Diary dates

Some upcoming events at the London Welsh Centre - all well worth noting in your diary:

Friday 19th June, 8.30pm - There's Lovely See Comedy Club returns for another night of quality comedy featuring Paul Harry Allen, Stephen Carlin, and Marian Pashley as Guest MC.

Monday 22nd June, 7.30pm - Annual General Meeting. Everyone welcome. Your thoughts and ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Friday 26th June, 8pm - Open Mic Night. If you know of any budding musicians who would like to test out their talent and practise their stage presence do tell them about this. It's a great opportunity to gain confidence from performing in front of an audience.

Saturday 27th June, 7.30pm - Gwalia Male Voice Choir concert. Tickets are £15 including a buffet, and are available from the office (huw@lwcentre.demon.co.uk).

London Welsh trades: dairies (2)

By 1900, half of London's dairies were Welsh-owned, but almost all disappeared in the second half of the twentieth century. Traces of London's former Welsh dairies can still be found in central London. In particular, the frontages of Lloyd's Dairy on Amwell Street and French's Dairy on Rugby Street remain intact.

Today, French's Dairy sells fabulous jewellery and has graced the cover of Japanese Vogue. Lloyd's Dairy, aka Unpackaged, offers a wide range of organic foods sold loose and encourages customers to bring their own containers.

A bara brith bonanza!

Last night the Welsh classes at the London Welsh Centre held their annual St David's Day party. This year, it featured a bara brith competition - with an impressive seven entries. Everyone put great effort into the tasting and judging!

More on the Welsh produce market

Don't forget the Welsh produce market being held in St Christopher's Place, off Oxford Street, tomorrow (Friday 27 Feb). Among the producers there will be makers of cakes, brownies, steamed puddings, organic meat pies, smoked meat and fish, and cheeses. All are winners of True Taste Wales food and drink awards, guaranteeing you a delicious St David's Day.

If you can't make it on Friday, some of the stallholders also offer mail order. Brownies by post would make a superb gift; or for a more traditional Welsh dinner, you can order organic Welsh lamb, bara brith, welsh cakes, and even cheeses aged at the bottom of a coal mine.

The market is open 12.30-7pm. For more info, click here.

London Welsh trades: dairies (1)

This fading signage, a short walk from the London Welsh Centre, is a reminder that the area was a centre for Welsh dairies in the nineteenth century. Although the Dairy Outfit Co was not itself a Welsh company, it supplied dairies with a wide range of equipment so would have had many Welsh customers.

In the early nineteenth century, Welsh milk girls sold their products on the streets. Soon, though, the trade became more settled with a move to corner dairy stores which also sold butter and cheese. Some even had their own cows on-site. Over time, many expanded to become general stores: the original corner shops.

Eat Welsh in London

Enjoy food from Wales in the run-up to St David's Day, thanks to a Welsh produce market in St Christopher's Place (just off Oxford Street). Meet the award-winning producers and stock up on some fabulous artisanal food including cheese, pate and chocolate brownies.

It's on Friday 27 February, open all afternoon until 7pm.