Posts Tagged ‘Heraldry Australia’

This was the subject of the lecture organised by The Australian Heraldry Society on Friday evening, 14 September.  The Carmichael Room at the Sydney Mechanics School of Arts – opened to double length – was nicely crowded.  Pre-lecture talk among the Ricardians present buzzed with the news from Leicester of course but, as soon as speaker Robyn Boyer began to talk, we were deep in a world of colourful pageantry and display.  Robyn is a medieval history enthusiast, with degrees of Bachelor of Visual Arts and Bachelor of Arts with Honours in History, currently working towards in PhD in medieval political philosophy at the University of Queensland.  We were definitely in safe hands.

What a fascinating world was opened up.  The information given was accompanied by a wonderful selection of illustrations that included men’s armorial and heraldic garments such as part of the Black Prince’s armour displayed in Canterbury Cathedral near his tomb, and the picture of Edward III formally granting Aquitaine to his eldest son.  Women’s heraldic garments were mainly shown on funeral monuments and effigies and from illuminated manuscripts such as the Luttrell Psalter, as well as garments and textiles that are still in existence.  The quality, colour and detail of the latter was striking.

Chivalry and nobility were all-important in the tapestry of medieval courtly life – although the heraldic motifs, even complete heraldic arms on some costume illustrations are suspect.  A fallacy perhaps in contrast to the fashionable formality in most portraits.

The variety was enormous.  Splendid heraldic horse cloths glowing with colour and design, sideless surcoats that appeared on ceremonial occasions  indicating rank if not royalty.  Brass rubbings showed great design detail as well as a surprising flow of fabric.

Ricardians welcomed the familiar portrait of Queen Anne Neville, sumptuous in her coronation robes, and the interesting brass funeral effigy from 1485 of William Catesby and his wife, Margaret Scrope, at Ashby St Legers in Northamptonshire.

It was an inspiring evening that swept us all along in a world of brilliant colour and rich textures, showing the personalities who wore them from Alfonso, King of Spain to Margaret Ferrers, wife of the 4th Earl of Warwick, from Charles IV and his bride Marie de Luxemburg to Mary, Queen of Scots and Francis of Lorraine.

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21
May

WORTH HERALDING

   Posted by: Julia Redlich    in News, News from Other Organizations

Just a short reminder that it is not too late register interest if you want to attend the launch of Professor Stephanie Trigg’s book Shame and Honour: a Vulgar History of the Order of the Garter, organised by the Australian Heraldry Society.

The date is Friday, 8 June 2012; the venue: the Sydney Mechanics School of Arts, 280 Pitt Street, Sydney; the time: 5.45 for 6.30. Entry is by gold coin, there will be light refreshments beforehand – and there will be one of the Heraldry Society’s great raffles.

Those of us who attended the fascinating talk by Professor Stephanie Trigg on “Ladies of the Order of the Garter” a couple of years ago won’t want to miss this.

If you want to be there, please contact Stephen Szabo, Secretary of Australian Heraldry Society, by June 5. You can reach him by email: secretary@heraldryaustralia.org

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19
Oct

Medieval Traditions in Parliament

   Posted by: Julia Redlich    in News, News from Other Organizations

On Thursday, 13 October 2011, an impressive number of people arrived at the New South Wales Parliament House in Sydney, not to watch politicians at work from the Gallery, but to hear Professor Stephanie Trigg from Melbourne University speak on “The Traditional, the Quaint and the Medieval in Australian Parliamentary Practice”.

There could be no better place to hear Professor Trigg speak than the Parliamentary Theatrette and, warmly welcomed by the hosts, Heraldry Australia, and some delicious refreshments beforehand, we sat back to enjoy a talk delivered with knowledge, humour and expertise.

The illustrated talk invited us to explore the medieval component of parliamentary rituals, objects and traditions, together with the relationship between the medievalism of such objects and practiced and the tradition that remains in Australian parliamentary practice.

The medievalism of course is based on the Westminster parliamentary system, and we were engrossed by the various uniform requirements for officers such as Black Rod and Speakers – some of which have been modified for modern suitability, and the option major figures have now of wearing wigs.

Some marvellous examples of the all important mace were shown, and we enjoyed the description of a makeshift mace made from a plumbing pipe when the correct one had not been finished in time. Even more curious was its mount (a toilet float) and the handles formerly on old shaving mugs.  Creativity at work when needs must …

A highlight of the evening was surely the picture of the valued and almost unique copy of the English 1297 version of Magna Carta, bought for Australia from the Kings School in Somerset for £ 2,500 in 1957.

