Registered Charity No 1137522 BURGON NOTES - ISSUE No. 16 - SPRING, 2011 From the Chairman enthusiastic and supportive Patron since its It is with great pleasure that I early days. Through his good offices we have announce, on behalf of the Executive had the privilege of holding our Committee (Council), that Dr James Congregations in the elegant and historic Thomson will succeed Dr John Birch as surroundings of the Charterhouse. Dr President of The Burgon Society in October Thomson’s term as Master comes to an end 2011. The appointment is for a period of five in January 2012, so he feels that he will have years. By virtue of his the necessary time to devote to his new role. Office, Dr Thomson Reflecting on his ten years as will cease to be a Patron President, Dr Birch said “The greatest of the Society. pleasure has been in seeing the Society grow Dr Birch was from its small, but enthusiastic, beginnings first elected President in to its present status of one firmly established, 2001 for a term of five commendably erudite and with an ever- years and was re- growing world reputation.” Dr Thomson elected to serve said, “I am very moved by the a second term decision to invite me to become in 2006. your President. This is an honour Dr John Birch However, he that I accept with huge pleasure.” has The President presides at indicated that he felt that after ten Congregation and admits Fellows years it was appropriate to step in the name of the Society. He may aside. His service to the attend meetings of the Executive Society in its formative Committee and has the right of audience, years has been very but may not vote. important, though Dr Thomson will be installed as largely hidden. He has President at Congregation in October. The provided sage advice to Society will also honour Dr Birch for his a succession of long and distinguished service to the Society Chairmen and in a suitable manner at the same time. Members of Council. Colin Fleming More publicly, he has presided over almost all Burgon Society in Montréal, Canada the Society’s (The following is a report from Steve Dr James Thompson Congregations with a Wolgast - “Our man in America” - on his unique mixture of gravitas and flair. attendance at a symposium on academical Dr Thomson, currently the Master of dress in Montréal, Canada, in February this Sutton’s Hospital in the Charterhouse, is no year). stranger to the Society and has been an

1 The audience of nearly fifty came officers. “Fairly regularly the Registry is given largely from university staffs, but the greatest robes from the family of someone recently interest came from the handful of robemakers promoted to the Heavenly Common Room and who attended. have no idea what to do with them. Given what I travelled to Montréal in February in my I heard, I expect some very interesting quixotic goal of improving common correspondence in the coming weeks and understanding about the origins of academical months." dress. The audience were about a fifth of those Moving on to my at the North American Association of presentation, I supplied the Commencement Officers’ annual convention. crowd with centuries of My official co-presenters came from the historical examples of manufacturing side. Donna coloured gowns, backward Hodges, vice-president of Oak and forward hoods, and Hall in Salem, Virginia, spoke assorted caps. Nothing I for the largest US robemaker. mentioned would surprise Done by hand, the Representing Canada was Jeff readers of the Notes, but embroidered Concordia seal adorns the boots of Patterson, sales manager of D. some of the administrators the sleeves on the Milne Tailors in Montréal. who oversee collegiate cap & Chancellor’s robe, and also appears on the Vice My unofficial co- gown come to the topic fresh Chancellor’s robe. presenter was our Chairman, and may know little more Colin Fleming, who was visiting than the brief description of academical dress family in Québec and kindly printed in their commencement programmes. took time to help me prepare my In the US, the text is more fanciful than talk while we enjoyed meals accurate, suggesting that unheated medieval together. libraries called for long gowns to keep scholars The convention hall made for a warm— as if scholars were busman’s holiday as Colin and I visited several alone in spending the robemakers’ booths. “I left several batches of Middle Ages in unheated Burgon Society flyers,” Colin reports, “and workplaces. The text then almost as many business cards as I had with me breezes through centuries of at the various robe-makers' change to pick up with the stands.” His years of experience Inter-Collegiate Code in at wearing robes were evident 1895. when he donned the officers’ Americans in the audience outfits on display. seemed amazed to find out At D. Milne’s table, Colin that different styles of first tried on the Chancellor’s gowns and hoods populate robe of Concordia, in Montréal the world, and that variety (above and right). It’s trimmed Trying out the Concordia has