Archive for the ‘NSW Branch News’ Category

20
Nov

Richard III Albury 2018 Conference

   Posted by: Julia Redlich Tags: , ,

Albury conference, November 2018

 

A Regular Ricardian Reunion

In 2007 the New South Wales Branch started a biennial one-day conference for members unable to attend Australasian conventions because of distance. Other branches soon joined in and this year met again at the Albury Manor House Hotel with its wonderful medieval style – and a management that knows exactly what is wanted and provides it with bells on!

Arrivals were made special when Queensland member Mark Porter’s two little girls in medieval gowns offered everyone a white rose tied with maroon and blue ribbons, and their brother in “armour” and brandishing a “sword” presented red poppies for Remembrance Day provided by the Robyn Pidcock, Victoria’s tireless craft expert. We wore them proudly for an evening of wining, dining, conversation and enjoyable reunion.

Friday morning we all gathered in a room, with Richard’s banner taking pride of place. A historical quiz, prepared by Kevin Herbert, was handed out for completion during the day. Sadly, Kevin was not present due to the recurrence of a medical condition, but fellow branch members, Marnie and Chris Lo, replaced his presentation with their recent “How to rebury a medieval king”.

In the absence of NSW Branch chairperson, Judith Hughes, the Australasian vice president, New Zealand’s Rob Smith welcomed everyone on her behalf and read a goodwill message from Phil Stone. Then Helen Portus and Denise Rawling, organisers of the event, started proceedings them with a light-hearted history of the Wars of the Roses. LOL!

A variety of presentations by delegates included Queensland’s Peter Stride enlightening us with the natural history of scoliosis – and later in the day made us begin to query a few Royal paternities. Julia Redlich from NSW spoke on medieval mothers and the possible reasons for their rotten reputations. Victoria Branch member Michael Iliffe considered Henry VI who unwittingly sparked the Cousins’ War, and NSW’s Dorothea Preis inspired us with reasons for future trips to the UK to visit Richard III’s mother Cecily, Duchess of York’s home in Berkhamsted. Anne Maslin from Victoria spoke on the rise and fall of John Howard , and Mark Porter sought answers from Rob Smith , Julia Redlich, Sue Walladge (South Australia), Victoria’s Ron and Robyn Pidcock and Louise Carson from Western Australia on why they became Ricardians. The day closed as Helen and Denise brought us up to date with how Richard III is viewed in the digital age.

The Branch sales table had been well patronised and only one item remained (a book about a Tudor, so that’s understandable!). Many raffle tickets had been sold and winners each received one from a covetable selection of prizes.

Many wore medieval costume for a delicious banquet, when the toasts to the Society, Richard III and Absent Friends were proposed by Sue Walladge, Ron Pidcock OAM and Louise Carson. Returning to the conference room the quiz answers were given as a PowerPoint presentation created by webmaster Mike Redstone. And the winner: Gillian Laughton from Victoria.

The conference concluded with a memorable tribute to John Ashdown-Hill MBE that Helen had produced. All Ricardians will miss John for his knowledge, writing, hard work on our behalf and his role in presenting Richard III in such a positive way to the world.

Saturday meant many of the delegates had to return home, but several stayed on for a coach tour that took in local landmarks, a wonderful winery, a delightful lunch and a trip around Albury, a place offering so much. Would it be too much to expect that Ricardians gather there again in the not too distant future?

15
Oct

Annual General Meeting of the NSW Branch

   Posted by: Judith Hughes Tags: ,

Last Saturday, 13 October 2018, the NSW Branch of the Richard III Society held its Annual General Meeting.  After the official part was concluded, Marnie and Christopher entertained us with an interesting talk on Richard III’s re-interment.

Here is the Annual Report, which our Chairperson, Judith Hughes, delivered to the AGM.

Chairperson’s Report to the Annual General Meeting 2018

As Chairperson of the New South Wales Branch of the Richard III Society, it is my privilege to present the annual report for the 2017-2018 Ricardian Year.

Our enthusiastic membership continues to increase, enjoying the erudite and well researched talks and the friendly social contact at our Society meetings.

