The Society of Cogers (pronounced KOE-jers) is a
free speech
Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The rights, right to freedom of expression has been ...
society, established in 1755 in the
City of London
The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London fr ...
. It is the oldest
debating
Debate is a process that involves formal discourse on a particular topic, often including a Discussion moderator, moderator and audience. In a debate, arguments are put forward for often opposing viewpoints. Debates have historically occurred ...
society in the world and one of the oldest speaking gatherings of any kind.
History and concept
![ONL (1887) 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/ONL_%281887%29_1.126_-_Cogers%27_Hall.jpg)
The name "Cogers" comes from
Descartes' famous assertion, ''
Cogito ergo sum
The Latin , usually translated into English as "I think, therefore I am", is the "first principle" of René Descartes's philosophy. He originally published it in French as , in his 1637 ''Discourse on the Method'', so as to reach a wider audien ...
'' (I think, therefore I am). As a "Society of Thinkers", the Cogers is dedicated to the
philosophy
Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...
of letting everyone express their thoughts. The aims of the Cogers were the promotion of the liberty of the subject and the freedom of the Press, the maintenance of loyalty to the laws, the rights and claims of humanity and the practice of public and private virtue.
The first meeting in 1755 was at the White Bear Inn (now St Brides Tavern), Fleet Street. Meetings were held on Saturday evenings.
In around 1850 it moved to Discussion Hall, Shoe Lane, and in 1871 migrated to the Barley Mow Inn, Salisbury Square, E.C.1, where it remained until the 1960s. Attendances went into decline during the 1970s and 80s. By the mid-90s, the original society had split into two rival factions.
In July 1997 Magnus Nielsen opened a third meeting in Cornhill on the 2nd Monday of each month. This meeting has now moved location to the Old Bank of England in the Strand. The two Saturday night societies have since closed.
Previous members and visitors to the society include founding member
John Wilkes
John Wilkes (17 October 1725 – 26 December 1797) was an English radical journalist and politician, as well as a magistrate, essayist and soldier. He was first elected a Member of Parliament in 1757. In the Middlesex election dispute, he fo ...
,
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...
,
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-conse ...
,
Benjamin Disraeli
Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, (21 December 1804 – 19 April 1881) was a British statesman and Conservative politician who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He played a central role in the creation o ...
,
Daniel O'Connell
Daniel O'Connell (I) ( ga, Dónall Ó Conaill; 6 August 1775 – 15 May 1847), hailed in his time as The Liberator, was the acknowledged political leader of Ireland's Roman Catholic majority in the first half of the 19th century. His mobilizat ...
,
[King Dan the Rise of Daniel O'Connell 1775-1829, Patrick Geoghegan, Gill and Macmillan, 2008.] and many others throughout its 250-year history.
Format
Members meet monthly at pubs in the centre and outside London and begin the evening by having an impartial
host
A host is a person responsible for guests at an event or for providing hospitality during it.
Host may also refer to:
Places
* Host, Pennsylvania, a village in Berks County
People
*Jim Host (born 1937), American businessman
* Michel Host ...
rounding up the current affairs of the last month. Then all participants may take turns to have their own five minutes on the podium expressing their views as to what, what's not, and what not on any subjects they feel they would like to bring to the evening. It may be reactions to the previous speakers or their own topics.
The meetings are chaired by the "Grand", who maintains order and also regulates the timing of speeches. The meeting starts with an "Opener", who gives a 15-minute résumé, inviting topics for discussion.
At the end of the evening the traditional "
Apple of Discord
An apple of discord is the core, kernel, or crux of an argument, or a small matter that could lead to a bigger dispute.
It is a reference to the Golden Apple of Discord ( grc, ) in the story of the ''Judgement of Paris'' which, according to G ...
" is presented by the "Evaluator" to the best speaker of the evening to the speaker who throughout the evening brought the greatest contribution, whether that be thoughtful, entertaining, controversial or outstanding. Participants also have the opportunity to get tips from the evaluator on what their strengths and potentials are.
Venues
*City of London Cogers, Ye Olde Cocke Tarvern,
Fleet Street
Fleet Street is a major street mostly in the City of London. It runs west to east from Temple Bar at the boundary with the City of Westminster to Ludgate Circus at the site of the London Wall and the River Fleet from which the street was na ...
