London Welsh Centre
Encyclopedia
The London Welsh Centre (founded as the Young Wales Association in 1920) is a community and arts centre
on Gray's Inn Road
, in the London Borough of Camden
. The Centre is owned and run by the London Welsh Trust.
The Centre is a base for three choirs: the London Welsh Chorale, the Gwalia Male Voice Choir and the London Welsh Male Voice Choir. The Centre also hosts Welsh language classes, concerts, drama productions, the Young Welsh Singer of the Year Competition, the London Welsh School
’s , literary events, discussion programmes, and a variety of other events.
(who became the YWA’s first President). The YWA was founded partly as a tribute to the dead of the First World War but mainly as a meeting place for young Welsh migrants. It was registered as a company limited by guarantee
in March 1925 under the title of "Young Wales Association (London) Limited" and later changed its name to the London Welsh Association Limited. The London Welsh Trust was established in 1964.
During the first decade of its life, the YWA lacked a permanent home. Meetings were held first in a little café in Villiers Street, then in the premises of Gwilym Thomas at 26 Upper Montagu Street and later thanks to Picton Davies, at the Hotel Somerset.
At a lunch hosted by Picton Davies at one of his hotels in July 1928, the Rt Hon Lord Atkin and the Rt Hon David Lloyd George
spoke in support of a movement to provide headquarters for the Young Wales Association in London. As a result, Sir Howell J. Williams, a building contractor and London County Council member, purchased a site of just over 15000 square feet (1,393.5 m²) bounded by Doughty Street and Mecklenburgh Square on the West and Gray’s Inn Road on the East, and offered it as a free gift to the Young Wales Association. These premises were formally opened by Margaret Lloyd George
on 29 November 1930.
The bar at the Centre was officially opened by Harry Secombe
on Saint Patrick’s Day (17 March) 1971.
The building is in the Holborn conservation area.
.
a year later. Welsh language classes are now held at the Centre each week, for three different levels of ability. All-day, intensive Welsh language courses are held on weekends, two or three times each year.
Arts centre
An art centre or arts center is distinct from an art gallery or art museum. An arts centre is a functional community centre with a specific remit to encourage arts practice and to provide facilities such as theatre space, gallery space, venues for musical performance, workshop areas, educational...
on Gray's Inn Road
Gray's Inn Road
Gray's Inn Road, formerly Gray's Inn Lane, is a major road in central London, in the London Borough of Camden. It is named after Gray's Inn, one of the main Inns of Court. The road starts in Holborn, near Chancery Lane tube station and the boundaries of the City of London and the London Borough...
, in the London Borough of Camden
London Borough of Camden
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century...
. The Centre is owned and run by the London Welsh Trust.
The Centre is a base for three choirs: the London Welsh Chorale, the Gwalia Male Voice Choir and the London Welsh Male Voice Choir. The Centre also hosts Welsh language classes, concerts, drama productions, the Young Welsh Singer of the Year Competition, the London Welsh School
London Welsh School
The London Welsh School, or Ysgol Gymraeg Llundain in Welsh, is a Welsh medium primary school in London, England. The Welsh language is the language of instruction for all classes and activities. The London Welsh School's origins date back to language classes taught in 1955, and a dedicated school...
’s , literary events, discussion programmes, and a variety of other events.
History
The Centre was built to provide a home for the Young Wales Association (YWA), which later became the London Welsh Association and is now the London Welsh Trust.Young Wales Association
The Young Wales Association was founded on 21st October 1920 at the Portman Rooms, Baker Street, when more than 400 members of the London Welsh community attended a meeting presided over by Margaret Lloyd GeorgeMargaret Lloyd George
Dame Margaret Lloyd George, GBE , née Margaret Owen, was the first wife of British Prime Minister David Lloyd George - from 1888 until her death in 1941.-Biography:...
