Joyeux Anniversaire : 110 years of the Cercle Français de Brighton et Hove
In 1915, the Pasteur of the French Church in Queensbury Mews took it into his head to run a series of lectures on French literature.
From this beginning, a cohort of English Francophiles continued to meet together to listen to lectures in French – on a wide range of topics – and to read plays as well as to have social gatherings.
By the 1930s, a committee and officers took over the organization of the group from the Pasteur. So successful was the group that the Mayor Margaret Hardy was willing to become the Président d’Honneur n 1932.
A programme from 1951 shows fortnightly meetings, as today, with activities ranging from a quiz, talks on history (Napoleon II) and literature (Alain Fournier); a musical evening, a first hand account of Morocco and a talk on art. All illustrated with 35mm slides, many of which had a habit of falling out of the carousel as they were being loaded. Thus causing consternation.
What has changed in the last 74 years? Not the wide range of activities. However, gone are the slides to be replaced by PowerPoint presentations and a digital projector. Not that the slides always show up on the screen as wished. Thus causing consternation.
The Cercle celebrated its centenary in 2015 with a well attended day of music, dance, a formal dinner and much conviviality.
We look forward to welcoming you, whatever your level of French, during our 110th anniversary year in 2025.
To read a full account of the history of the Cercle : https://archive.org/details/the-history-of-the-brighton-and-hove-french-circle-1915-2021/page/n3/mode/2up