We continue to meet at the Sydney Mechanics School of Arts at 280 Pitt Street, which has proved a convenient venue for our Ricardians in spite of Sydney’s present shambolic transport conditions.

Particular thanks to our wonderful committee, who keep our society running so efficiently. Rhonda as secretary and Judy as treasurer have facilitated so much great work throughout the year.

Leslie continues to publicise our activities through the Affinity newsletter, while Lynne, our vice-chairperson, has proved willing to step up to lead as well as to collect meeting fees. Joan continues to prepare delicious afternoon teas and to donate special raffle prizes, while Rachel has selected our book raffle prizes. Dorothea is our membership secretary and liaises with the English headquarters.

Very special gratitude must be extended to Laurence, who has run our website, and to Mike who will take over from Laurence as he retires. Mike supplies the sound system, which so greatly enhances the enjoyment of listening to our guest speakers.

Welcome to the committee to Marnie, who is so helpful and enthusiastic.

Once again we have contributed to the Bosworth wreath in the UK, while in Sydney we have been welcomed as usual to the Anglican Church of Australia, St James King Street, to commemorate Richard III and those who were lost at the Battle of Bosworth Field. Afterwards members met for lunch at the Vanto Restaurant in the Queen Victoria Building.

In November, we are looking forward to attending our Ricardian Conference which will, once again, be held at Albury. By meeting near the state border, it allows members, who cannot because of distance attend our bi-monthly meetings, to join us. The conference has been organised by Denise and Helen, Julia and Kevin to whom we are truly grateful.

For activities throughout the year, we have been delighted to rely on some very well-motivated speakers to share their research in most interesting talks and activities. Denise and Helen presented an amusing talk about Richard earlier in the year.

Our own Robert Hamblin awardee, Julia, talked to us about “Midsomer Murders”. She believes that many high-profile murders historically took place in the months between April and September She had researched the background of these murders. An example was the killing of the Scottish king Duncan by Macbeth as recorded by William Shakespeare as for the revenge killing of Lady Macbeth’s uncle years before.

Dorothea provided us with a beautifully illustrated talk about the Ewelme Alms Houses of the de la Pole family, which are still in use today.

Guest-speaker Rob Shipton told us about clocks throughout the ages.

Kevin constructed a quiz which explored Richard’s family. Each section highlighted a part of Richard’s life and served as a review of Richard’s life, a lively discussion ensuing.

At this October meeting, Chris and Marnie will discuss research into a recently discovered manuscript which elucidates the mystery of Richard’s burial, while Lynne Foley will present the talk “Christmas Rites and Customs” at our December meeting.

During the year we have been able to assist and encourage several Higher School Certificate students to research their History extension about Richard III. We wish them good luck for their HSC and look forward to greeting them at our meetings in the new year.

Thanks to all our members for their support. We look forward to seeing you all next year.

(We thank Jennie for the above photo of our speakers.)

20
Sep

A Conference of Ricardians

   Posted by: Julia Redlich Tags: , , ,

A Conference of Ricardians

That’s a collective noun referring to those gathering in Albury, NSW, on Thursday, November 8th. Representatives of all Australasian Branches will meet at Albury Manor Hotel then and enjoy an evening of registering and dining, reunions and introductions.

Friday: a programme of presentations that will inform and entertain from familiar as well as new contributors.  There will be raffle tickets to buy for fabulous prizes and a special sales table (Christmas is coming!), a challenging quiz and, in the evening, a Medieval Banquet  (costumes welcome, but not obligatory) .

A Conference of Ricardians

Saturday: for those who don’t have to head homeward, a special Chelbec Tours coach will take delegates on a trip to the famous Bonegilla migrant camp, now a historical precinct, for a tour, a talk and morning tea. Then it’s on to some wineries, with lunch at Rutherglen’s Tuileries Café before heading to the delightful village of Chiltern. A brief tour of Albury ends the tour, to view its imposing public buildings, historic homes and delightful gardens.

