Godolphin And Latymer School Ancient World Breakfast Club

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Celebrate their tenth anniversary

On the evening of Friday 4th September, over 80 local residents joined current and former staff and students at The Godolphin and Latymer School in Hammersmith to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Ancient World Breakfast Club . An initiative of the school's former Head of Classics, Jenny Gibbon, the club was established in 2005 as a weekly lecture series to promote the study of the ancient world among members of the wider community. Since that time interest has grown considerably – membership is currently in excess of 150 – and the club has attracted many of the country's top classical scholars to speak on subjects as diverse as Homer and Housman, Sparta and Silchester. Undaunted by the early hour, or perhaps lured by the promise of croissants and coffee, enthusiasts of all ages now come to Godolphin and Latymer at 8am each Friday of term for their weekly dose of intellectual edification.

For the 10th anniversary celebrations we were privileged to welcome back the distinguished historian and broadcaster Bettany Hughes to speak on the subject of ‘The perils of putting Classics on TV'. Fresh from producing the excellent series Genius of the Ancient World for BBC Four, Bettany had many humorous anecdotes to share about the challenges and rewards which come with seeking to make Classics accessible to a wider audience. Members of the club needed no persuading of the value of that task: many had provided memorabilia for the occasion which attested to the range of activities – from theatre trips and holidays to further study – which had been inspired by their shared love of Classics and the forum which the Ancient World Breakfast Club had provided for its expression. It was evident throughout the evening that the club had been the starting-point for numerous life-long friendships, and as the celebrations drew to a close the talk among many was of how to celebrate the next big milestone.

If you would like to learn more about the Ancient World Breakfast Club or attend one of its talks, please email Alastair Vettese ( avettese@godolphinandlatymer.com ). Membership is free and is open to all: no prior knowledge of Latin and Greek is required or expected. Talks are held at The Godolphin and Latymer School in Hammersmith most Friday mornings during term time between 8am and 9am, with a breakfast of pastries, fruit, tea and coffee available beforehand; entry costs £4, payable on the door. The full programme for each term can be found on the school's website via the ‘Community' tab.

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October 19, 2015