Club Rules

Approved by the Committee and endorsed at AGM 2026.

I. Eligibility for membership of the Club requires Command Qualification 2 (CQ2), or its equivalent predecessor, as a minimum and to be, or have reached before retiring, the rank of Lieutenant Commander or above. Additionally, for a Lieutenant Commander, there is a requirement to have exercised previous regular Sea Command of a vessel over 300 tons displacement or be selected for an assignment in which the individual will exercise regular sea command.

The Committee retains the right to maintain sufficient ‘sea room’ to accept exceptional cases as they arise. 

II. Mode of electing Members. Any qualifying officer applying for membership shall be deemed to have been proposed by the Naval Secretary and will no longer require proposal by two Members. The Secretary is empowered to accept suitably qualified candidates as Members on behalf of the Committee, on receipt of a completed application form and after checking their bona fides as necessary. New Members will be reported to the committee, and if in any doubt, that application shall be referred to the committee for a decision, where if opposed by at least three members it will be excluded. The names of those recently joined shall be announced by the President before the first dinner following their successful application.

Ill. Subscription. The subscription shall be as determined by the Committee from time to time. It shall be due on the first bank working day in April each year. 

IV. Arrears. In the event of any Member falling into arrears of subscription, the Secretary shall make application for payment in the name of the Committee. Any Member failing to pay his subscription at the due date in two consecutive years shall, after application has been made to him by the Secretary, be regarded as wishing to withdraw from the Club, and be removed from the List of Members.

V. Committee. The Committee shall consist of a minimum of ten Club Members, of whom two shall be of Flag Rank, two Commodores/Captains, four Commanders and two Lieutenant Commanders; ideally balanced equally between retired and serving. Four will be considered a quorum. Members of the Committee who have served for three years shall retire, after finding and nominating their own relief, and not be eligible again for Committee service until after the lapse of one year. The Committee shall elect their Chairman and Vice Chairman when successors are required, and reliefs for Members retiring. The Committee shall meet at least three times each year shortly before or on a Dinner Day and at any time the Chairman may think necessary. The assistance of ordinary Club Members, perhaps in influential posts or geographically useful locations, may be enlisted from time to time for set tasks or sub-committees under the chairmanship of a permanent committee member, and suitably rewarded.

VI. Sub Committees. The Chairman, Vice Chairman and one other trustee shall form an Executive Sub Group (or “Chairman’s Group”). The Committee may appoint from time to time other Sub Committees for particular purposes.

VII. General Meetings. The Committee shall be empowered to call a General Me􀁝ting at any time and shall do so on the written requisition of not less than twenty Members.

Resolutions. Resolutions for decisions at General Meetings shall be promulgated in writing to all Members of the Club at least one month before the date of the Meeting. Resolutions which have not been so promulgated, or which are proposed at the Meeting, shall be submitted to a subsequent General Meeting. Resolutions at General Meetings shall be decided by a majority of two thirds of the Members present, provided there shall be at least twelve. 

AGM. The Annual General Meeting shall be held on the most convenient day between the Dinners celebrating the Sovereign’s birthday and to commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar, in a manner that encourages and allows maximum club member attendance. The Committee shall lay before it the accounts for the preceding year, a general statement of the finances of the Club and a list of those members who have not paid up their subscriptions. At this Meeting any proposal for amending the Rules of the Club or for making new Rules shall be brought forward. 

Accounts. The accounts of the Club shall be subject to independent examination once in each year. Reports of the examined accounts shall be posted on the Club website at least one month before the date of the Annual General Meeting and are also available to members on request to the Secretary.

VIII. Dinner Days. The Meetings of the Club shall commence each year on or about the 4th February, commonly known as Founders’ Day, being the anniversary of the day on which the Navy Society was established in 1765. Succeeding Meetings shall commemorate naval actions or achievements selected by the Committee, always including the Battle of Trafalgar. The Sovereign’s Birthday shall be celebrated and a Dinner shall be given to the members of the Admiralty Board and the Commandant General Royal Marines. At the discretion of the Committee, Dinners other than that to celebrate Founders’ Day may be designated Guest Nights (see Members’ Notices: Guest Nights – guidance for members). The programme shall be advertised on the Card of Meetings and posted in selected Clubs and Messes as necessary. The dinner hour shall be 7.00 p.m., except when otherwise specified on the Card. 

IX. Dinner Contribution. A sum, to be fixed from time to time by the Club Committee, shall be paid by each Member dining, and the balance of the dinner bill shall be paid out of the Funds of the Club. The Secretary shall keep records of Dinners and Members who dine, for the information of the Committee, and to enable them to certify to the balance due.

X. The President. The Committee is empowered to appoint the President for the respective Dinners. Except on Guest Nights, the President alone shall be entitled to bring a friend who is to be considered the guest of the Club,

XI. No business shall be done on a Club day after the dinner is served.

XII. Disposals of the Funds entrusted to the Committee. All surplus monies arising from the annual subscriptions and Balances in hand shall be reserved for such purposes as the Committee may judge best, including all exigencies, to maintain the honour, and to ensure the respectability, comfort and conviviality of the Club. The Committee shall remain mindful of the benefits of supporting naval charities, in particular the RNOC, and shall make suitable donations at the end of the financial year to such causes, should the Club have sufficient surplus funds in their judgement so to do.

XIII. Powers of the Committee in reference to any Member whose conduct may be injurious to the character and its membership. In case any circumstances should occur likely to endanger or disturb the welfare, good feeling, honour or conviviality of the Club and its members, the Committee shall convene an extra-ordinary Committee meeting to evaluate the circumstances of the case after the Secretary has informed the Member of the action being taken, given the opportunity to resign should they wish or to submit any representation they feel necessary. If, after due consideration using its integrity and experience, the Committee finds against the Member concerned by a majority vote, they will remove that name from the list of the Club. The subscription for the current year shall be returned to such Member, and they shall cease to belong to the Club. This action shall then be reported to the next AGM.