been common far longer Vice Chancellor’s robe, in authentic ermine and includes Colin is aided by Jeff than the uniformity devised on the boots of its hanging Patterson of D. Milne by the Code in 1895. One of Tailors, which made the sleeves a hand-embroidered robe. my favourite moments was version of the university seal. showing them that with a The Vice-Chancellor’s robe of proper, full-shaped hood, the wearer can put the Concordia is trimmed in red and white and also cowl over the head while keeping the cape on has the embroidered seal. the back, a feat impossible with the Code’s We visited with other robemakers, who doctoral hood. put Colin, in his role as archivist, in touch with For the demonstration I had the pleasure a number of Canadian universities’ ceremonial of hooding Colin with a PhD from an American

2 university (red lining with a nodded their heads in recognition of the white chevron: it could creativity in dress, while Americans’ eyes were belong to any of twenty-two open wide at the absence of uniformity. He universities) and a DSc from related to the audience a conversation with London. He wore them with Donna about the difference in approaches. aplomb. Rare is the man She had asked him, “How could who, in the course of one Canadian universities permit so many different morning, is bestowed with styles to exist?” Jeff said that he had the same two doctorates and invested question in reverse. Canadians wonder, How with a chancellorship, but can Americans universities permit one Colin managed admirably. organization to authorize one kit for everyone? Canadians are familiar Different answers to the same question. with the range of hood As long as the question is being asked, and A green gown with sleeves lined reflect shapes, of course, but few someone is trying to answer it, academical the colours of the were aware of the early dress remains alive in North America. University of North Dakota, whose president history of Canadian Steve Wolgast wears this gown. Note the academic dress, which I fourth sleeve bar on each side, denoting the rank of relayed from Matthew Academical Dress on Monuments in President, and the non- Cheung Salisbury’s Oxford ICC sleeves. It was made dissertation and the by Oak Hall. th forthcoming dissertation of On Saturday, 16 July, there will be a chance to John Grant. explore stained glass, brasses and sculptural What may have surprised the group even monuments in Oxford depicting academical more were my examples of American dress. Provisional programme: academical dress having adopted colour before 12.30: meet for pub lunch; the Code struck them down. Columbia had a 14.00: visit to college chapels and city scarlet gown for doctors; Pennsylvania used churches led by Alex Kerr; faculty colours on its yokes (the rest of the 16.00: tea. gowns remained black) and did away with The event is free, but some colleges may charge hoods; Hampton-Sydney bachelors wore grey for entry. To receive final details and indicate gowns; and Princeton may have been the first that you hope to join the tour, please e-mail US university to use its corporate colours on a [email protected] gown: black with an orange stripe across the Alex Kerr yoke. (Details in TBS9.) Robes of Yesteryear in Durham When Donna spoke about American gowns, she made clear the Code’s permissive (A report from Giles Brightwell on a nature when she explained how she created discovery of long-redundant robes at Durham special gowns for university leaders. An University) unusual example is North Dakota’s presidential The University of Durham Archive has gown. An altered version of the Code’s recently acquired a set of hoods for the Durham doctoral gown, it has pointed sleeves similar to degrees in the faculties of Hygiene (BHy and a Cambridge doctor. The gown is dark green DHy) and Medicine (MB, BS, and MD); in with pink sleeve lining. It also has a fourth addition, the donation includes both the dress sleeve stripe, which is becoming a popular way and undress gowns for the DHy. This to adorn the gown of an American institution’s collection, donated by the Morrison family, highest-ranking officer. comprises the robes of the sometime Gateshead Jeff discussed Canada’s connection to Medical Officer of Health, Dr Thomas Britain, visible in its array of academical dress Morrison Clayton Sr (1870-1949), who shapes, colours, and decorations. Canadians graduated from Durham MB, BS (1894), BHy

