Ricardian Bulletin Is Produced by the Bulletin Editorial Committee, Printed by St Edmundsbury Press
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Ricardian Bulletin Autumn 2007 Contents 2 From the Chairman 3 Society News and Notices 9 Media Retrospective 12 Richard III’s Burial: The Saga Continues by Richard van Allen 14 The Summer Floods by Wendy Moorhen 15 Is Richard the inspiration for ‘You Know Who’? by Richard van Allen 16 News and Reviews 19 Living History: Order of the Boar by Callum Forbes 22 The Man Himself by Lesley Boatwright, Moira Habberjam and Peter Hammond 25 Northleach Parish Church by Gwen and Brian Waters 27 A Fifteenth-Century Football Hooligan by Lesley Boatwright 30 Further Adventures in Historical Research by Toni Mount 32 Sweden, Denmark and Norway - The Kalmar Union 1397-1521 by Lynda Pidgeon 34 Correspondence 38 The Barton Library 40 Book Review 41 Letter from Canada 43 Report on Society Events 49 Future Society Events 53 Branch and Group Contacts 55 Branches and Groups 62 New Members 63 Obituaries 64 Calendar Contributions Contributions are welcomed from all members. All contributions should be sent to the Technical Editor, Lynda Pidgeon. Bulletin Press Dates 15 January for spring issue; 15 April for summer issue; 15 July for autumn issue; 15 October for winter issue. Articles should be sent well in advance. Bulletin & Ricardian Back Numbers Back issues of the The Ricardian and Bulletin are available from Judith Ridley. If you are interested in obtaining any back numbers, please contact Mrs Ridley to establish whether she holds the issue(s) in which you are interested. For contact details see inside back cover of the Bulletin The Ricardian Bulletin is produced by the Bulletin Editorial Committee, Printed by St Edmundsbury Press. © Richard III Society, 2007 1 From the Chairman t would seem that no part of the world has managed to miss out on the publicity surrounding I the final Harry Potter book and fifth film that both appeared during July. In this issue, we have an article that makes a link between the series and Richard III. Read Richard van Allen’s piece entitled ‘Richard III and “You-Know-Who”’ to find out more. If there has to be a link, I would rather have hoped that J.K. Rowling had modelled Voldemort on a certain Cardinal Mor- ton! This is another issue with a wide selection of articles and reviews, showing the quality of our home grown writers and the range and depth of our activities. I particularly like ‘The Man Him- self’, in which Richard’s very poignant concern for the fallen of Towton, tells us so much about the real man and his recognition of loyalty and concern for others – something that the Tudor myth-makers were not able to erase from history, thank heaven. Our Annual Report can be found in the centre of this issue – it provides a concise account of our activities over the year 2006/2007, and also looks forward to some of the initiatives planned for the future. Having got our house well and truly in order, we can now plan for the longer term with more confidence. I hope members will recognise that we are now reaping the benefits of the reforms and changes made over recent years. However, the subscription increases made in 2001 and 2004 provided us with the income to maintain our existing services and activities, but they didn’t provide a working capital for investment in the future. In consequence, it’s inevitable that we will be seeking to increase subscription rates at this year’s Annual General Meeting. By tradition, the weather dominates conversations in the British Isles and this has certainly been the case recently. Serious flooding has hit many parts of the country and the picture of Tewkesbury Abbey sitting like an island will be difficult to forget. We have a report on how the floods have affected Ricardian sites and impacted on summer events associated with them, and we all send our sympathy to members who have suffered as a result of the floods. With this Bulletin, you will find Ricardian bookmarks designed by Geoffrey Wheeler. The idea is that you can leave them in library books, borrowed books or indeed anywhere else, in the hope that whoever picks them up next might be enticed to find out more about King Richard, and, maybe, even join the Society. Alternatively, you may want to keep them for your own use. Thanks to Geoff as always for his excellent work on this project. Looking ahead to next year, we are due for our triennial conference, the 10th, and, with its Princes in the Tower theme, the 2008 one looks set to be very popular. This is a subject that nev- er ceases to both fascinate