Full details including costs will be sent, after the closing date of September 30, to those who have already registered interest in this. If the tour is not for you, Albury’s Botanic Gardens are wonderful, as are local book shops and galleries and, on Sunday, the Kiewa Markets.

If you would like to join the tour, or register for the conference itself, contact richardiiialbury2018@gmail.com  Spaces may be available.

13
Sep

Annual General Meeting

   Posted by: Dorothea Preis

The committee of the NSW Branch of the Richard III Society would like to invite you to the Annual General Meeting.  The AGM will be held at 2 pm on Saturday, 13 October 2018, at the Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts, 280 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000.

The committee needs new members.  Please consider, whether you would be able to support your branch of the Richard III Society by joining the committee.  If you would like to assist, please contact our Membership Secretary (at membership@richardiii-nsw.org.au) for a nomination form.

After the official part of the meeting we will be treated to talks by two Scrabble speakers.  They drew a Scrabble tile out of a bag earlier this year and prepared a short talk on a topic chosen by them, starting with the letter they drew.

9
Aug

Bosworth Service on 19 August 2018

   Posted by: Leslie McCawley

St James’ Church

Every year the Anglican Church of St James at 173 King Street in Sydney holds a service in which it briefly commemorates the Battle of Bosworth, and many of our members attend whether or not they are usually church-goers. It is a lovely historic building and offers the beautiful ‘high church’ Anglo-Catholic tradition of worship with incense and processing of the clergy. The service starts at 11:00 am, after which those who wish to usually go for lunch somewhere nearby.

The congregation has always been very welcoming to Richard III Society members, and we feel grateful that they are able to recognise Richard III in this way. All welcome.

(The above photo of St James’ Church is by Whiteghost.ink via Wikimedia Commons.)

2
Aug

The August General Meeting

   Posted by: Leslie McCawley

Our next General Meeting will take place on Saturday, 11 August 2018 at 2:00 PM.

The highly anticipated speaker for our next meeting will be long time member and raconteur par excellence, Kevin, presenting an array of amazing facts about Richard III and quizzing members on their own knowledge of our favourite monarch. Please join us on Level 1 at 280 Pitt Street, at the Sydney Mechanics School of Arts for what promises to be an enjoyable program.

22
Jul

Richard III at Albury 2018

   Posted by: Julia Redlich

Now is the time to come to the party! Registration and payment deposit for the Ricardian conference at Albury on Friday November 9 is due on July 30.

The tireless conference organisers for the NSW Branch, Helen Portus and Denise Rawling, sent full details to all NSW Members and Friends earlier this year, as well as information and registration forms (with costs)  in recent Affinity issues and on our website. Secretaries of the other Australasian Branches of the Richard III Society were also informed and there has been a gratifying response. So act now if you want to enjoy a memorable time with fellow Ricardians.

 

What you need to know:

Place: Albury Manor Hotel, 593 Young St, Albury, NSW.

Accommodation: phone: 02 6041 1777; email: alburymanorhouse’AT’bigpond.com;  www.alburymanor.com.au

Arrival: Thursday, November 8.  Registration and afternoon tea from 3.30 pm.  Pre-dinner drinks at 6pm; dinner in the restaurant at own cost, followed by evening entertainment.

Conference: Friday, November 9. Many informative presentations; raffle, sales table, and morning and afternoon tea and lunch is provided; a special quiz with results and prizes at the medieval banquet in the evening (costume optional).

NSW Branch Sales table: donations are welcome, but they must be relevant to Richard III and medieval times. This is not a time to de-clutter your home regardless! Any items unsold on Friday must be removed by donor (there’s an opshop nearby).

Saturday, November 10. An excursion involving historic buildings, great wines, morning and afternoon teas and lunch, plus a drive around the Albury/Murray area is being negotiated. Many details, such as costs, are still under way.    If delegates do not have to return home on Saturday and would like to explore the area more fully and are interested in this tour and did not mention this on your registration form, please advise Denise on richardiiialbury2018’AT’gmail.com as soon as possible.

When confirmed the details will be sent to all interested delegates and the date by which the cost per person must be paid.

