British Naturism
Encyclopedia
International Naturist Federation
The International Naturist Federation or Federation Naturiste Internationale is the global umbrella organisation representing official national naturist societies.-Membership:...
as the official national naturist society in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
History
British Naturism traces its origins to 1891 when a short lived society called the 'Fellowship for the naked trust' was formed in British India. This trust had ideals and principles very similar to many later organisations.English Gymnosophist Society
Harold Booth published articles pertaining to naturism in many magazines at the turn of the century, and in 1922 the English Gymnosophist Society was formed as a direct result of his work. It had a site in WickfordWickford
Wickford is a town in the south of the English county of Essex, with a population of more than 32,500. Located approximately 30 miles east of London, it falls within the District of Basildon along with Basildon, Billericay, Laindon and Pitsea....
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, which it used during the summer, and in winter it held meetings in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. By 1926 the EGS was called the New Gymnosophy Society and had a site at Bricket Wood
Bricket Wood
Bricket Wood is a village in the county of Hertfordshire, England, approximately 4½ miles from St Albans. It is part of the parish of St Stephen. Its railway station is served by a London Midland service that runs between St Albans Abbey and Watford Junction stations.Close to the village stands...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
which has subsequently been used by many different clubs.
Concurrent to this, naturism was also practised at the Welsh Harp
Brent Reservoir
The Brent Reservoir is a reservoir which straddles the boundary between the London boroughs of Brent and Barnet and is owned by British Waterways...
in Hendon
Hendon
Hendon is a London suburb situated northwest of Charing Cross.-History:Hendon was historically a civil parish in the county of Middlesex. The manor is described in Domesday , but the name, 'Hendun' meaning 'at the highest hill', is earlier...
, apparently from as early as 1921. From this sprang the National Sun and Air Association which ran national advertisement campaigns, as well as running a gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
nasium in Westbourne Grove
Westbourne Grove
Westbourne Grove is a retail road running across Notting Hill, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, a section of west London, England. It runs from Kensington Park Road in the west to Queensway in the east, crossing over Portobello Road...
, London. By 1937, membership of this society was running at over 2000.
N F Barford had also formed his Sun Bathing Society which promoted sun and air bathing for families, during the same period.
British Sun Bathing Association
In 1943 the British Sun Bathing Association was formed and became recognised as a national federation of clubs, which by 1951 had 51 member clubs or groups. However by 1953, personal and ideological differences led to the formation of the rival Federation of British Sun Clubs.British Naturism (Formerly CCBN)
Both these organisations existed until the merger in 1964 created the 'Central Council for British Naturism' (CCBN). By 2006 CCBN was usually referred to as 'British Naturism' but has officially dropped the 'Central Council for' in favour of the less formal 'British Naturism' since the 2009 AGM, and had a membership of about 13,000.Britisn Naturism has sought legal and political protection against discrimination
Discrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
for naturists in the United Kingdom, where it estimates the naturist population at 1.5 million people.
Later dates
Notable milestones in the development of naturism in the United Kingdom included:- 1957 - Naturist films shown in cinemas.
- 1958 - International Naturist FederationInternational Naturist FederationThe International Naturist Federation or Federation Naturiste Internationale is the global umbrella organisation representing official national naturist societies.-Membership:...
congress in Britain.
- 1965 - The hire of public baths for naturist swimming began.
- 1970 - International Naturist Federation congress in Britain.
- 1978 - International Naturist Federation congress in Britain, and the setting aside of officially designated naturist beaches.
- 2003 - Parliament repeals all offences that explicitly make nudity an offence.
- 2007 - Parliament repeals the enabling power for councils to make bylaws regulating standards of clothing to be worn for bathing.