Enfield & Southgate
Introduction to branch
Founded during the Second World War, Enfield and Southgate holds courses of twenty, ten and five weeks, including a new short evening course on film studies. Amongst the diverse subjects are geology, St. Petersburg, the making of modern Europe, Flemish art, twentieth century music and nineteenth century great Londoners. There is also a study day in the autumn and an annual outing in May. Meeting on two sites, which are well served by transport and nearby shopping centres, the branch attracts learners from Enfield, the other London boroughs and Hertfordshire. Membership of the WEA is encouraged and volunteers to the committee warmly welcomed.
The WEA is committed to promoting equality and diversity. All are Welcome.
Enfield Baptist Church, Cecil Road, Enfield (close to many bus services and two railway stations, no parking at the church but car parks nearby).
The Burford Centre (United Reformed Church), Fox Lane, Palmers Green (served by several convenient bus services with links to the Underground and Palmers Green railway station, car parking in adjacent streets). Entrance is at the side in Burford Gardens.
NEW EVENING COURSE: An Introduction to Film Studies, starting Monday, 20th September. See below.
Contact: Norma Chapman, 020 8882 0615, or Shirley Sandford, 020 8882 0207, for further information.
New members are always welcome to join a class at any time during a term and can take advantage of our "taste and see" policy by attending their first session free.
We would welcome suggestions for new subjects that we could possibly provide in the future.
Courses
We will consider some of the people who shaped the city in Victoria’s long reign. Drawn from the arts, science, politics and philanthropy, their lives and achievements will offer insights into the world at this time.
24/09/2010 to 03/12/2010 for 10 sessions, Fri 10:00, Enfield Baptist Church.
Cinema is perhaps the defining art form of the 20th century, embracing entertainment, information and propaganda and experimentation. This course will chart cinema’s history and outline the main critical theories that allow us to understand it better.
20/09/2010 to 18/10/2010 for 5 sessions, Mon 19:00, Enfield Baptist Church.
This course will trace the formation and impact of British Art Groups from the Shoreham artists of the 1830s to London’s Surrealists in the 1930s, developing visual and social connections and contrasts on a painterly journey from St Ives to Glasgow.
21/09/2010 to 22/03/2011 for 20 sessions, Tue 09:45, Enfield Baptist Church
The major figures of van Eyck, van der Weyden, Rubens, van Dyck, Vermeer and Rembrandt, along with other fine artists and schools of painting will be considered.
30/09/2010 to 31/03/2011 for 20 sessions, Thu 10:30, United Reformed Church, Palmers Green.
Enjoy a discussion-based course, combining close analysis with wider connections by author, theme, context or style – mostly novels but some short stories, non-fiction and poetry.
20/09/2010 to 21/03/2011 for 20 sessions, Mon 14:00, United Reformed Church, Palmers Green.
Many of the complexities & problems of modern Europe were created during this period. The course looks at the social, economic and political events, as well as the prominent personalities, of this pivotal era.
20/09/2010 to 21/03/2011 for 20 sessions, Mon 13:30, Enfield Baptist Church.
Publicity Description The Romanov capital was a city of great beauty and power, and also of social and political discontent. As Leningrad it saw pioneering change and dreadful hardship. Explore the history, the arts and culture of the city and the lives of its citizens.
14/01/2011 to 25/03/2011 for 10 sessions, Fri 10:00, Enfield Baptist Church.
Man has always been interested in the world around him. This course will look at the geological discoveries, and the personalities behind them, which have helped our understanding. The ‘Giant Steps’ will include the ‘Map that changed the World’, Darwin’s theory of evolution, the break-through with plate tectonics and dating and, more recently, our exploration of microscopic particles and other planets.
21/09/2010 to 22/03/2011 for 20 sessions, Tue 14:00, United Reformed Church, Palmers Green.
This course aims to look at the great changes that took place in western music during a crucial 50 year period. A particular focus will be the world of opera and ballet. No specialized knowledge is required.
22/09/2010 to 23/03/2011 for 20 sessions, Wed 13:45, Enfield Baptist Church.
Branch News:
AGM: Monday, 1st November, 2010, 7.45 pm, Enfield Baptist Church, Cecil Road, Enfield. All welcome.
Events
There is usually an annual day coach outing in May.
A study day is held once a year at the beginning of September.
Branch History
HISTORY OF WEA EDMONTON, ENFIELD AND SOUTHGATE BRANCHES
Norma Chapman
Delving into the few records now available and into the memories of members,
the history of the three local branches is inextricably entangled.
From the Treasurer’s account books, it seems that the Edmonton Branch was
founded in wartime about 1941, the account books starting on 29th May, 1942.
Edmonton and Enfield amalgamated in 1964, and then amalgamated again with
Southgate in September 2005 to become the present Enfield and Southgate
Branch. In 1943 the branch received an affiliation fee of five shillings from the
Communist Party and the same from NALGO. There were classes on literature,
music, psychology, criminology and ecclesiastical matters and in 1944 classes on
local government and European affairs. The Branch paid one pound five shillings
to the LNER to put posters on the railway stations.
Some of our existing members have long memories that go back to 1952 when
all the courses were evening classes for the benefit of those working. One day
course was introduced, however, for housewives at home. The classes are
now almost predominantly held in the daytime and attract mainly older people.
Unfortunately archives are now lost but in the 1970s there were WEA branch
bookmarks in the library. These were put into every book borrowed publicising
the courses under the names of both Enfield Branch and Edmonton and
Southgate Branch.
London District bound all the branches together and held a series of Saturday
afternoon talks and lectures at the Extra Mural Department and weekend
schools. They remember the partnership with Birkbeck, which made book boxes
available from the University library to each class with relevant books that could
be borrowed. Birkbeck allotted credits towards exemption from a first year
degree course. Many students went on to an Open University or fulltime degree
and some became WEA tutors themselves. National Trust lecturers ran courses
and some members formed the Enfield Branch of the National Trust.
Sometimes tours abroad were organised (better than slides). Birkbeck also held
study weekends. Walks were arranged and Christmas parties were very popular.
The local branches managed their own affairs. They set fees, appointed tutors
and circulated publicity. In the year 2000, it was announced that there would no
longer be concessions for senior citizens (too many of them) but to celebrate the
millennium, fees were reduced to £40 from £42 for twenty sessions. Life has
become a lot more expensive in the following decade and is a very far cry from
the sixpence fee in Lee Hall’s play, The Pitmen Painters, in 1934.
This is just a summary of the memories of longstanding members. If anyone has
anything to add we would be glad to hear from you and will keep the comments
in our archives. Please contact Norma Chapman 0208 882 0615.
|
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)