The New South Wales Branch celebrated King Richard’s Birthday – as it is a Must Do every year – on Sunday, 7 October.  Yes, we know the previous Sunday was nearer to the anniversary his birthday in 1452 on 2 October, but our year’s programme planning has to take into account that the first Monday in October is a public holiday in NSW and the weekend is saturated with Grand Final festivities or wakes according to which football code your family follows.  (And we always assume proudly that a NSW side will be involved in every code.)

So last Sunday saw a fine turnout of Ricardians and friends at Arthur’s in Oxford Street Mall, Bondi Junction, a pleasantly comfortable restaurant that is easy to reach (even when City Rail decides Sunday is ideal for trackwork!), has an extensive and affordable menu, is licensed and has a delightful welcoming staff.

Everyone was presented with a white rose tied with ribbons of murrey and blue and it was no surprise that the conversation concentrated on the discovery at Leicester, its implications and the wholehearted thanks of us all to those who have worked so hard with such conviction and diligence.

There was talk of friends and relations who had or have scoliosis and survive actively and with not a glimmer of a hunchback.  There was also much wondering about where the internment of the bones should be should they be proved to be what we all hope.  There was even queries about possible dates so a couple of members could plan visits to the UK to coincide.  The “where” of course brought suggestions and, although we appreciate that Leicester will have a colossal claim thanks to the support of the City, the Cathedral and the University, there was much approval for York Minster a place Richard himself had allegedly requested and in a place that, on  hearing he had been “grievously slain and murdered”, pronounced it was “to the great heaviness of this city”.

Westminster Abbey was roundly negated despite that fact that Queen Anne lies there.  Several  members visiting in recent times have been saddened by the fact that it now seems more of a tourist attraction and commercial enterprise, and the wonderful sense of its place in history can only be appreciated without accompanying crowds.

One of the pleasures of the afternoon was in meeting a new member, Dianne Herbert, for the first time.  She has brought the programme of the RSC production at Stratford that she had attended earlier this year, featuring a great Richard who was suitably slimy and menacing, but who managed to do without the aid of limps, huge hunches and metallic aids to walking!  What pleased her most  – and us too – was the fact that the programme pointed out that Shakespeare actually got it wrong, and it had an excellent family tree and features giving useful facts about the man behind the myth.

The buzz of conversation was stilled when we were reminded of the reason we were all enjoying the company of friends.   We charged our glasses and raised them to the memory of King Richard III.

Loyaulte me lie.

Tags: NSW Branch, Richard III

Many Ricardians from the New South Wales Branch have been inundated inrecent weeks with cuttings from the UK press and guides to websites.  “ Did you know about this?” is a frequent question and we have kindly replied that “Yes, we did” and refrained from pointing out that even in the southern hemisphere we have internet access, over and above the constant stream of information provided by our contacts in the UK.

However, accompanying article titles on the lines of “we had a hunch it was Richard” only emphasised the opinion of the general public who until now have relied on Shakespeare and Sir Thomas as relaying the gospel truth.  So when you find a headline such as “Was Shakespeare right about the Killer King?” and “The Truth about the Bard’s hunchbacked despot” you can’t blame the sinking of the hearts of countless Ricardians.

Happily in this case we have nothing to fear:  In an article in the UK Daily Express dated 13 September  2012, Julie Carpenter kicks off by saying that Richard has always had a bad press and it is all Shakespeare’s fault and, because “ it is a cracker of a play, it is regularly performed”.  Then she does a swift recap of recent productions that revealed him as bleach-blond psychopath, slithery reptilian brute, and limping menace with a metal leg brace.

So she welcomes the news of the dig at Leicester that may shed more light on the real Richard – or at least make people think more carefully about the damning press he has suffered over the centuries.  She has great quotes from those involved who, by coincidence or deliberate care at their christenings by parents with foresight,  are named Richard.  They includeRichard Taylor of the University of Leicester whose archaeologists discovered the skeleton – “The search for King Richard III has taken a dramatic new turn”.

This is followed by a complimentary look at the Richard III Society, whose belief in the need for the King’s reputation to be rehabilitated, backed up by our Patron HRH Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester.  Then some great comments from Richard van Allen, the Society’s public relations officer who succinctly sums up the Tudor line of thought,  “Henry Tudor wasnot directly inline and killing a king was a fairly heinous crime  … TheTudors were always very aware that, if you like, they had stolen the throne.”  Hence the anti-Richard propaganda plans.

Richard van Allen also denies that Polydor Vergil’s description of Richard being “little of stature, deformed of body” has no foundation.  “From the age of about 14 he was an active soldier … He was the last warriorking and the lastking of England to lead histroops into battle.”

As for the Princes in the Tower:  “there are many theories but nothing can be proved academically,” says Richard van Allen.  “We don’t actually know what happened to them… Lots of people had a good reason to kill them.”  He also comments on Richard’s concern regarding the laws of the land and his beginning of overhauling them.  “He had the potential to be a very good king”.

He goes on, “Even if the newly unearthed bones are not his, we hope this discovery will attract more interest in Richard and have people asking `what was he like?’  It gives us a chance to say that we have lots of academics of medieval history who overturn the view that he was a villainous murderer.”

That said, it is such a shame that the main illustration for this article is of Kevin Spacey lurching villainously across the stage epitomising the ill-informed general opinion of the last Plantagenet king.  The portrait of Richard, the one with which all Ricardians are so familiar, is a small inset.  I longed to see that someone had selected a picture of the statue in Leicester’s Castle Gardens that shows Richard III as a splendid soldier and upright king.

Loyaulte me lie

PS Perhaps I am too harsh about Killer King and Hunchbacked Despot headlines! A career on countless magazines from high gloss fashion to celebrity gossip has seen me write similar headlines and intros to attract unsuspecting readers and draw their attention to the excellent informative main story.  Let’s hope it works here and introduces more people to the Man Behind the Myth.

Tags: Leicester, Leicester Greyfriars Dig, Richard III

We just received the sad news that Dr Lesley Boatwright passed away.

Phil Stone, Chairman of the Richard III Society, said on behalf of the Exceutive Committee:

It is with great sadness that we have to announce the passing of Dr Lesley Boatwright after a short illness.  She died in the early evening of the 4thOctober.

Lesley, also known by some as Lesley Wynne-Davies, will be greatly missed,both as a friend and as a Ricardian.

A full tribute to her will appear in due course in the Bulletin.

The Executive Committee

I had the pleasure of getting to know Lesley, when attending a Bulletin Committee Meeting this July, and found her to be very helpful and enthusiastic.  So it was very sad to learn that she had been taken ill and her passing not long after.

The Executive Committee had appointed her a Vice-President on Monday and we heard that she was pleased about this well-deserved recognition.

Our branch and the Society as whole have lost a good friend.

Tags: Richard III Society