Leonard Woolf Subject of Next Autumn Talk at Putney Library

---

Hugh Thompson sheds light on author raised on Colinette Road

Leonard Woolf

October 3, 2025

The Friends of Putney Library continues its autumn programme with a second talk on Thursday 9 October, following a well-attended and engaging event last month that explored one of Britain’s most unusual transport systems.

On 25 September, historian and author John Clarke presented an illustrated lecture on the Brookwood Necropolis Railway—a funeral transport line that operated from 1854 to 1941, carrying coffins and mourners from a private station near Waterloo to Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey. Clarke, a leading authority on the subject, shared insights into the railway’s social context and legacy, drawing from his book The Brookwood Necropolis Railway. The evening was warmly received, with attendees praising the depth of research and evocative storytelling.

Next week, local writer and commentator Hugh Thompson will deliver a talk titled Who’s Not Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, focusing on Leonard Woolf—the political theorist, publisher, and husband of Virginia Woolf. Thompson will explore Woolf’s formative years in Putney, where he lived on Colinette Road until 1914, and his later role as editor, carer, and co-founder of the Hogarth Press. The talk will shed light on Woolf’s own literary achievements and his influence within the Bloomsbury Group.

The event takes place on Thursday 9 October at Putney Library, with refreshments served from 6.00pm and the talk beginning at 6.30pm. Entry is free, and booking is available via library staff or Eventbrite. Donations are welcome.

Both events are hosted by The Friends of Putney Library, a volunteer-led group founded in 2013 to support and promote the library’s role in the community. The Friends organise regular talks, exhibitions, and children’s activities, aiming to enhance public engagement with local history, literature, and civic life.

Putney Library, a Grade II listed building on Disraeli Road, has long served as a hub for cultural and educational events. Its recent programming reflects a commitment to accessible, community-focused learning.

For more information or to reserve a place, contact Putney Library on 020 8780 3085.

Like Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism. Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets. We've always done that and won't be changing, in fact we'd like to do more. However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do. We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area. A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site. One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute. If you do support us in this way we'd be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor. For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least one article a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you'd like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site.