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.)

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.

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.

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.

The following statement was issued by the Executive Committee of the Richard III Society via Facebook earlier today.

It is with sadness that we announce the passing today (18th May 2018) of Dr John Ashdown-Hill. A prolific and popular author, John played an important, not to say critical, role in the Looking for Richard Project. It was he who tracked down Mike Ibsen, one of the two whose DNA helped to confirm that the remains in the car park were actually those of King Richard. When we first learnt of John’s illness, one could only wonder how long he had before he succumbed, Motor Neurone Disease coming in various forms, some worse than others. For John, his passing was probably a blessing though he will be much missed by his friends and members of the Society. Our thoughts and prayers go with them all at this time. The news comes too late for the June issue of the Ricardian Bulletin but there will be a full tribute in the September issue.

Executive Committee

Last Sunday, 29 April 2018, another trial was convened to establish whether Richard III was guilty of ordering the death of his two nephews in the Tower, as well as the death of his brother George, duke of Clarence.  This was a special fundraising event produced by the Shakespeare Schools Foundation.  It was the fourth of its kind, similar trials were staged before:  Romeo for the murder of Tybalt, Macbeth, and Hamlet for the murder of Polonius.

The idea of these productions is to bring together well-known actors and young people to perform in a one night only theatrical production.  In this trial, children from three London schools acted out scenes to form evidence, supported by actors Tony Gardner (Clarence), Kae Alexander (Lady Anne),  and David Oakes (Duke of Buckingham).

Add to this legal professionals as judge (Lady Justice Hallett), as well as for the prosecution (Ian Winter QC and Jonathan Laidlaw QC) and the defence (John Kelsey-Fry QC and Sallie Bennett-Jenkins QC).  The jury was the audience, with comedian Hugh Dennis as the foreman, which was to decide whether Richard was guilty or not.

You may remember that Lady Justice Hallett had also presided over the judicial review hearings in 2014.  There the question was the legality of the exhumation licence granted by the Secretary of State before remains, which eventually were identified as Richard’s, were dug up in Leicester in 2012.  The result of this earlier court case ultimately decided that Richard was reburied in Leicester Cathedral in March 2015.  As all of us, who were in the city at the time, will agree, this was a very moving and memorable event, carried out with all the respect we could have wished for.

In Sunday’s performance, the storyline was told that Richard had been arrested at Bosworth in 1485 before being killed by Henry Tudor’s forces.  In the trial, two freelance assassins gave evidence that they had been hired by a middleman to kill the nephews, but could not state definitely whether the orders originally came from the king.

Richard’s queen, Anne, traditionally portrayed as rather mild and innocent, here came across as ambitious, who shifted her allegiance to whoever was in power.  Richard explained that he didn’t need to eliminate the princes, as they had been declared illegitimate by an Act of Parliament.  Neither did he need to kill his brother, who drowned in a butt of Malmsey.

Against all these arguments brought forward by the defence, the prosecution could only argue that he was a “deformed hunchback” and “nature is repulsed by him”.  This clearly did not seem to be sufficient for the jury, which found the king ‘Not Guilty”.

Further reading:

‘Trial of Richard III on 29 April 2018’, Shakespeare Schools Foundation.  URL:  https://www.shakespeareschools.org/support-us/trial [last accessed 1 May 2018]

Bowcott, O., ‘My naked villany: top judge to preside over West End trial of Richard III’, The Guardian (21 April 2018).  URL:  https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/apr/20/judge-trial-of-richard-iii-play-lady-justice-hallett [last accessed 1 May 2018]

Sanderson, D., ‘Richard III cleared of murder (on a hunch)’, The Times (30 April 2018).  URL:  https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/richard-iii-cleared-of-murder-on-a-hunch-xtkhlr5qn [last accessed 1 May 2018]

‘Trial of Shakespeare’s Richard III – King Not Guilty’, The Richard III Society (29 April 2018).  URL:  http://www.richardiii.net/whats_new.php#ytrial [last accessed 1 May 2018)

Information on the Judicial Review: 

Cranmer, F., ‘Richard III reburial: judicial review application fails’, Law & Religion UK (23 May 2014).  URL:  http://www.lawandreligionuk.com/2014/05/23/richard-iii-reburial-judicial-review-application-fails/ [last accessed 1 May 2018]

Review of the Australasian Ricardians’ Convention in Perth, WA,

October 2017

Sunshine, spring flowers and the Swan River before us augured well for the biennial convention of the Australasian Branches of the Richard III Society in October 2017, this time hosted by the Western Australia Branch at the Intercontinental Hotel on the Water, Ascot.

The Swan River near the convention venue

The usual suspects from New Zealand, Victoria and New South Wales gathered on Friday 13th – lucky for all of us! – for a meet and greet evening, chatting with new friends and catching up with old ones. And all of us marvelling at the beautifully decorated folders filled with information and goodies presented to all delegates.

Saturday morning meant an early start, some first aid for equipment, and more welcoming words from WA chairman Terry Johnson before Mark Porter from Queensland presented an extract from his memorable four-part programme “The Search for Richard III: One Man’s Journey”. This was followed by a comprehensive survey of Thomas St Leger and his family (Jenny Gee, WA).

