Bartitsu conference planned for London, 2011

The Bartitsu Society is organising a major conference to be held in London during Spring of 2011.

London was, of course, the city where E.W. Barton-Wright introduced Bartitsu in 1899, and the neighbourhood of Soho was the home of his “Academy of Arms and School of Physical Culture” until 1902.

The conference venue is still to be confirmed, but the Society hopes to be able to secure space in the magnificent County Hall building on the South Bank of the river Thames.

The County Hall is a prime example of Edwardian Gothic architecture, standing directly opposite Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey and adjacent to the famous London Eye Ferris wheel. This promotional video from www.monumentaladventure.com offers a good overview of the local attractions:

Conference participants will experience an immersive two and a half days of specialised classes with Bartitsu instructors in subjects such as “Fisticuffs”, “Boxing vs. Jiujitsu”, “Self Defence with a Walking Stick” and “The Best of All These Methods: Bartitsu Cross-training”.

A pleasant stroll across Westminster Bridge will take participants to our planned after-hours venue, the Sherlock Holmes public house, a classic Victorian-style London pub featuring a themed upstairs restaurant and a historic replica of Holmes’ and Watson’s living room/study, there to enjoy dinner, drinks and socialising as well as parlour lectures on subjects of interest to Bartitsu enthusiasts.

Conference updates will be featured on Bartitsu.org over the coming months.