Edinburgh International Club

The Edinburgh International Club arose out of a chance meeting in 1912 between Dr. Armistead, a senior student of medicine at Edinburgh University, his wife, and Miss A. H. Begbie an Edinburgh citizen. An invitation to Miss Begbie's home followed, and Dr. Armistead had explained to her the value of their chance meeting and new friendship and how other visitors from overseas would also value the experience of meeting local people in their own environments. Fortnightly 'at homes' for the Armisteads and overseas acquaintances resulted from this, hosted by Miss Begbie and her cousin Miss Kemp. Out of these sprang the idea for a club and on Saturday 1 November 1913 the Edinburgh International Club was formally launched. The object of the Club was to promote friendly relations and social intercourse between members of various nationalities resident in Edinburgh, and the earliest meetings of the body included representatives from fourteen different countries. Activities and events over the years included walks, folk dancing, Polish dancing, Kenyan entertainment, Ukrainian concerts, Sri Lankan evenings, and Norwegian evenings. On the 50th anniversary of the Club in November 1963, the Principal of Edinburgh University hosted an event for its membership at Edinburgh University Library, and in 1979, the 65th anniversary year, a party was held at the Triangle Coffee House, Randolph Place. By 1986 however, the Club had ceased to function because of lack of support from the overseas student body towards whom it had originally directed itself to assist.