(who became the YWA’s first President). The YWA was founded partly as a tribute to the dead of the First World War but mainly as a meeting place for young Welsh migrants. It was registered as a company limited by guarantee
Company limited by guarantee
In British and Irish company law, a private company limited by guarantee is an alternative type of corporation used primarily for non-profit organisations that require legal personality. A guarantee company does not usually have a share capital or shareholders, but instead has members who act as...
in March 1925 under the title of "Young Wales Association (London) Limited" and later changed its name to the London Welsh Association Limited. The London Welsh Trust was established in 1964.
During the first decade of its life, the YWA lacked a permanent home. Meetings were held first in a little café in Villiers Street, then in the premises of Gwilym Thomas at 26 Upper Montagu Street and later thanks to Picton Davies, at the Hotel Somerset.
At a lunch hosted by Picton Davies at one of his hotels in July 1928, the Rt Hon Lord Atkin and the Rt Hon David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
spoke in support of a movement to provide headquarters for the Young Wales Association in London. As a result, Sir Howell J. Williams, a building contractor and London County Council member, purchased a site of just over 15000 square feet (1,393.5 m²) bounded by Doughty Street and Mecklenburgh Square on the West and Gray’s Inn Road on the East, and offered it as a free gift to the Young Wales Association. These premises were formally opened by Margaret Lloyd George
Margaret Lloyd George
Dame Margaret Lloyd George, GBE , née Margaret Owen, was the first wife of British Prime Minister David Lloyd George - from 1888 until her death in 1941.-Biography:...
on 29 November 1930.
The Current Building
Sir Howell J. Williams later rebuilt the properties that fronted on to Gray’s Inn Road and completed the main hall of the current London Welsh Centre. These new premises were formally handed over by Sir Howell J. Williams on 5 November 1937. The properties on Doughty Street and Mecklenburgh Square have since been sold off for residential use, but the premises fronting on to Gray’s Inn Road remain in use as the modern day London Welsh Centre.The bar at the Centre was officially opened by Harry Secombe
Harry Secombe
Sir Harry Donald Secombe CBE was a Welsh entertainer with a talent for comedy and a noted fine tenor singing voice. He is best known for playing Neddie Seagoon, the central character in the BBC radio comedy series The Goon Show...
on Saint Patrick’s Day (17 March) 1971.
The building is in the Holborn conservation area.
World War II
During the period 1940-1946 the Welsh Services Club provided beds and meals for Welsh (and a few Canadian) military personnel passing through London. On 13 December 1941 the Centre was officially committed for use as a Welsh Services Club. The Rt Hon Lord Atkin PC was chair of the newly formed Welsh Services Club which was opened by David Lloyd GeorgeDavid Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
.
Activities
The Centre seeks to promote the arts (primarily Welsh art and culture) and provide facilities for local community use.The Magazine
The London Welsh Association’s monthly magazine, Y Ddolen, was introduced in 1925. When it reappeared after the Second World War in October 1946 it was called Y Ddinas. Some idea of the range of activities at the London Welsh Centre in the post war years can be gathered from the announcement in Y Ddinas for just one month, January 1948. The Centre was the venue for three dances, two nights of community singing, a concert, two whist drives and an "at home". The Centre’s magazine is now published quarterly alongside regular newsletters by email.Welsh Language Classes
Welsh language classes have been held more or less continuously at the London Welsh Centre since 1946. The Saturday morning Welsh classes for children, which began in 1957, resulted in the establishment of the London Welsh SchoolLondon Welsh School
The London Welsh School, or Ysgol Gymraeg Llundain in Welsh, is a Welsh medium primary school in London, England. The Welsh language is the language of instruction for all classes and activities. The London Welsh School's origins date back to language classes taught in 1955, and a dedicated school...
a year later. Welsh language classes are now held at the Centre each week, for three different levels of ability. All-day, intensive Welsh language courses are held on weekends, two or three times each year.
Presidents of the London Welsh Trust
- 1921–1922 Dame Margaret Lloyd GeorgeMargaret Lloyd GeorgeDame Margaret Lloyd George, GBE , née Margaret Owen, was the first wife of British Prime Minister David Lloyd George - from 1888 until her death in 1941.-Biography:...
