Carlton Club
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The Carlton Club is a gentlemen's club in London. It was founded in 1832, the Reform Club being formed in 1836 as a counterpart, and from the outset was associated with the Conservative Party; indeed, playing a role in the transition from the Tory party to its modern successor.
Many Conservative MPs have been members, and it was most famous for the 'Carlton Club meeting' of 1922 in which backbench Conservative MPs decided to overthrow their leader Austen Chamberlain and withdraw from the David Lloyd George-led coalition. MPs voted 185 to 85 in favour of discontinuing the Coalition, after speeches from Bonar Law and Baldwin who said that the fact Lloyd George was a 'dynamic force' was a dangerous thing. This meeting resulted in the name '1922 Committee' for the committee of Conservative backbench MPs.
The club's original building in Pall Mall was bombed in World War II, and so it subsequently moved premises to a newer building, 69 St James' St, formerly the premises of Arthurs' which had fallen on hard times.
In 1977 the Junior Carlton Club merged with the Carlton Club.
At 8:39 pm on June 25, 1990, the Carlton Club was struck by a bomb [1] attributed to the IRA, killing the porter.
Only men may become full members. Ladies may become associate members, paying a lower subscription but entitled to use only some of the facilities. The leader of the Conservative Party is invited to become an honorary member. Honorary members are entitled to use the full range of the Club's facilities. Margaret Thatcher therefore as a honorary member is entitled to use the same facilities as other full members.