Devas Club

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The Devas Club for Young People is a youth club in Battersea, south London, England.

The Devas Club building in Battersea, opened in 1970

The club was founded by Jocelyn Devas, a student at University College, Oxford, in 1884, as a ‘Club for Working Lads’ with the aim of providing young men with job skills. Following his death in 1886, his father offered a substantial endowment if his college friends would carry on the work in Battersea, leading to a move to larger premises in Nine Elms in 1907. The redevelopment of Nine Elms to build New Covent Garden Market prompted another move to a purpose built building near Lavender Hill in 1969.

The main purpose of the Club’s work was initially educational, but as this function became increasingly taken over by the London County Council, sporting activities began to take precedence in the programme. A separate club for girls was started in 1960, which was later merged with the main activity of the club.

The club currently includes a gym, recording studio, performance space, cooking facilities and a basketball court on the roof. The club is a registered charity with the stated purpose of "providing a youth centre for the purpose of helping and educating young persons under the age of 25 years through their physical, mental and spiritual capacities that they may grow to full maturity as individuals and members of society and that their conditions of life may be improved."

The Devas Club has maintained its links with University College over the years.