The Keys is the London Branch of the Catholic Writers' Guild of England and Wales. Its origins go back to the early 1930's, with the formation of the Guild by the Catholic writer G.K.Chesterton and members of his staff at his magazine G.K.'s Weekly. The Guild was designed to revive the authentic Catholic and medieval idea of a genuine society for mutual help, encouragement and support in the Faith, and gathering for talks and lectures on subjects of Catholic interest. By the time of the Second World War, there were Guild branches in several major cities. There was also a separate such Guild, known as "The Quills", for ladies. In the 1960's, this latter was merged, creating the Guild in its present form.

The Keys has met in various places in London, mostly centred around Fleet Street, historic home of the British newspaper industry. For some years, it met in a Fleet Street pub. In the late 1970's it moved briefly to the then Westminster Cathedral Conference Centre, adjoining the Cathedral (now the St. Paul's Multimedia Bookshop). In the 1980's the Guild found its home at St. Etheldreda's Church, Ely Place, just off Holborn Circus, London, EC1, which had for years been the Guild Church. Since the 1970's the position of Master of the Guild has been held by, among others, journalist and publisher Kevin Grant, Catholic Herald editor Frances Gumley, Uvedale Tristram (who worked in journalism in Africa as well as at home), novelist Piers Paul Read and publisher Antony Tyler OBE.

The present Master is Sean O'Connor. Our Chaplain is Fr. Christopher (Kit) Cunningham MBE, parish priest of St. Etheldreda's.

In recent decades, speakers at Guild meetings have ranged from the author and broadcaster Malcolm Muggeridge to members of Parliament, bishops (both Anglican and Catholic), Daily Telegraph editor Charles Moore, on the brink of his conversion to Catholicism, and distinguished historians and academics. By tradition, the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster is always President of the Keys. In this capacity, Cardinal Basil Hume addressed the Keys in one of his last major public engagements before his final illness.

Among distinguished members of the Keys can be noted a former ambassador, Sir Geoffrey Jackson, whose book recounting his experience held hostage by terrorists had made him a national figure. Current members include noted author, convert and current editor of the Catholic Herald Dr. William Oddie, Catholic peer Lord Alton of Liverpool, and journalist David Twiston Davis of the Daily Telegraph.

Our longest-standing member is Mrs. Katie Jaffa, aged 90, whose late husband, Harold Jaffa, was a leading figure in Fleet Street.

In 1999, the Keys launched the Catholic Young Writer of the Year Award. The first winner was Daniel Coughlan of the Cardinal Hinsley High School, who is currently (2003) reading Theology at Cambridge. The Keys also sponsor the Annual "Towards Advent" Festival of Catholic Culture held each November at Westminster Cathedral Hall.