The Workers Educational Association

The WEA was the inspiration of  Albert Mansbridge, fourth son of a carpenter, who instead of following in father’s footsteps, took up clerical work with evening classes given by London University.  Following the 1870 Education Act, the larger universities had organised evening classes to prepare for an increased demand for university education.  Having become himself an evening class lecturer, Mansbridge was well placed to advocate that more should be done by taking instruction out to the workers in their place of work.  The WEA was therefore formed in 1903 and ten years later expanded to teaching the arts. The Association still continues in operation, although the spin-off of choral societies is probably now less common.

The fiftieth anniversary of the expansion of the WEA into the arts was celebrated on 16^th December 1963 by a concert in the Royal Festival Hall in which the Great Missenden Choral Society participated, including performance by John Shirley Quirk.

WEA Prestwood & Great Missenden Branch: http://www.gmwea.org.uk/

Back to Home Page