Thursday 11 February
9:30 am - 12 noon
Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)
66 Portland Place, London W1B 1AD
(Nearest Tube: Oxford Circus +10 min walk up Regent St)

Guest Speaker: Architectural Historian
DAN CRUICKSHANK
on “The Secret History of Georgian London”

Georgian London evokes images of elegant buildings and fine art, but it was also a city where houses of ill-repute thrived and many tens of thousands of people were dependent in some way or another on the wages of sin. Popular Historian and BBC TV presenter, Dan Cruickshank, will surprise us with facts from his latest book, The Secret History of Georgian London, which is intriguingly subtitled How the Wages of Sin Shaped the Capital. He compellingly shows how this came to affect almost every aspect of life and culture in the capital.

Dan is a regular documentary presenter on the BBC and is best known for his popular series Britain’s Best Buildings; Around the World in 80 Treasures (2005), in which he highlights 80 amazing man-made objects and buildings he sought out during a 5-month trip; and Adventures in Architecture (2008), in which he charts the history of civilisation. He authored books to accompany each of these series. He is also known for his appearances in The House Detectives and Timewatch.

Dan is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the KCWC is thrilled to hold the February meeting at its home, a Grade II-listed original Art Deco edifice! Dan has a BA in Art, Design and Architecture and sits on the Architectural Panel of The National Trust. He was involved in the restoration of, among others, the exquisite Spencer House in St James’s. He is a much-sought-after speaker and we are honoured to have this rare opportunity to meet him while he is not otherwise traipsing around the world in search of unusual architecture. Copies of Dan’s books will be available for purchase and will be signed after the talk.

GENERAL MEETING SCHEDULE
9:30 am - 10:30 am Coffee and activity sign-ups
10:30 am - 12 noon Announcements followed by guest speaker
12:15 pm - 2:30 pm Hospitality luncheon

REMINDER: Out of respect for our speaker, if you must leave early, please be seated at the back of the lecture hall and kindly exit discreetly only during the break between the talk and the Q&A. As a courtesy to fellow-members, please switch mobiles and other communication devices OFF or to SILENT mode during the entire meeting. Please note that we cannot accommodate babies and small children at General Meetings. Spouses, partners and friends are welcome.

SAVE THE DATE: KCWC’s much-awaited annual Charity Fashion Show will be held on 5 May.