About Us

11 South Grove

Our members, visitors, students and staff share the use of a beautiful Grade ll listed building in the heart of Highgate village.

A large and comfortable Members’ Room, overlooking Pond Square, and a stunning lending library are all part of HLSI members’ benefits. The handsome Victoria Hall is used for lectures, talks, classes, concerts and art exhibitions. Cloakrooms and kitchen are also found on the ground floor, as is the staff office where you will always find a friendly welcome.

Upstairs, our students enjoy two classrooms, the Linden room and the Gosling room. Recently refurbished, they are light, comfortable and well-equipped and enjoy lovely views. Our classrooms are adjacent to a kitchenette and bathroom.

HLSI is a registered charity

Our purposes are educational, providing a reference and lending library and a local archive, as well as classes, lectures, concerts, meetings, film viewings and exhibitions.

Together, HLSI staff and a large body of volunteers develop our facilities and activities for the benefit of the people of Highgate and beyond. We aim to:

• Enrich people’s lives through life-long learning and engagement with the arts and sciences;
• Enhance social well-being by being a meeting place for people to get together;
• Safeguard and advance Highgate’s heritage through our library and archive;
• Ensure the good governance of the charity and secure its long-term sustainability;
• Be a good place to work for staff and volunteers where everyone is valued;
• Create and maintain pleasant and welcoming facilities for all who may use them;
• Be of benefit to, and connect with, the local community through our activities;
• Support creativity by providing opportunities to participate and volunteer.

In all we do we are guided by these principles of behaviour:

• Open, Welcoming and Responsive – to new ideas, people, discussion and debate;
• Respectful, Impartial and Honest – straight-forward in all our relationships ;
• Enabling and creative – encouraging learning and ideas;
• Innovative – offering a stimulating and attractive programme of activities.

In addition, we have a large and comfortable Members’ Room, with views over the square, a beautiful hall for classes, concerts and art exhibitions, and a stunning library – all part of the members’ benefits of HLSI. A kitchen and toilet facilities are available on the ground floor.

Also on the ground floor, close to the hall and library, is the staff office where you will always find a friendly welcome.