Collection AR113 - Croydon Foreign Language Club

Identity area

Reference code

AR113

Title

Croydon Foreign Language Club

Date(s)

  • 1921 - 1997 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

To be defined

Context area

Name of creator

(1888 - 1961)

Administrative history

Croydon Foreign Language Club was founded in October 1920 on the initiative of John Marshall Silver (c1888-1961), a teacher. It was modelled on the Foreign Circle at Bradford, with which he was familiar.

The aim of the Club was always to provide an environment in which foreign languages could be heard and practised. (Tuition was never offered, on the grounds that this was better provided by other types of organisation.) The central activity was always a programme of lectures in foreign languages, normally engaging native speakers. There were also, at different periods, plays, excursions, and social events. The Club always took pride in the fact that (unlike other language clubs) it was not tied to a single language, but catered for several. These included French and German invariably; Italian and Spanish less regularly; and Russian sporadically from the mid-1960s onwards. It usually met in Croydon Library. The Clubs activities were suspended from 1940 to 1945 but resumed after the war. The Club was wound up in 1997.

Archival history

Transferred by Mrs MM Jones in 1997 following the final meeting of the Croydon Foreign Language Club.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Accession Number: A113

Croydon Foreign Language Club Records 1921-1986

Minutes and other records of the Croydon Foreign Language Club

Item date: 1921-1986

Depositor's Name: Mrs MM Jones

Accession date: 29 Sep 1997

Administrative history: Croydon Foreign Language Club was founded in October 1920 on the initiative of John Marshall Silver (c1888-1961), a teacher. It was modelled on the Foreign Circle at Bradford, with which he was familiar. The aim of the Club was always to provide an environment in which foreign languages could be heard and practised. (Tuition was never offered, on the grounds that this was better provided by other types of organisation.) The central activity was always a programme of lectures in foreign languages, normally engaging native speakers. There were also, at different periods, plays, excursions, and social events. The Club always took pride in the fact that (unlike other language clubs) it wasjnot tied to a single language, but catered for several. These included French and German invariably; Italian and Spanish less regularly; and Russian sporadically from the mid-1960s onwards. The Clubs activities were suspended from 1940 to 1945. The Club was wound up in 1997.

Access conditions: The above material is placed with Croydon Archives Service as a gift. Power to destroy ephemeral material is not given. Power to transfer elsewhere is given. The material will be made available for consultation by bona fide researchers.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Minutes and other records of the Croydon Foreign Language Club

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Some of the records in our collections contain sensitive and personal data that we have a legal responsibility to control access to. In these circumstances, staff may search the collection on your behalf, having received consent or proof of death of the individual concerned.

Please contact us at archives@croydon.gov.uk for further information regarding the particular collection you wish to access.

You can make a request for information which may be in a closed record under the Freedom of Information Act, 2000 or the Environmental Information Regulations, 2004. For more information about making a request, see the Croydon Council website (www.croydon.gov.uk). Making a request does not guarantee access to the information you ask for, as there may be a valid exemption from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Some programmes and syllabuses of the Croydon Foreign Language Club are held by the Local Studies Library at S70(400)CRO.

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

GB-352-ar113

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

24/06/2015

Language(s)

Script(s)

Sources

Accession area

Related subjects

Related people and organizations

Related genres

Related places