, 7pm, 2nd Monday each month. Near the
Royal Courts of Justice
The Royal Courts of Justice, commonly called the Law Courts, is a court building in Westminster which houses the High Court and Court of Appeal of England and Wales. The High Court also sits on circuit and in other major cities. Designed by Ge ...
and
Chancery Lane
Chancery Lane is a one-way street situated in the ward of Farringdon Without in the City of London. It has formed the western boundary of the City since 1994, having previously been divided between the City of Westminster and the London Boroug ...
.
*Westminster Cogers, The
Plumbers Arms,
Lower Belgrave Street
Lower Belgrave Street is a street in London's Belgravia district.
It runs north-west to south-east and begins as a continuation of Upper Belgrave Street where it meets Eaton Square. It crosses one through-street, Ebury Street, and ends in a t-j ...
, 7pm, 4th Wednesday each month. Just near
Victoria Station.
*Ware Society of Cogers, The Drill Hall, Amwell End,
Ware
Ware may refer to:
People
* Ware (surname)
* William of Ware (), English Franciscan theologian
Places Canada
*Fort Ware, British Columbia
United Kingdom
*Ware, Devon
*Ware, Hertfordshire
*Ware, Kent
United States
* Ware, Elmore County, Al ...
, 3rd Tuesday each month
*San Francisco Society of Cogers, The University Club,
Nob Hill
Nob Hill is a neighborhood of San Francisco, California, United States that is known for its numerous luxury hotels and historic mansions. Nob Hill has historically served as a center of San Francisco's upper class. Nob Hill is among the highes ...
, 1st Tuesday each month.
See also
*
London Debating Societies
Debating societies emerged in London in the early eighteenth century, and were a prominent feature of society until the end of the century. The origins of the debating societies are not certain, but by the mid-18th century, London fostered an acti ...
*
Debating
Debate is a process that involves formal discourse on a particular topic, often including a Discussion moderator, moderator and audience. In a debate, arguments are put forward for often opposing viewpoints. Debates have historically occurred ...
*
Free speech
Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The rights, right to freedom of expression has been ...
Related
* :
Sylvan Debating Club
The Sylvan Debating Club is a free speech society in which topical issues are discussed. Founded in London in 1868, it meets monthly and employs a traditional motion-based debating format."The Sylvan Debating Club. Mr. Maxse and the Sanctity of C ...
* :
Cambridge Union Society
The Cambridge Union Society, also known as the Cambridge Union, is a debating and free speech society in Cambridge, England, and the largest society in the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1815, it is the oldest continuously running debatin ...
* :
Oxford Union Society
The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to simply as the Oxford Union, is a debating society in the city of Oxford England, whose membership is drawn primarily from the University of Oxford. Founded in 1823, it is one of Britain's oldest ...
* :
The Durham Union Society
This is a list of social activities at the University of Durham, including details of clubs, societies and other common leisure activities associated with Durham University. Over 200 student clubs and organisations run within Durham Students' Uni ...
* :
London School of Economics
, mottoeng = To understand the causes of things
, established =
, type = Public research university
, endowment = £240.8 million (2021)
, budget = £391.1 millio ...
, Grimshaw International Relations Club
* :
Yale Debate Association
The Yale Debate Association (YDA) is Yale University's only competitive intercollegiate debate team. Founded in 1908, it is the most prolific winner of the American Parliamentary Debate Association's Club of the Year award. The YDA was also the fir ...
* :
Berkeley Forum
The Berkeley Forum, referred to simply as the Forum, is a prominent, non-partisan student organization at the University of California, Berkeley. Founded in 2012, the Forum hosts debates, panels, and talks with distinguished speakers on various t ...
* :
Olivaint Conférence
* : Studentenforum im
Tönissteiner Kreis
* :
Olivaint Conference of Belgium
The Royal Olivaint Conference of Belgium NPO is a Belgian independent, multilingual leadership organisation and debating union for students founded in 1954. It is the only student organisation in Belgium operating in both official languages ( ...
Notes
References
*Peter Rayleigh, ''History of Ye Antient Society of Cogers'' (London, 1904).
*Rachel Halliburton,
Dickens may have spoken here (24 February 1995) The Independent
*{{EB1911, wstitle=Cogers Hall, volume=6, pages=650–651
External links
Cogers Society websiteCogers Facebook page
Debating societies
Clubs and societies in London