Explanations of various parliamentary roles were given – and apparently they weren’t all safe and sure appointments, considering the amount of Speakers of the English Parliament who were murdered or beheaded in the 14th and 15th centuries.

This was something followed up by Christopher Puplik, the former Senator for NSW (and publicity office for our Branch of the Richard III Society in the 1980s), when he rose to thank Professor Trigg for her presentation that was so informative and inspiring.  He told the audience that members of the Richard III Society can relate to the execution of Speakers, remembering William Catesby, beheaded by Henry Tudor immediately after the Battle of Bosworth.

It was a memorable evening, something that didn’t surprise those of us who attended Professor Triggs’ presentation of “Ladies of the Garter” a few years ago, and we look forward to her return to Sydney next year in connection with her book on the Order of the Garter.

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16
Feb

Invitation

   Posted by: Julia Redlich    in Meetings

We hope you will join us on Saturday, 15 May, for our one-day conference.  This promises to be a day with good companions, great speakers and a love of books, maps, heraldry and many things medieval.

We are sure you’ll find the speakers and the talks full of interest.  We are not only academic people in deep discussion over obscure points of history!  Naturally you’ll also learn very quickly why we are so enthusiastic about Richard III, his life and times.  Speakers on the theme of Books and Bookmakers include Maggie Patton from the State Library of NSW, Stephen Szabo of Heraldry Australia and historical novelist Felicity Pulman.  And there are more contributions from familiar faces from our branch.

Your registration fee of $30 includes a two course lunch and morning and afternoon tea – and there will be a super raffle and a sales table. Don’t miss out!

Registration forms and additional information are now available from info@richardiii-nsw.org.au.

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9
Nov

AN EVENING WITH HERALDRY AUSTRALIA

   Posted by: Barbara Page-Hanify    in Meetings, News from Other Organizations

 On October 23rd six Ricardians accepted the invitation of Heraldry Australia to hear Professor Stephanie Trigg of Melbourne University talk about eminent women who became members of the Order of the Garter.   It was an interesting subject covering the Order, its establishment, robes, and ladies past and presently companions of the Order, which is the premier honours system in the UK. Read the rest of this entry »

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4
Oct

Heraldry Australia Event

   Posted by: Julia Redlich    in News from Other Organizations

The good news is that Heraldry Australia have a very special lecture coming up – and Secretary Stephen Szabo assures us that Ricardians  are very welcome to attend.

The speaker is Professor Stephanie Trigg from Melbourne University and the subject is Ladies of Eminence Known to Us:  Women and the Order of the Garter.  The talk is illustrated and surveys the history of women’s involvement with the Order from its foundation in 1348 to the present.

The date is Friday, October 23, the place the Mitchell Theatre on the first floor of the Sydney Mechanics School of Arts  and  the time 5.30pm for a 6.15 pm start.

Entry is by gold coin donation, refreshments will be served beforehand and, of course, there’ll be one of Heraldry Australia’s special raffles.

If you want to attend, please contact us at info@richardiii.com.au or get in touch with Stephen Szabo at  secretary@heraldryaustralia.org.  As he needs to know the numbers by Monday, October 19, it would be appreciated if you could let us or him directly know that you are coming by that date.

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28
Jul

Heraldry Australia Event

   Posted by: Julia Redlich    in News from Other Organizations

The good news is that Heraldry Australia have a very special lecture coming up – and Secretary Stephen Szabo assures us that Ricardians  are very welcome to attend.

The speaker is Professor Stephanie Trigg from Melbourne University and the subject is “Ladies of Eminence Known to Us: Women and the Order of the Garter”. The talk is illustrated and surveys the history of women’s involvement with the Order from its foundation in 1348  to the present.

The date is Friday, October 23, the place the Mitchell Theatre on the first floor of the Sydney Mechanics School of Arts  and  the time 6.15pm – doors open at 5.30pm.

Entry is by gold coin donation, refreshments will be served beforehand and, of course, there’ll be one of Heraldry Australia’s special raffles.

If you want to attend, please contact secretary@richardiii-nsw.org.au or get in touch with Stephen Szabo secretary@heraldryaustralia.org. He needs to know the numbers by Monday October 19. We hear there will be a dinner afterwards, but details have yet to be finalised. We’ll keep you posted.

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