THE WORLD’S OLDEST FREE SPEECH FORUM
Founded in the City of London in 1755 as a coffee bar debating society, the Society of Cogers can claim to be the oldest “free speech” forum in the world – and quite possibly the oldest debating society in the world also.
Historians believe that the name of the society derives from the maxim of the French philosopher, Rene Descartes - "Cogito Ergo Sum" - "I think therefore I am". Its founder members were friends of John Wilkes, a leader of popular agitation against the ministers of George the Third in the cause of freedom of the press.
In 1997, the City of London Society of Cogers was reconstituted with a view to giving more help to those who want to develop their abilities to speak in public. After all, the ability to stand up and express thoughts and ideas in front of groups of other people forms an essential part in the training of managers and leaders as well as politicians and pressure groups. Thus the society now incorporates the debating traditions of the historic “Society of Cogers” with some of the practices of speakers clubs
Meetings of the Cogers are open to anyone keen to with an interest in discussing current affairs and in practising speaking in public in a lively and supportive atmosphere.
Our History
The Society of Cogers (pronounced ‘Koh-jers’) originated as part of the tradition of free speech and discussion in the taverns and coffee houses of Fleet Street in the Eighteenth Century.
Convivial debating clubs formed part of the social, intellectual and commercial life of London during that period. Taverns and coffee-houses throughout the capital already functioned as important centres of trade and commerce and gave rise to Lloyds, the Baltic Exchange and the Stock Exchange. In this period Fleet Street was the natural home of publishers and lawyers and by the reign of George the Second as least a dozen clubs had been established for the purpose of reviewing and discussing the contents of newspapers.
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Contact Us
contact@cogers.org
Our Societies
Cities of London and Westminster Cogers
The Cities Of London and Westminster Society of Cogers meets on the 2nd Monday of every month, except when the 1st Monday is a bank holiday, in which case it meets on the 3rd Monday of that month. The venue is:
Ye Olde Cock Tavern
22 Fleet Street
London EC4Y 1AA
Virtual Cogers
Virtual Society of Cogers meets online on the 4th Wednesday of each month.
Ware Cogers
The Ware Society of Cogers meets on the 3rd Thursday of each month. The venue is:
Place House Hall
Bluecoat Yard
Ware,
Herts SG12 9HL