, JP - 1923–1924 Sir Howell J Williams, DL, J.P LCC
- 1925–1926 T. Woodward Owen
- 1927 David Davies MP
- 1928–1930 O. Picton Davies
- 1931–1932 J.T. Lewis, MA, OBE
- 1933 T.W Glyn Evans
- 1934–1935 The Rt Hon David Lloyd GeorgeDavid Lloyd GeorgeDavid Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
, OM, MP - 1936–1937 Rhys Hopkin MorrisRhys Hopkin MorrisSir Rhys Hopkin Morris was a Welsh Liberal politician who was a Member of Parliament from 1923–1932 and from 1945–1956....
- 1938–1944 The Rt Hon Lord AtkinJames Atkin, Baron AtkinJames Richard Atkin, Baron Atkin was a lawyer and judge of Australian-Welsh origin, who practised in England and Wales...
, PC - 1946–1947 The Rt Hon Clement DaviesClement DaviesClement Edward Davies KC, MP was a Welsh politician and leader of the Liberal Party from 1945 to 1956.-Life:...
, KC, MP - 1947–1949 Sir Wynn P. Wheldon, DSO
- 1949–1951 The Rev H. Elvet Lewis, CH
- 1951–1953 The Rt Hon Lord Justice Morris, PC, CBE, MC, LLD
- 1953–1955 Sir Ben Bowen ThomasBen Bowen ThomasSir Ben Bowen Thomas was a Welsh civil servant and university President. He served as Permanent Secretary to the Welsh Department of the Ministry of Education from 1945 to 1963, and was President of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth from 1964 to 1975...
, MA - 1955–1959 The Rt Hon Lord OgmoreDavid Rees-Williams, 1st Baron OgmoreDavid Rees Rees-Williams, 1st Baron Ogmore, PC, TD was a Welsh politician.Rees-Williams was born in Bridgend, Wales. He qualified as a solicitor in 1929 and married and had three children...
, PC, TD - 1959–1962 The Rt Hon Lord AberdareMorys Bruce, 4th Baron AberdareMorys George Lyndhurst Bruce, 4th Baron Aberdare, KBE, PC, DL was a Conservative politician, and from 1999 until his death, one of ninety-two elected hereditary peers in the British House of Lords...
- 1962–1964 Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Pughe Lloyd GBE, KCB, MC, DFC, LLD
- 1964–1969 William Harries
- 1969–1970 The Rt Hon Lord AberdareMorys Bruce, 4th Baron AberdareMorys George Lyndhurst Bruce, 4th Baron Aberdare, KBE, PC, DL was a Conservative politician, and from 1999 until his death, one of ninety-two elected hereditary peers in the British House of Lords...
- 1970–1982 Michael Williams
- 1982–1988 The Rt Lord Edmund DaviesEdmund Davies, Baron Edmund-DaviesHerbert Edmund Edmund-Davies, Baron Edmund-Davies, PC was a British judge.Born Herbert Edmund Davies at Mountain Ash in Mid Glamorgan, he was the third son of Morgan John Davies and Elizabeth Maud Edmunds...
- 1988–1994 The Rt Hon Sir William Mars-Jones MBE, MA, LLD
- 1994–2001 Sir Maldwyn Thomas
- 2001–2008 The Rt Hon Lord Morris of AberavonJohn Morris, Baron Morris of AberavonJohn Morris, Baron Morris of Aberavon, KG, PC, QC is a retired British politician. He was a Labour Member of Parliament from 1959 to 2001 and Secretary of State for Wales from 1974 to 1979.-Background and education:...
KG, QC, LLD - 2008–present Huw EdwardsHuw Edwards (journalist)Huw Edwards is a BAFTA award-winning Welsh journalist, presenter and newsreader.He is a news presenter for BBC News in the United Kingdom. Edwards presents Britain's most watched news programme, BBC News at Ten, which is also the corporation's flagship news broadcast...