John Colet was Dean of St Paul’s and, in 1509, founded St Paul’s School. Colet House was built on what is now the Talgarth Road in the 1880s. It is adjacent to LAMDA and has been used by the LAMDA students while their new rehearsal rooms were being built.
From being part of the school it was used by artists like Burne-Jones and Frank Brangwyn and then became part of the Royal Ballet School. I have not been inside but it has the largest studio in London, big enough to play cricket in apparently. Now it is the home of the Study Society. John Colet would be surprised at what goes on inside the building that bears his name.
Meditation and study groups are what he would find and approve of I expect. Chi Kung sounds rather calming and therapeutic as does a spot of Vedic chanting although we are straying to the boundary of normality. This is a boundary that is crossed on Fridays when there are whirling dervish sessions. The curious public can attend to watch the Turners as they call themselves. The watchers are termed Lovers and are asked to join in a party in the refectory afterwards. Sorry, there’s a lot I will do to gather material for this website but that is a step too far. However, I will look out for people who look a bit dizzy on Friday evenings at Barons Court.
I honestly thought that this was about as bonkers as my locality gets but one day when I feel strong enough I will tell you of an organisation down the road that makes the whirling dervishes seem humdrum.
