The ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION, CLEVELAND BRANCH was founded on 15 Mar. 1923. as part of the English-Speaking Union of the U.S., which is closely affiliated with but completely separate from the parent group in Great Britain. It is a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization whose sole purpose is "to draw together in the bond of comradeship the English-speaking peoples of the world [and] to strengthen the friendly relationship between peoples of the U.S. of America and of the British Commonwealth by disseminating knowledge of each to the other, and by inspiring reverence for their common traditions." The first president of the Cleveland branch was John A. Penton. In 1925 the E-SU established headquarters in the Union Trust Bldg. In 1929 new headquarters were established in the Citizen's Bldg. under ABRAM GARFIELD, who remained president through WORLD WAR II. Working out of DUNHAM TAVERN, the E-SU Committee for British War Relief united local Scottish, Welsh, Manx, and English organizations to support such aspects of the war effort as placing exiled British children in Cleveland homes. After World War II, the E-SU disbanded, but was reactivated 6 Dec. 1960 with Dr. Harlan Hamilton, Chilton Thomson, Molly Strachen, and Clay Hollister as officers. Projects undertaken included scholarships for British children to study in the U.S. and fellowships for college students and librarians offered on an exchange basis. The organization helped sponsor the Cleveland visits of Prince Charles of Great Britain in 1964 and 1977.
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English-Speaking Union, Cleveland Branch Records, WRHS.