The Tots and Quots was a

dining club A dining club (UK) or eating club (US) is a social group, usually requiring membership (which may, or may not be available only to certain people), which meets for dinners and discussion on a regular basis. They may also often have guest speakers. ...

for scientists and other intellectuals that was based in London and was active from 1931 to 1946. It was founded by

Solly Zuckerman Solomon "Solly" Zuckerman, Baron Zuckerman (30 May 1904 – 1 April 1993) was a British public servant, zoologist and operational research pioneer. He is best remembered as a scientific advisor to the Allies on bombing strategy in the Second Wo ...

and went through two periods of activity, one from 1931 to 1933, and a second period when Zuckerman revived the club in November 1939. Most of the activity of the second period took place between 1940 and 1943, but it was not disbanded until 1946 when increasing political divergence and limitations on Zuckerman's time made the organisation no longer viable. The name "Tots and Quots" was chosen as an abbreviation of the latin phrase "Quot homines, tot sententiae" ('there are as many opinions as there are people', or literally 'as many men, so many opinions'), with the words ''tot'' and ''quot'' being inadvertently placed in the wrong order.

Notable members

J. D. Bernal John Desmond Bernal (; 10 May 1901 – 15 September 1971) was an Irish scientist who pioneered the use of X-ray crystallography in molecular biology. He published extensively on the history of science. In addition, Bernal wrote popular boo ...

Richard Crossman Richard Howard Stafford Crossman (15 December 1907 – 5 April 1974) was a British Labour Party politician. A university classics lecturer by profession, he was elected a Member of Parliament in 1945 and became a significant figure among the ...

James Crowther James Gerald Crowther (26 September 1899, Halifax, West Yorkshire, Halifax – 30 March 1983) was one of the founders of science journalism. He was appointed the scientific correspondent of ''The Manchester Guardian'' in 1928. James was the second ...

Solly Zuckerman, Baron Zuckerman Solomon "Solly" Zuckerman, Baron Zuckerman (30 May 1904 – 1 April 1993) was a British public servant, zoologist and operational research pioneer. He is best remembered as a scientific advisor to the Allies on bombing strategy in the Second Wo ...

References

{{reflist 1931 establishments in England 1946 disestablishments in England Scientific organizations established in 1931 Dining clubs