Literary and Philosophical Society

Founded in 1793 as a conversation club the society still has an active membership with a full programme of lectures. The present building was opened in 1825.

On October 20 1880 the lecture theatre was the first public room to be lit by electric light during a lecture given by Sir Joseph Swan, and it was here that George Stephenson demonstrated his miners’ safety lamp in 1815.

Other speakers have included Oscar Wilde, Edith Sitwell, F.R Leavis, Mary Kingsley, Dorothy Sayers and John Betjeman. Local author Sid Chaplin was vice president from 1976 – 1985 and the membership list which has been documented since 1895 includes some very illustrious names.

http://www.litandphil.org.uk/index.shtml