931, the club was at 6-7 High Street.

Vincent's Club Today

Since 1931, the club has been at 1A King Edward Street. It is located upstairs above a shop called Shepherd & Woodward. This is in the center of Oxford. The club was fully updated in 2014. It now has a bar, a lounge, a dining room, and a conference room. There is also a kitchen and offices.

Vincent's Club Style

Members of Vincent's can wear the club tie. It is dark blue with a white crown design. They can also wear a silver crown pin on their jacket. The club tie was adopted in 1926. It is very well-known. J.C. Masterman said it was like "a sort of passport" around the world.

Notable Members of Vincent's Club

Many important people have been members of Vincent's Club.

Royalty

Politics and Law

Military

Academic Leaders

  • Sir John Bell, a top professor of medicine at Oxford University
  • Lord Blake, historian
  • Lord Butterfield, a top professor of physic at Cambridge University
  • Sir John Hood, former Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University
  • Sir Colin Lucas, former Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University
  • Francis Pember, former Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University
  • Professor Graham Richards, head of Chemistry at Oxford University
  • Alan Valentine, Olympic Gold winner in 1924 and president of the University of Rochester

Religious Figures

Business Leaders

  • Gerry Cardinale, businessman and investor
  • Sir Rod Eddington, business executive
  • Ivan Gazidis, former CEO of Arsenal F.C. and AC Milan
  • Jason Gissing, founder of Ocado
  • Jim Rogers, investor and financial commentator

Arts and Entertainment

Media Personalities

Sports Stars

  • Sir Roger Bannister, first to run the sub-4-minute mile
  • Bernard Bosanquet, international cricketer and inventor of the googly
  • C. B. Fry, England cricket and football international, world record holder for the long jump
  • David Hemery, Olympic Gold winner in 1968
  • Malcolm Howard, Olympic Gold winner in 2008
  • Douglas Jardine, England cricket captain
  • David Kirk, All Blacks captain and winner of the 1987 Rugby World Cup
  • Jack Lovelock, Olympic Gold winner in 1936
  • Sir Matthew Pinsent, Olympic Golds in 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004
  • Pete Reed, Olympic Golds in 2008, 2012, 2016
  • Bevil Rudd, Olympic Gold winner in 1920
  • Richard Sharp, England rugby captain
  • M. J. K. Smith, England cricket captain and rugby international
  • Davis Tarwater, Olympic Gold winner in 2012
  • Daniel Topolski, rowing world champion and coach

See also

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Vincent's Club Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.