and frustrate, no matter how often we talk about it. The conference aims for a comprehensive approach to the subject in the hope of shedding new light on the con- troversy. Book early to avoid disappointment. With some substantial business to cover concerning subscription rates and voting procedures, this year’s AGM is an especially important one. Please read the motions carefully and, if you are able to make the meeting, we look forward to hearing your views. We are back in London this year returning to the Staple Inn Hall, and if anyone is wondering why we are not at the Scientific Society’s Lecture Theatre, I am afraid it has fallen to the bulldozer, along with the rest of For- tress House. As far as we know, Staple Inn Hall stands firm and I look forward to meeting mem- bers there on 29 September. Phil Stone 2 Society News and Notices Richard III Society Members’ Day and Annual General Meeting Saturday 29 September 2007 As the heading states, Saturday 29 September is both the AGM and a day for members to get involved and will follow a similar pattern to recent London AGMs. Further to the official notification in the summer Bulletin, the start time for the Members’ Day has been changed from 12:00 to 11:30 and this time we will start proceedings with the lec- ture. We also have several motions to vote on: In accordance with the motion passed at the AGM in 2006 that the EC bring forward proposals to allow members not able to attend the AGM to vote on matters raised there, it is hereby proposed that: Motion 1 This AGM agrees that the Constitution of the Society be changed to allow postal voting for sub- stantive motions and for membership of the Executive. Motion 2 This AGM agrees to the following changes to the Constitution to allow postal voting. Article 10 (h) to become 10(i) and current 10(f), (g) (i), (j) and (k) be deleted and replaced by (f) Substantive motions for discussion at the AGM must be received by the Secretary on or before 15 April and shall be published in the Summer issue of the Bulletin, (see 12(d) below) together with a ballot paper to allow for postal voting. The motion must be proposed and seconded in writing. If desired a note in support by both proposer and seconder may accompany the motion. (g) Substantive motions published as above shall be discussed and voted on by a show of hands at the AGM. Postal votes on these motions must be received by 15 September to be valid. They shall be counted by a teller or tellers appointed by the EC, the results announced at the AGM and added to the votes at the AGM. (h) Emergency motions may be proposed after 15 April by the EC for debate at the AGM. If so decided by that meeting the motion may be published in the Winter issue of the Bulletin for vot- ing by post. (j) Nominations for membership of the EC, duly proposed and seconded in writing, must reach the Secretary on or before 15 April for them to be published in the Summer Bulletin together with a ballot paper. They shall be valid only if the person nominated has consented to the nomi- nation in writing, the consent also to be received by 15 April. (k) Nominations for membership of the EC shall be voted on at the AGM. Postal votes for mem- bership of the EC must be received by the Secretary by 15 September to be valid. They shall be counted by a teller or tellers appointed by the EC and the results announced and added to the votes at the AGM. (l) If 15 or fewer valid nominations have been received those so nominated shall be declared elected at the AGM. If fewer than 12 have been nominated the AGM shall be required to make additional nominations to bring the number up to 12. If the number of valid nominations so re- ceived exceeds the number of vacant places a ballot shall be held at the AGM between these nominees for the number of places vacant. This ballot shall be conducted by the outgoing Com- mittee in the customary manner. Article 12 to be altered to read 3 (d) The majority required to pass any substantive motion shall be two thirds of those voting. Article 16 to be changed to read A rule or rules of the Society may be proposed for change, or a new rule may be proposed for adoption, on the proposal of at least eight members of the Executive Committee or of eighty oth- er members by voting at a GM and by postal voting as for other substantive motions according to articles 10(f) and 12(d). Motion 3 That all references to the Committee in the Constitution shall read ‘Executive Committee (EC)’ Motion 4 That allowance be made to allow the Society accounts be audited by a qualified independent ex- aminer instead of by a chartered accountant.