Caledonian Society joins 21st century as 'woke brethren' agree to admit women for first time in 185 years

The Caledonian Society of London has voted to allow women to join (Picture: Sara D Davis) | Getty Images

In opposing a bid to allow women to join the 185-year-old Caledonian Society of London, a past president urged his fellow members to resist the arguments put forward by “diversity zealots” and “woke-orientated brethren”.

Warning the vote on the matter was “possibly the most significant issue we have faced over the 185 years of our existence”, he raised the spectre of the “proud Brothers Caledonian” having to call themselves “Siblings Caledonian”. Or even worse, he shuddered, what if a woman became president and then announced “an all-female panel of speakers, with more female-orientated topics”? He cautioned: “Any form of ‘feminisation’... could have a detrimental impact.”

Pointing out that both membership and attendance at the society’s ‘little dinners’ had been falling, while the average age was rising, another past president suggested that this august body might cease to exist unless women were allowed to join.

Thankfully, members remembered that, while the society was founded in the 19th century, they do not live in it and voted by 80 to 20 per cent to join the modern world. Congratulations and welcome.