3 (1901), MD, DHy (1905). As members will be Calendar); that is, in the Cambridge pattern aware, the universities of Cambridge and (with rounded corners) but with a shorter cowl Durham are unique in Britain in awarding when flourished. The pear-shaped cape that has separate hoods to bachelors of medicine (MB) become synonymous with the earlier and and bachelors of Surgery (ChB, BChir or BS). authentic Durham BCL/Doctors’ shape, was At Cambridge, separate hoods were introduced based on the Oxford doctors’ shape of the for MB and ChB as part of the Franklyn 1830s, which were one and the same according reforms to the system of academical dress in the to the early nineteenth-century Ackermann 1930s (Charles A. H. Franklyn, 1896-1982), prints of Oxford robes and the later templates where each degree was given a separate and of Durham hoods from Northam's workbook distinctive gown and hood; however, at the from the 1880s (illustration left). This shape Durham College of Medicine (based in was restored in time by Gray and Sons, who Newcastle) the degrees were routinely taken took over Sewells, and were appointed official separately during the nineteenth century—MB robemaker to the University from 1896. and MD were first awarded from 1860, the MS Both hoods are made in real silk: the MB from 1861 and BS from 1886—and distinctive and BS linings match the hoods were prescribed for each degree. It is considerably bluer linings of the earliest unfortunate that the separate hood for bachelors portraits of the Durham MA and DD. This MB of surgery has since fallen into disuse: when the hood is made in scarlet silk, fully lined with Newcastle division split away from Durham in palatinate purple silk and bound on the cape 1963 and became a university in its own right, alone with 1” white fur; in other words, this is it retained the Durham system of robes in the the DD hood but made in silk. The addition of faculties of medicine, hygiene and laws; rabbit fur, which by the middle of the however, those who graduate MB BS at nineteenth century was synonymous with the Newcastle are now simply prescribed the MB status of bachelors, suggests that MBs, while hood alone and it being accorded the courtesy title of ‘Doctor’ is not clear and permitted in consequence to wear a version exactly when of the doctoral hood, were still only given the this practice status of bachelors in real terms. The BS hood began. is similar to the MB except that it is rose silk This makes the lined with palatinate purple silk and bound on Medical hoods the cape alone with 1” white fur. Dr Clayton’s (MB and BS) BS hood, far from being made using the rather donated to the sickly, light shade of salmon pink currently in University of use at Newcastle for bachelors of Dental Durham Archive Surgery (BDS), is made in a rich shade of all the more Medici crimson and, consequently, very close interesting given to the crimson used for the Trinity College that the BS is Dublin MusD. Both MB and BS hoods are William Northam’s Workbook (London: now something c.1880; private collection): reproduced made in generous proportions. of a rarity. The with permission. In addition to the MB and BS hoods, there is MB and BS also an MD hood in the Clayton collection, hoods are said to be c.1894 and therefore it is from c.1905. The MD hood, thought to have likely they were made by the Durham been made by Grays in rich scarlet cloth lined robemaker, William Sewell. Both hoods are with heavy, ribbed cassimere silk, is part-lined made with London shaped capes, (as was to the edge of the cowl with 3” of a light Sewell’s wont for all Durham full-shaped shade of palatinate purple. The scarlet hoods and which may be seen from the various cassimere cloth is in good condition, advertisements in the University of Durham

4 considering its age, and is only threadbare in a between 1891 and 1901. The palatinate purple handful of places. dye, which appears to have been unstable, has Perhaps the most interesting aspect of faded and resembles a brown water-marked the Clayton collection is the academic dress for white. The stitching, however, has not similarly what Charles Franklyn described as the ‘queer faded; rather, it is a deep shade of palatinate degrees’ of BHy and DHy. (How fitting that purple. Dr Clayton’s Franklin’s alma mater, the University of DHy dress robe (ref: London, now awards the modern equivalent of UND/CZ A15) is DHy in the form of its professional doctorate in identical to the DHy Public Health: DPH!) Both the BHy (awarded portrait (right) in the between 1891 and 1952) and the DHy (awarded collection of Durham from 1895) were degrees unique to the Durham doctoral robes painted College of Medicine. The BHy hood needs by local Durham artist Ralph Hedley, The Revd Alfred Plummer DD commissioned by Gray Copyright: Mr & Mrs A. L. Myers Dunelm (1841- and Sons and 1926) submitted for approval DURUC 703 from to the University of David A. Cross: ‘The Durham in 1904. Once Paintings in Durham Castle: A Catalogue’ again, heavy, ribbed scarlet cassimere silk has (June, 2001: been used and the palatinate purple is bluish unpublished thesis, University of Durham), hue similar to the DD illustration (left). The p. 39f. The Revd Alfred sleeves are lined from the bottom with one third Plummer DD (1841- 1926) was the fourth palatinate purple and white silk (3” palatinate Master of University purple and 1” white silk) and a little over two- College, Durham between 1874 and thirds (8.5”) scarlet cassimere silk. The facings 1902. Signed and dated comprise 2” palatinate purple on the outer edge, 1912 by