Royal Over-Seas League
Encyclopedia
| Founded | 1910 |
|---|---|
| Home Page | www.rosl.org.uk |
| Address | 4 Park Place |
| Clubhouse occupied since | 1960 |
| Club established for | Travel Travel Travel is the movement of people or objects between relatively distant geographical locations. 'Travel' can also include relatively short stays between successive movements.-Etymology:... enthusiasts |
| Club motto | Ubique Navigavimus |
The Royal Over-Seas League (ROSL) is a non-profit members’ organisation with international headquarters based in its clubhouse in central London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is also a major supporter of the arts, most notably with its prestigious annual music competition.
Founded by Sir Evelyn Wrench
Evelyn Wrench
Sir John Evelyn Leslie Wrench, CMG, LL.D was born on 29 October 1882, in Brookeborough, County Fermanagh, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland, the son of Frederick Stringer Wrench , an Irish Land Commissioner, and Charlotte Mary Bellingham .At the age of five years, his favorite literature...
in 1910 as the Over-Seas Club, it was given a Royal Charter of Incorporation in 1922 and Queen Elizabeth II granted the title "Royal" to mark its golden jubilee
Golden Jubilee
A Golden Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 50th anniversary.- In Thailand :King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, celebrated his Golden Jubilee on 9 June 1996.- In the Commonwealth Realms :...
in 1960. Wrench saw the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
of the time as not merely a political and economic structure, but also "a far-flung brotherhood of individual men and women of diverse creeds and races living widely apart under differing conditions in different latitude". There are more than 20,000 members worldwide.
The league today is both an association of individual members and a supporter of Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
art, music and welfare projects. There is a sister clubhouse in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, as well as honorary representatives, branches or reciprocal clubs in more than 90 countries.
Accommodation, dining and conference facilities are offered at the London and Edinburgh clubhouses. The London clubhouse is at the end of Park Place, a cul-de-sac off St James's Street in the West End
West End of London
The West End of London is an area of central London, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings, and entertainment . Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross...
backing onto Green Park
Green Park
-External links:*...
and has its own private garden; the Edinburgh clubhouse at 100 Princes Street
Princes Street
Princes Street is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, and its main shopping street. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1 mile from Lothian Road in the west to Leith Street in the east. The street is mostly closed to private...
overlooks Princes Street Gardens
Princes Street Gardens
Princes Street Gardens is a public park in the centre of Edinburgh, Scotland, in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle. The Gardens were created in the 1820s following the long draining of the Nor Loch and the creation of the New Town. The Nor Loch was a large loch in the centre of the city. It was...
and has unrestricted views of Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
.
The clubhouses and the regional branches organise a variety of cultural and social events for members, such as backstage tours of London attractions, wine tastings, literary lectures and visits to shows and performances.
The league has an in-house magazine, Overseas, which comprises contemporary features written by renowned journalists, members’ articles, news from regional branches, and information about forthcoming events.
As of 2011, the membership subscription costs between £118 and £277 per year, with an £80 rate for younger members. The entrance fee is an additional year's membership, but is waived for younger members.