In the 17th Century, coffeehouses started to spring up, the first in Oxford, often visited by academics and scientists, and with them began a new era of social learning that crossed economic and social divides. People came to meet and discuss ideas, and for a penny could read pamphlets and other information. With great independent coffee shops (and tea shops) now firmly established in Leeds again, it seems right and proper that a Penny University should make a comeback. Kirsty Ware @gazpachodragon explains…
What’s The Penny University? Can anyone join?
Kirsty: It’s a revival of 17th century coffeehouses – where people from all walks of life would meet to discuss ideas and share information, like an informal university. It’s really about pooling our resources and talents to build a community of people who all learn from each other.
What sorts of ideas do people talk about?
Kirsty: We talk about everything from tea-trays to the validity of evolution theories! We’ve have great conversations on whether you should study subjects you love, or subjects that may give you more employability; but we’ve also had discussions about if you’d go into space if it meant spending a year in a spaceship with the person you hate most!
Where was the first Penny University?
Kirsty: There’s several claims as to the first ‘penny university’, but the truth is that people have been meeting up and sharing ideas since forever. They became popular in London in the late 17th century, as the upper classes liked mixing with the ‘bohemian types’, and the lower classes realised they could exploit this to get access to cheap information and learning. Although we think of ourselves as more on the bohemian spectrum, we’ve realised it’s a win-win for everyone!
What made you want to revive this idea?
Kirsty: I’ve worked closely with a few independent coffee-shops in the past, and they’re such a lovely, inviting space that I wanted to utilise that to create some sort of club. Added to that is the wonderful, clever people that I’ve met since I moved to Leeds who know everything about all sorts of things, and I wanted to help them share all these ideas they had. I’ve realised since we set up Penny University that *everyone* is an expert on something, even if they don’t think they are, and I find that endlessly fascinating. I’m constantly asking new members “what’s your passion?”
Where do we enroll?
Kirsty: You can enroll at Cucina, during Morley Literature Festival on Sunday 6 October, or at our regular monthly meetings, held on the last Sunday of the month at Brewbar Espresso on Victoria Gardens (underneath Central Library).
If it’s my first visit, what should I bring?
Kirsty: Yourself! Your greatest resource of information is you, and the greatest resource of ideas is your curiosity. If you’ve seen something you’d like to share (such as a newspaper article or a youtube video), then feel free to bring that along.
Are you sure there are no tuition fees?
Kirsty: We’re completely volunteer-run, so no, we do it for love! We do encourage you to buy a coffee though, to say thank you to Cucina for hosting us!
The Penny University takes place in Morley on Sunday 6 October, 12.30-3.30pm at Cucina, 106a Queen Street, for Morley Literature Festival. No ticket needed, just drop in, grab a coffee and join in. To find out more visit www.morleyliteraturefestival.co.uk or www.pennyunileeds.wordpress.com. Follow @pennyunileeds on twitter.