Henry Tudor’s Christmas Wish List

On the second day of Christmas my mummy sent to me
Two little princes,
And a crown in a hawthorn bush.

Tags: Henry Tudor, Holiday

At our December General Meeting one of the highlights were familiar Christmas carols with new – Ricardian – texts.  One of them was ‘Henry Tudor’s Christmas Wish List’.  This Tudor version of ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ has been a favourite with our branch for a long time, so long in fact that nobody can remember who originally penned it.  Could the original author please come forward, we would like to award you a virtual laurel wreath!

We will bring you our version of this carol over the twelve days of Christmas and hope you enjoy it as much as we have done.

Henry Tudor’s Christmas Wish List

On the first day of Christmas my mummy sent to me
A crown in a hawthorn bush.

Tags: Henry Tudor, Holiday

Our last branch meeting of the year was held on 10 December 2011. The Sydney Mechanics’ Institute meeting room was once again filled with members and guests, as well as friends like Jenny Savage visiting from overseas, but sadly with a number of regulars missing, as well, who had given their apologies. They were missed!

Introductory remarks were made by our branch president Judith Hughes, who welcomed us to this celebratory gathering. Her words were followed by the treasurer’s, secretary’s and webmaster’s reports. Our finances are healthy, and the website has many visitors. However, the branch library holdings pose a problem, especially as they are not being utilised by members; a discussion was held about the future of the library. A number of ideas were mooted such as donating books to the Medieval Studies Department of one of the local universities, or to the Mitchell Library. People were happy to have the fiction sold at the upcoming conference in Mittagong, or elsewhere, to add to the branch’s coffers.

We also welcomed Rosemary Burgess’ personal impressions of the Society AGM in the UK, which she had attended.  Judith Hughes and Jacqui Turner told us about the Old Vic production of Shakespeare’s Richard III with Kevin Spacey, which is currently showing in Sydney.

Our full program for the day was delightful and varied, and had obviously required much imagination, work, and rehearsal by our committee, as well as the hard work of several participants from the audience.

First there was a presentation by Julia Redlich about the importance of astrology in Ricardian times, surprisingly joined and assisted in a theatrical vignette by Isolde Martyn as Henry Tudor sharing his intended policies if he were ever king. One example was equality for women, so that they too could lose their heads if they crossed him.

After which there was a Star Signs Quiz, requiring players to match the astrological character description with the right Ricardian personage offered as a multiple choice. With infamously strong characters like Henry VII, Elizabeth Woodville, and Margaret Beaufort, it was a fascinating challenge to try to match them up with the hints. It was actually quite hard but pleasurable work, with most members managing to answer at least some of them correctly, even if by sheer luck, and receiving prizes of chocolates. At the end, it appeared that everyone was munching happily, whether or not they had guessed correctly.

Isolde Martyn (in full medieval male garb), Jenny Savage, and Julia Redlich then presented several Christmas standards rewritten as Ricardian themed parodies, being Henry Tudor’s Christmas List (sung to the tune of the Twelve Days of Christmas) and We Three Kings, with the audience invited to join in on the choruses.

Raffles were drawn then, with many people going home happy with their lovely winnings, along with purchases from the Bring and Buy table which had been laden with the usual appealing fare. Afternoon tea was then provided by the Committee, who always takes such good care of us. It was a lovely ending to another excellent year of programs!

The first meeting of the New Year will be on a different time-table than usual, so please take note: the first Saturday of the month, being 4 February 2012, with an invited guest speaker discussing Medieval Architecture.

Tags: Henry Tudor, NSW Branch, Richard III

We have reviewed this new book by Peter Hammond for your information.  Read the review  here.

The book is a thorough analysis of the lead up to the Battle of Bosworth and the battle itself, based on the recent discovery of the actual spot where the battle was fought.  Fascinating reading!

Tags: Battles, Books, Henry Tudor, Ricardian Authors, Richard III

This is the third part of Win’s talk about Scotland which was presented to our Branch on 9 October 2010.

James III of Scotland reigned 1460-88. He cultivated friendship with England by a marriage being arranged between his son James later IV and Edward IVs 3-year-old daughter the Lady Cecilia. This marriage did not take place as it was cancelled by Edward IV.

James IV of Scotland

When negotiations broke down skirmishing broke out between the two countries. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Edward IV, Henry Tudor, Richard III, Scotland

A review of John Ashdown-Hill’s latest book, The Last Days of Richard III, is now available on our website.  You can find it in the “Must Read” section on our Book Shelf or click here.

Tags: Anne Neville, Books, Bosworth, Henry Tudor, Medieval Life, Ricardian Authors, Richard III

The March issue of the BBC History Magazine has finally arrived on Australian shelves.  As I had heard that  it contains extensive coverage of the new location of the Battle of Bosworth it was impatiently awaited.  So when I popped into my local newsagent the other day, the first thing that caught my eye was the picture of our man – Richard III – on the cover of the magazine.

The magazine shows the most important finds like the silver gilt boar badge, which might show the area where Richard fell, as well as others.  There is also a discussion about the use of guns in the battle and a description of how the actual location was found (with maps).

Other articles which caught my eye in the magazine is an evaluation by Leanda de Lisle (The Sisters Who Would Be Queen) of Jane Grey, where the author argues that it was her firm religious stance that sealed her fate.  Linda Porter examines the relationship between Henry VIII and his last wife, Katherine Parr.  And there are several articles covering the 16ooth anniversary of the end of Roman Britain in 410 AD.

This issue is certainly well worth buying and keeping.

Tags: Battles, Henry Tudor, Richard III

Julia reviewed The Final Act of Mr Shakespeare by Robert Winder.  This is a fascinating novel about William Shakespeare continuing his cycle of history plays by writing about Henry VII.  A book not to be missed.

You can find her review on our Bookshelf in the Medieval Library or just click  here.

Tags: Books, Henry Tudor, Shakespeare, Theatre

Not much on the face of it, that’s why an article mentioning both aroused my curiosity.  It’s on a blog called Conservative History Journal.  The blogger’s political convictions do not come into this article, so any Ricardian, irrespective of  your own political sympathies, can enjoy its message on King Richard III.

The blogger, who calls himself Tory Historian, tells us that he went a while ago to Leicester to visit an exhibition of German Expressionist works and also explored the city.  While we know that the city of York remembered with “great heaviness” “our good king Richard [who was] piteously slain and murdered”, we learn that King Richard III also enjoys a lot of loyal following in the city where his body was taken after the Battle of Bosworth.   We don’t know where the body ended up after the dissolution of the monasteries and it might have been “thrown into the ditch just outside [the city] in the charming way those Tudors behaved”.  Ricardians can surely share that sentiment towards the Tudors! Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Art, Bosworth, Henry Tudor, Richard III