Ralph Hedley some clarification not least which widens to 4” next to which is 1” white (1848-1913), the portrait is oil on because the descriptions in silk, next to which is 2” scarlet cassimere silk. canvas, 50.75” by 39”. Shaw 1, Shaw 2 and Hugh The yoke is 5.5” in depth and there is no cord Plummer, who was BA Exeter Coll. Oxon 1863 Smith’s Academic Dress or button. The DHy hood (ref: UND/CZ A15) and MA Trinity Coll. and Insignia of the World is similar to the MD hood except that 1” white Oxon 1866, where he was a fellow between have consistently been silk separates the scarlet cassimere silk from the 1865 and 1875, was misinterpreted. Dr Clayton’s palatinate purple lining. made DD Dunelm honoris causa in 1882. BHy hood (ref: UND/CZ The rubric in the University of Durham The colour of A13) is full (BCL) shape, Calendars, which is vague, refers to the use of palatinate purple in this black corded silk with the a gimp gown for the medical and hygiene portrait is identical to the 1874 painting by cowl alone bound with 1” undress gowns. In fact, the MD, DCh, and DHy Lowes Cato Dickinson white fur; the cape is undress gowns were identical to Hugh Smith’s (1819-1908) of The Revd Joseph Waite MA unbound. The cowl is then illustration (but omitted from Shaw 1 and Shaw DD Dunelm, who is faced on the inside with 3” 2) and are unique to Durham. The Oxford gimp depicted wearing his MA robes. palatinate purple next to the gown was not used for these degrees. fur and 1” scarlet ribbon Dr Clayton’s undress gown (ref: next to the palatinate purple. Dr Clayton’s hood UND/CZ A10), which is said to date from appears to have been made using the Sewell’s c.1905, is modelled on the Cambridge MD (i.e. London) shape cape. It is possible that undress gown: that is, a black lay gown but with Grays were using Sewells’ stock at this stage, a fully-gathered bridge yoke beneath the flap given that the BHy was rarely awarded—an collar. The flap-collar has the corners cut at 45 average of just over two BHy graduates a year degrees. Greek key-pattern velvet braid (rather

5 than lace) is used in the traditional manner: master’s and doctoral across the bottom of the sleeves, round the hoods, this is the first of its armhole and up to the shoulder, on the flap kind I have made. This one collar and on the facings [See Hugh Smith: had to sit completely flat Academic Dress and Insignia of the World when worn so that the cross (Cape Town: A. A. Balkema, 1970), p. 697]. was vertical. It took time to There are also shoulder wings. Identical make a mock-up of the undress gowns were used for MD, DCh and pattern, with the anterior DHy, the only difference being that they were side extended to form a made respectively in silk (MD and DCh) and curve at the bottom. Rather Russell cord (DHy). than the crescent at the The collection is important for three bottom of this simple- reasons: first, it finally clarifies the shaped hood simply being arrangement of colours in the BHy hood; a crescent, it had to extend secondly, it confirms the pattern for the unique so that the front seam of the undress gown for the DHy and MD degrees crescent was vertical when awarded by Durham, as illustrated in Hugh laid flat (above). Smith Academic Dress and Insignia of the The lining was divided horizontally, but World but, perhaps most significantly of all, it had to be placed so that, when the hood was adds grist to the mill in helping to determine worn, the division would what the original colour of palatinate purple appear fully horizontal - was. For further information see G. W. E. when laid flat, this division Brightwell: Academic Dress of the University slopes slightly up at the of Durham (Durham: University of Durham, posterior side (the gold forthcoming). portion of the lining turned out on the posterior side is Giles Brightwell visible at the bottom of the turning, above and right). Responding to Requests (continued from The cross is four Issue 15) separate pieces of white Readers will recall in the artsilk: two vertical, 2.5” previous Issue of Burgon Notes wide when finished; two my write-up on the request from horizontal 4” wide. The the Archdeacon of Quebec, illustration (right) shows Canada, about a Master of the two vertical and two Theology hood for a graduate of horizontal pieces of the cross as they look on the each side of the lining. University The hood is bound with red velvet for of Geneva. I prepared the theology, 3” wide for a master’s degree illustration showing how represented in the ICC. it would look according Kenneth Crawford - Ed. to the ICC and, to my delight, the Archdeacon commissioned me to Burgon Notes Issue 17 - Summer 2011 make the hood (right). Please contribute something to the next issue of This hood proved Burgon Notes. Email articles to the editor at quite difficult! Whilst I [email protected] preferably in .pdf am well experienced in format. The deadline for the next issue is the making of ICC Friday, 1st July.

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