Travel: There is ample car parking at the hotel; the airport is within easy distance, as is the railway station. For information about train travel from Sydney, contact Kevin Herbert (for his details, please contact the Branch Secretary or Publications Manager).

 

Further queries can be addressed at richardiiialbury2018’AT’gmail.com

 

Helen, Denise and helpers Julia, Kevin and Mark

are looking forward to seeing you in Albury.

3
Jun

The Clock Is Ticking

   Posted by: Leslie McCawley

Our next meeting will take place at our regular venue, the Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts, on Saturday, 9 June 2018, at 2 pm.  This meeting will feature popular guest speaker Rob Shipton, an expert on the topic of antique clocks and the science of timekeeping throughout the ages. Rob is a retired lecturer in design at the University of Technology in Sydney.

Prague Astronomical Clock detail

We will also be discussing the details of the upcoming mini-conference being held in Albury in November that have been provided by organisers Helen and Denise. It is time to start making our plans!

Some Sydney-based members are planning to travel together by train timed to arrive for check-in at the Albury Manor Hotel on the afternoon of Thursday 8 November 2018. An evening activity has been planned for those arriving then. The full program starts the next day Friday 9 November 2018 and will include many interesting speakers, am & pm teas, and a banquet dinner (“costume optional”). More detailed information and registration materials can be found here.

 

31
Mar

April General Meeting of the NSW Branch

   Posted by: Leslie McCawley

The next general meeting of the NSW Branch of the Richard III Society will be on Saturday, 14 April 2018, at 2pm at the Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts, 280 Pitt St, Sydney NSW 2000.

Our featured speakers for April will be Branch members Helen and Denise. Helen and Denise met in kindergarten and, instantly recognizing a mutual interest in history and fairness, forged a strong crusading bond. Reading Josephine Tey’s novel, Daughter of Time, in primary school fired up their fervour for a king maligned by history, but it was many years before they became aware of an actual group of people who held similar views.

Helen saw an article in the Sydney Morning Herald in the quincentenary year of the battle of Bosworth (1985) that mentioned a UK society with a branch in Sydney.  She has been a member ever since.  Denise has been less reliable but always in touch. Denise has lived for many years around and in Canberra.  Helen was able to attend meetings for some years while she lived in Mosman but with a move to the Southern Highlands found it hard to stay in touch with regular branch activities.

In recent times, they have both been able to attend quite a few Australasian conferences. They also organised a very successful mini-conference in Albury in 2016 and are busy organising another one to take place later this year.   A recent highlight for them was travelling to Leicester for the reinterment in 2015. The name of their talk is: A New Kingdom – Richard III in the Digital Age. It will be based on their presentation at the Perth Australasian Convention of October 2017, with reference to their presentation at the 2016 Albury mini-conference. They will look at various aspects of the King’s reputation in the new age of technology and social media.

4
Feb

Next General Meeting 10 Feb. 2018

   Posted by: Leslie McCawley Tags: , ,

We would like to invite you to our first meeting of the new year, on 10 Feb. 2018 at 2pm at the Sydney Mechanics School of Arts.

Our speaker will be our own Dorothea, who has spoken to us often on many different Ricardian topics. Her chosen topic will be “William & Alice de la Pole’s God’s House at Ewelme”.

The cloister of God’s House at Ewelme

As many of us know, Dorothea came originally from Germany. After living for 5 years in the UK, she came to Australia in 1998. Dorothea joined the Richard III Society in 2004 and has since served in a variety of positions on the committee of the NSW Branch, at present as Membership Secretary. In addition, she is a member of the Bulletin Committee of the Society as a whole.

Dorothea has always been fascinated by things relating to Richard’s time in our world today, be it places or items or even ideas. Another area of interest is the lives of medieval people. Therefore, God’s House was an obvious choice: it is a place you can visit today, it hasn’t changed much since the 15th century and it involves the de la Pole family, who were anything but boring.

Dorothea decided to be a bit like the story of ‘Muhammad and the mountain’, if we can’t pop over to Oxfordshire to the real God’s House, God’s House will have to come here. We look forward to hearing her presentation!