Founded in 1846 with the Edgbaston Debating Society’s first meeting, our society has the distinction of being one of the longest running debating societies in Europe. Our archives of minutes, preserved in Birmingham City Library, showcase a lasting legacy of debating contentious topics such as Home Rule for Ireland, Women’s Suffrage, to more recently the failures of the “Great American Experiment” and the ethics of being a Landlord. Historically attracting membership from Birmingham’s “great and good,” including Neville and Joseph Chamberlain, Samuel Gamgee, and guests such as JRR Tolkien, our members have historically been and continue to be integral to the city’s intellectual life.