Annual General Meeting of the NSW Branch

Saturday 10 October 2015  –  2:00 PM

The NSW Branch Annual General Meeting will be held on Saturday, 10 October 2015, at the Sydney Mechanics Institute. Please plan to attend this meeting, to help elect the new committee for 2015. If you have any items for the agenda or wish to stand for the committee, please contact branch secretary Rachel.

Chris Puplick speaking at the 2013 Australasian Convention of the Richard III Society

Our featured speaker will be Mr Christopher Puplick AM, a long-time member of the NSW branch. Chris served as the Liberal Senator for New South Wales in the Commonwealth Parliament from 1978-1981 and 19841990, and was Shadow Minister for the Environment, Arts and Heritage from 1987 to 1990. He also served as the President of the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board and was the State’s first Privacy Commissioner.  In 2001, he was appointed a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia, for contributions to Australian politics and public policy, particularly in relation to human rights and social justice. He is the author of five books and over ninety other publications and broadcasts. His topic will be “The Garter Knights of Richard III”.

Please note:

Membership renewals are due.  If renewing by post please ensure that they are received no later than Friday 9 October, 2015, or made in person at the AGM on Saturday, 10 October, 2015.

Even if you are not renewing your membership for 2016, it is requested that you inform the Secretary or Treasurer in writing, as a courtesy.

Tags: NSW Branch, Order of the Garter, Richard III

No, this is not what you think, simply a phrase in the title of Professor Stephanie Trigg’s latest book that was launched in the Mitchell Theatre of the Sydney Mechanics School of Arts on Friday, 8 June 2012.

Several New South Wales Ricardians attended and enjoyed an erudite and enjoyable evening. Opening the proceedings Dr Paul Giles, Challis Professor of English at Sydney University, introduced Shame and Honour: A Vulgar History of the Order of the Garter, and  had the honour and pleasure of launching the book. The author, Professor Trigg FAHA, of the University of Melbourne, followed with an explanation of the long research that resulted in this book accompanied by a continuous presentation of illustrations of Garter history from the legendary beginning through to the Duke of Cambridge looking rather sheepish in his robes and watched by his amused brother.

The book follows the cultural history of the Order from its founding in the mid-14th century through the variety of politics and fashion, and the attitudes regarding its importance. There has always been a lot of pride as well as embarrassment over the alleged story of its founding – the whole business of a lady’s dropped garter – as well as all the gloriously robed  rituals that go with it. However to quote the Order’s motto honi soit  qui mal y pense, as a so-called vulgar history, the book reflects on a wish to consider the sexual background of such an august Order and  introduces the idea that this could be one of the reasons for the Order’s long life as one of today’s  most select and covetable honours that still retains its connection to its medieval past.

Cleverly conceived and written with a pleasing dash of humour, it will hold the attention of history lovers whatever period in time is their special  interest.

Shame and Honour: A Vulgar History of the Order of the Garter, by Professor Stephanie Triff, FAHA. Published by the University of Pennsylvania Press, rrp AU$49.

The cover of the book, designed by John Hubbard, is Rex Whistler’s “His Royal Highness the Prince Regent Awakening the Spirit of Brighton”. © The Royal Pavilion, Libraries & Museums, Brighton and Hove, United Kingdom.

Tags: Books, Order of the Garter

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

Tags: Heraldry Australia, Order of the Garter

 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 »

Tags: Heraldry Australia, Order of the Garter

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.

Tags: Heraldry Australia, Order of the Garter