Linguists' Club (London)
Encyclopedia
The Linguists' Club was a language club located in London
, which operated between 1932 and 1971.
The Club acted as a meeting place and school for linguists
, including interpreters, translators
, language students, and other members who merely wanted to practise their language skills. The Club's motto was Ce comprendre, c'est la paix (Mutual understanding is peace).
The Club was founded by Teddy Pilley, initially on Kingsway
near to Holborn tube station
, and then later in premises at 20 Grosvenor Place
(this was the postal address, but the Club's entrance was actually in the mews
at the rear at 8/9 Chester Close).
The Club provided language classes and less-formal discussion groups in a number of languages, including French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, and Esperanto
. The discussion groups could cover any number of topics, except politics and sex. The Linguists' Club was open 6 days a week, from 11 am to 11 pm. There was a snack bar, no alcohol was served. There was a TV room, a ping-pong room, a small cinema for showing foreign-language films, and Friday evening dances to records. Just after World War II
, some Club dances were held on the roof-garden of the Chester Close location, illuminated by coloured light bulbs. For a time, in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, the Club organised trips abroad for members, and there were also visits to a social venue near Leatherhead
, Surrey
, known as Surrey Crest.
In the early days of the Club's life, Teddy Pilley facilitated so called Working Groups, to help train aspiring interpreters.
Membership in the Linguists' Club could be purchased for periods from one month to a year. Members could opt to suspend membership for periods of absence from the country. There was a Life Membership fee of 100 guineas
, and many took this option. There was also a guest membership of one day. The last register of members listed membership numbers in the 70,000s.
Under the co-editorship of Teddy Pilley and Hilda Westron, the Linguists' Club published a monthly magazine, The Linguist, which had world-wide circulation.
The Club expanded in the 1950s to include a second location at Niddry Lodge, near to Kensington High Street
. Niddry Lodge had been built in the early 1800s. There was far more room for activities that could not be held at Chester Close. The Lodge had a 1 acre
garden (the largest private garden in Kensington at the time), where classes/discussion groups were held in warm weather. There was also a ballroom where Scottish dancing and fencing lessons were held. Niddry Lodge was on a lease from Kensington Council
, and when that expired the Lodge was sadly demolished to make way for the new Kensington & Chelsea
town hall. Some of the trees in the town hall courtyard are from the Lodge's garden.
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...
, which operated between 1932 and 1971.
The Club acted as a meeting place and school for linguists
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
, including interpreters, translators
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
, language students, and other members who merely wanted to practise their language skills. The Club's motto was Ce comprendre, c'est la paix (Mutual understanding is peace).
The Club was founded by Teddy Pilley, initially on Kingsway
Kingsway (London)
Kingsway is a major road in central London in the United Kingdom, designated as part of the A4200. It runs from High Holborn, at its north end in the London Borough of Camden, and meets Aldwych in the south in the City of Westminster at Bush House. It was built in the 1900s...
near to Holborn tube station
Holborn tube station
Holborn is a station of the London Underground in Holborn in London, located at the junction of High Holborn and Kingsway. Situated on the Piccadilly Line and on the Central Line , it is the only station common to the two lines, although the two lines cross each other three times elsewhere...
, and then later in premises at 20 Grosvenor Place
Grosvenor Place (London)
Grosvenor Place is a street in London, running from Hyde Park Corner down the west side of Buckingham Palace gardens, and joining Grosvenor Gardens, which links it to Victoria railway station.-External links:* at londontown.com...
(this was the postal address, but the Club's entrance was actually in the mews
Mews
Mews is a primarily British term formerly describing a row of stables, usually with carriage houses below and living quarters above, built around a paved yard or court, or along a street, behind large city houses, such as those of London, during the 17th and 18th centuries. The word may also...
at the rear at 8/9 Chester Close).
The Club provided language classes and less-formal discussion groups in a number of languages, including French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, and Esperanto
Esperanto
is the most widely spoken constructed international auxiliary language. Its name derives from Doktoro Esperanto , the pseudonym under which L. L. Zamenhof published the first book detailing Esperanto, the Unua Libro, in 1887...
. The discussion groups could cover any number of topics, except politics and sex. The Linguists' Club was open 6 days a week, from 11 am to 11 pm. There was a snack bar, no alcohol was served. There was a TV room, a ping-pong room, a small cinema for showing foreign-language films, and Friday evening dances to records. Just after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, some Club dances were held on the roof-garden of the Chester Close location, illuminated by coloured light bulbs. For a time, in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, the Club organised trips abroad for members, and there were also visits to a social venue near Leatherhead
Leatherhead
Leatherhead is a town in the County of Surrey, England, on the River Mole, part of Mole Valley district. It is thought to be of Saxon origin...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, known as Surrey Crest.
In the early days of the Club's life, Teddy Pilley facilitated so called Working Groups, to help train aspiring interpreters.
Membership in the Linguists' Club could be purchased for periods from one month to a year. Members could opt to suspend membership for periods of absence from the country. There was a Life Membership fee of 100 guineas
Guinea (British coin)
The guinea is a coin that was minted in the Kingdom of England and later in the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom between 1663 and 1813...
, and many took this option. There was also a guest membership of one day. The last register of members listed membership numbers in the 70,000s.
Under the co-editorship of Teddy Pilley and Hilda Westron, the Linguists' Club published a monthly magazine, The Linguist, which had world-wide circulation.
The Club expanded in the 1950s to include a second location at Niddry Lodge, near to Kensington High Street
Kensington High Street
Kensington High Street is the main shopping street in Kensington, west London. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
. Niddry Lodge had been built in the early 1800s. There was far more room for activities that could not be held at Chester Close. The Lodge had a 1 acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
garden (the largest private garden in Kensington at the time), where classes/discussion groups were held in warm weather. There was also a ballroom where Scottish dancing and fencing lessons were held. Niddry Lodge was on a lease from Kensington Council
Metropolitan Borough of Kensington
The Metropolitan Borough of Kensington was a Metropolitan borough in the County of London from 1900 to 1965.It bordered Chelsea, Fulham, Hammersmith, Paddington, and Westminster...
, and when that expired the Lodge was sadly demolished to make way for the new Kensington & Chelsea
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is a central London borough of Royal borough status. After the City of Westminster, it is the wealthiest borough in England....
town hall. Some of the trees in the town hall courtyard are from the Lodge's garden.