Royal Over-Seas League (ROSL)

Join us to hear the remarkable story of Colonel Owtram, Commandant of the Chungkai PoW camp in the Second World War, as told by his daughters, who both worked for the Secret Service during the war. 

I know it's only October, but many of you will already be thinking about planning your Christmas break and luckily, ROSL has plenty to keep you occupied over the festive period. 

ROSL has organised some incredible events for members over the past 12 months, varying in size and scope, from the intimate setting of the Drawing Room for an evening of magic, to the cavernous expanse of Cadogan Hall for the Annual Music Competition Grand Final, or a cosy corner of the bar for Younger Member Drinks, to the vast vistas of the Somme for the Battlefield Tour. 

Whether you're in Edinburgh or London over the festive period, our members will be singing loud and clear, so join in the carols and get into the Christmas spirit. 

Visual Arts Coordinator Eilidh McCormick tells us what a typical day looks like for her. 

The Garden was transformed into war-torn Verona last Friday, as our Shakespearean actors returned to perform the classic tragedy of Romeo and Juliet for members. 

London's cultural venues, ROSL included, are doing all they can to entice people back in to the Capital to fill the cultural void that has appeared in people's lives during lockdown. For those willing to make the journey, there is plenty to look forward to, and for those who can't yet make the trip, there's also plenty online to keep you occupied. 

Visiting the clubhouse isn't all about the dining, the events, the arts... it's also about the views! 

Having just returned from the Buckingham Palace State Rooms and Garden Highlight tour, which sold out within an hour of tickets being released, our event coordinator Jessica Harris-Edwards tells us all about what the lucky members got up to. 

Feel like stretching your legs? You're in luck, as next week we have two walking tours to help you make 10,000 steps-a-day target. 

ROSL ARTS would like to introduce our friends and members to the work of Sophie Ryder as the Hignell Gallery leads a walk to her large outdoor sculptures, concluded with a drink in the gallery amongst her more modest works. Taking place on Wednesday 8 November, from 3-6pm, the walk is free to join. 

For the past few years ROSL has marked International Women’s Day with a stimulating debate focusing on the challenges and opportunities unique to women in different fields. Last year, we examined the lack of women represented in science and technology and debated the reasons for this unbalanced gender representation and, most importantly, how to overcome it. This year in celebration of 100 years since the first women were granted the vote in 1918, our International Women’s Day Debate will focus on women and politics.

Last night saw royalty, ROSL members, friends, family and industry luminaries gather at Cadogan Hall to watch the final of the 65th ROSL Annual Music Competition, where this year's Gold Medal was awarded. 

Last night saw the culmination of the 2018 ROSL Annual Music Competition, with four exceptional young musicians competing for the chance to win the Gold Medal and £15,000 first prize. The Queen Elizabeth Hall was filled with the sounds of Chopin, Enescu, and Rachmaninov as Florian Mitrea piano, Emmanuel Bach violin, Michael Mofidian bass-baritone,and Jonathan Radford saxophone, performed for HRH Princess Alexandra, ROSL members, guests, and music industry professionals. 

The 65th ROSL Annual Music Competition is now just days away, join us at Cadogan Hall on Wednesday 7 June at 7pm.

On Friday evening, the Princess Alexandra Hall welcomed over 130 new members and their guests to the New Members' Reception, giving those present a chance to learn about the many activities and events taking place at the London and Edinburgh clubhouses, branches around the UK and overseas, plus the many other benefits of joining the Royal Over-Seas League.

October brings international art to London with an influx of Art Fairs and an eruption of creativity across the city. The charge of the fairs is led by Frieze and every city gallery is putting their best foot forward with impressive new exhibitions and events to lure in the visiting art world. We have listed the fairs that are only on for a short time this week so plan your visit and get inspired. 

Members packed themselves into our beautiful Georgian Drawing Room on Friday night for a spectacular one-off performance from award-winning improv troupe, Austentatious. Taking time out from their busy West End schedule, Austentatious reduced the crowd to side-splitting laughter within minutes with Austen 7. 

If you can brave the cold then January promises to be bright and bold with the reappearance of the Lumiere light festival from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 January. 

To celebrate Canada's sesquicentennial in 2017, ROSL has put on a number of events over the past month which highlight our club's connection with the country. 

It seems apt to be celebrating both the 150th anniversary of Canada's confederation and the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, where the sacrifice of Canadian soldiers' awakened a budding patriotism in Canadians, in the same year. To commemorate both of these important landmarks, ROSL has planned a month of Canadian-themed events to suit all tastes this October. 

When King George opened Canada House on 29 June 1925 he stated: “Canada is a great country: alike in the literal sense of cast extent from ‘sea to sea’ and great in achievement and in promise: and it is right and necessary that its official representatives here should be housed in a manner worthy of the Dominion and adequate to the discharge of their ever-growing and important duties.” 

Chinese New Year falls on Thursday 16 February in 2018 and if you're in London there are plenty of ways to celebrate. 

This year, at ROSL ARTS we are celebrating our 65^th Anniversary, and next month we are putting together a weekend of concerts to celebrate all the musicians we have worked with, past and present. To kick off our celebrations we are going back through our history to see where it all began…