After a morning tea break, we learned about the foundation and purpose of William and Alice de la Pole’s God’s House at Ewelme (Dorothea Preis, NSW). The charm and serenity from her photos placed this on many “must see” lists for UK visits. Anne Maslin (Vic) followed with a report on Chancellor Russell’s draft speech to the Parliament that never sat in 1483 before a coronation of a king that never was (Edward V). A copy should probably be essential reading for present and potential politicians! Louise Carson (WA) gave a summary of the Popes during Richard’s lifetime that was enlightening and occasionally alarming. Who could have realised there were so many of them?

A light lunch in the spectacular Watermark restaurant was followed by a slightly re-adjusted programme after a presenter was held up by business commitments. The Loving Brother? was a subject considered by Carole Carson (WA), and we then had a brilliant introduction to Medieval Heraldry to inspire us in identifying all those colours and designs and their significance. The nine Dukes of Gloucester were presented by Julia Redlich (NSW) as mere historical footnotes (with two notable exceptions!) but whose mismarriages and too early deaths brought unexpected changes to history.

Denise Rawling (NSW) and the banner

Afternoon tea (more delicious scones, jam, cream and pastries) was followed by a skilful presentation by Helen Portus and Denise Rawling (NSW) on “A New Kingdom: Richard and the Digital Age” that showed how recent events have changed the way the public can change their attitude to him. Entertaining and enlightening.

Two hours after this session ended we met for pre-dinner drinks before a banquet that was a splendid affair, the majority of delegates in medieval costume. We were entertained by a lively and seemingly inexhaustible Jester, but naturally, the highlights were the traditional toasts that included Her Majesty the Queen of Australia and New Zealand, The Richard III Society, our patron, HRH Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester and King Richard III.
Our final day began with the results of the two quizzes included in the delegate folders. These had been assessed overnight but only the winners were announced. Many longed to know the answers to know where they failed dismally! Maybe we’ll learn in a future WA newsletter…

Raffle winning tickets were drawn to win the fantastic supply of prizes, and certificates of appreciated handed to the various presenters.

The Victoria Branch then took centre stage with a brilliant performance of The Battle of Towton. Michael Iliffe’s inspired idea (with a little help from his friends) followed the progress of this pivotal battle in the Cousins’ War in modern mode – with switches from newsrooms in media headquarters to reporters on the ground and viewing the progress of the Yorkists through the snow from a helicopter. Maps, photos and music added to the two-part presentation that was warmly applauded.

The present author (NSW) and Rob Smith, Vice President of the Richard III Society (NZ) at the convention banquet

A suitable follow-up was a final talk on medieval fighting and battlefield medical assistance given by Terry Johnson before he handed over to Australasian Vice President Rob Smith for Business and time to cover continuing financial and relevant matters with the Executive Committee in the UK. He also congratulated the Western Australia Branch of hosting such a memorable few days for us all, and thanked the Victoria Branch for offering to hold the next Convention in 2019.

A last lunch before a few delegates made reluctant farewells while others spent a restful or exploratory afternoon before meeting for an informal dinner in the evening. As always, it had been a memorable time for us all linked by our loyalty to the last Plantagenet king that has made us friends with so many others around the world

Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure to attend the Australasian Convention of the Richard III Society in Perth, WA.  I think I can speak for all who attended when I say that we had a great time.  Our thanks go to the WA Branch for hosting this convention.  I am sure we will be able to post a more detailed review of this wonderful weekend here shortly.

Richard III’s banner was flying at the Convention

For me personally, the highlight was Mark Porter’s talk about making the video “Searching for Richard III – One Man’s Journey”.  He gave us the tantalising hint that we would have to watch the video to find out why he thinks that Richard III was innocent of being involved in the death of his nephews, the two sons of Edward IV.  However, there is much more to the video.  For those of us, who have been to the places shown, seeing the sights and events of Ricardian significance will bring back many happy memories.  And for those who haven’t visited them (yet), they give a much better understanding than any book can.

You can watch the video in four parts on YouTube:

Episode 1:  “Bosworth” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgMVLxiG_1s

Episode 2:  “Leicester” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAeAW3Til2I

Episode 3:  “York” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9GySRYEipU

Episode 4:  “The Man” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTA0W2l1RJs

At the convention, Mark also talked in quite a bit of detail about the significance of Richard owning a Wycliffe Bible, which I found especially interesting.  I would have liked to find out more about this topic, but I suppose it is something which can be looked at more extensively in future.

Watching the video was definitely a pleasure, a pleasure of remembering good times.

We are looking forward to seeing many of you at our next general meeting on 12 August. Our speaker will be HSC student, and Society member, Christopher, who will be presenting his research on Richard III, entitled “The Changing Perceptions of Richard III over Time.”

We will also have a ‘Bring and Buy’ table to pass on Ricardian related books, memorabilia and other interesting items. Please be sure to take home what does not sell, as we have no storage space onsite.

There will also be a Scrabble letter draw by those members willing to prepare and give a presentation on an apt topic at the first meeting of 2018.

As per usual, the meeting will be held at the Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts, 280 Pitt Street, CBD, at 2 pm.