However, his letter has only amplified unwanted media scrutiny on the club’s policies.

Graham argues the push for female membership was based on “fallacious reasoning” stemming from a town hall meeting in May 2019. He claims 33 members had expressed a wide variety of views - not just on women members - ranging from dress code and “stuffiness” to mobile phone usage and the admission of “Asian” members.

“One point that if we were to allow female members, it would double the pool from which we could draw,” Graham wrote.

“Another was that the women members you’d get, would be women you wouldn’t want. Another was that the club provided a place where you could get away from ‘bossy women’.”

He argued a drawn-out survey and investigation into allowing female membership, aided by outside advisers and consultants, was an unnecessary waste of resources.

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He supported the issue being dealt with by a members’ vote at the special general meeting on Tuesday, thwarting the negative impact of the issue appearing in “gossip columns” which - he claimed - could threaten his beloved club’s very existence.

“In a free society, envy and jealousy are not relevant yard-sticks for destroying the established order of things,” Mr Graham huffed in his missive.

Mr Graham’s supporters are quietly confident Tuesday’s vote will not reach the critical 75 per cent in favour required to get female membership over the line, and such a result will effectively quash any similar moves for years.

Ironically the club recently retained the services of one of Australia’s most prolific corporate media advisers - a woman - Sue Cato - in an attempt to mitigate fallout from unwanted scrutiny, however management retained its strict “no comment” policy leading up to this week’s historic vote.

On the eve of the vote, the club refused to share any information on how many members it has, their age or ethnic makeup.

An equally rigid membership gender policy is also adhered to at the Queen’s Club a few city blocks away which allows only women to join.

Mr Graham praised the two clubs “splendid brother/sister” relationship.

“Our club’s members are regularly entertained by their wives or lady friends,” Mr Graham wrote.

“When this occurs, one of the niceties is the way that the staff at The Queen’s Club serve the gentlemen guests first and their lady hosts last!”

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