Registered Charity No 1137522 BURGON NOTES - ISSUE No. 14 - AUTUMN 2010 FROM THE CHAIRMAN - A GRAND DAY AT CHARTERHOUSE I must first reiterate what I said in person to There was a buzz in the air on Saturday, 9th those who attended the Congregation in October: that I October, as a large number of Society members and thank the Fellows of the Society for their confidence in their guests descended on The Charterhouse in London electing me as Chairman of the Burgon Society; and to for our Tenth Anniversary celebrations. say to all members that I will always seek to act in the I arrived early and found Colin Fleming, our best interests of our Society. new Chairman, whizzing around like a wasp in a bottle, The Tenth Anniversary party, combining trying valiantly to complete the “petting enclosure” and AGM, garden party, exhibition and Congregation, held set up robes on the mannequins in the ante-chapel at the Charterhouse on 9th October 2010, was a before 1130. Together we navigated Charterhouse’s resounding success. Over 150 people attended all or rabbit warren of corridors and staircases, collecting some of the event; the Society’s Collection was on boxes of hoods, more robes, and hauling them show, and some items were even being worn by downstairs. I set up the hood tables whilst Colin kept members and guests. running ... The highpoints were the admission of four One of the best aspects of the arrival was the Fellows by submission, one honoris causa, and one de chance Council members had to meet the many juri dignitatis; and the induction of two Patrons. The members and guests. In past years, the Council have presentations by Jerónimo Hernández de Castro and held a meeting prior to members’ arrival and that has Jonathan Cooper highlighted the importance meant some degree of of scholarship for the Society. The day was mental tiredness before a colourful event and I thank all members the day even began. The of the Society, and especially my fellow atmosphere was warm Trustees, for their hard work in making it and friendly, with many a success. members and their We look forward to two new guests greeting each publications that should be available before other as if it hadn’t been Stephen Wolgast the end of the year and which will make a year since they last met. suitable presents for Hanukkah, Christmas or People robed, looked at the displays the Winter Solstice: a new edition of Nicholas Groves’ together, then took their seats in the Key to the Identification of Academic Hoods of the great hall for the Annual General British Isles and a major work (also edited by Nick), Meeting. Shaw’s Academical Dress of Great Britain and Ireland We were delighted to have (Third Edition). people from abroad! Stephen The grant of Charity Status to the Society in Wolgast (above), Council member August 2010 was mentioned frequently in from the USA, was present with his presentations during the AGM and the Congregation. wife, Robin; Professeur Yves Mausen (left) came from the A priority for the Trustees when the newly-constituted Prof Yves Mausen Council meets for the first time will be to examine the University of opportunities that being a Charity offers and what we Montpellier, France; Sgr Jerónimo must do to take full advantage of Hernández de Castro (right), Head of those opportunities as well as Protocol at the University of complying with the legal obligations Salamanca, came from Spain. as efficiently as possible. We were very pleased to I look forward to serving the hear at the AGM a report on the Society as Chairman and hope to see distribution of the various Sgr de Castro as many of you as possible at events publications, a highlight of which in the future. was the news that the Society of Antiquaries “required” a copy of each of the Transactions in their library. This Colin Fleming confirms the standard at which the Society is To buy Ede & Ravenscroft’s photos of 9.10.10, go to: http://www.everybodysmile.biz/edeandravenscroft/socev/index.html functioning, the quality of our presentation and the esteem history throughout Scotland. His able and very attractive in which we are held. assistant, Regan Leahy, modelled the scarlet gown and Following the AGM, members dressed in their showed, as Jonathan spoke, the various best and enjoyed time simply admiring each other’s dress, ways students wore the gown to show which year they were in: completely off the shoulders indicated final-year status. After the Congregation, Dr James Thompson, Patron of the Society and Master of Charterhouse, offered his usual, highly informative tour of the Regan Leahy, in House and many members listened scarlet gown intently. The day concluded at 1630 - but had the usual attendees frequenting the Fox & Anchor until well after 1800 (I know, I was there!). This Tenth Anniversary celebration raised new enthusiasm for the Society, renewed interest amongst Council for what they might offer for members in 2011, and anticipation of the release of “Shaw III”, the 4th Edition of Nicholas Groves’ Hood Key and the release of L-R: The Revd Philip Goff, retiring member of the Council, Professeur Yves Transactions Volume 9. Mausen of the University of Montpellier, France, and The Rt Revd Graeme Many thanks to everyone who worked so hard to Knowles, Dean of St Paul’s, London. Adjusting his camera is Nicholas ensure such a wonderful day, and to everyone who came Gledhill, FBS. to make it such a happy celebration. drinking their glasses of bubbly, walking outside, Finally, sincere and heartfelt thanks to Dr William conversing about anything and everything - and smiling Gibson, retiring Chairman, for the years of excellent constantly throughout the morning. Perhaps the most service he has given to the Society in this capacity. telling revelation of the day was the general good spirit Kenneth Crawford, Ed. and laughter from everyone. Members were enjoying themselves in a way that hasn’t always been evident; it showed a Society integrated and happy, with members delighted that we’d achieved ten years with such success. The Congregation at 1400 saw the largest attendance for some years. We installed and welcomed our two new patrons: The Rt Revd Graeme Knowles, Dean of St Paul’s, London, and Professor Graham Zelleck. The Dean was conferred with the Felowship (de Jure Dignitatis), Professor Zelleck having been conferred with the Fellowship some years before. The Revd Philip Goff made delightful presentations of both new patrons, offering warm anecdotes in both cases. Other recipients of the Fellowship were Jonathan The new Patrons leaving the Great Hall following Cooper, Dr Les Robarts and Professeur Yves Mausen. Congregation. L-R: The President, Dr John Birch; The Professeur Mausen was conferred Honoris Causa. Two Rt Revd Graeme Knowles; Professor Graham Zelleck. Fellows were conferred in absentia: Robert Armagost and David Boven, both of the USA. The addresses for the day were two-fold: Jerónimo Hernández de Castro presented a very fine paper on the development of academical dress in Spanish universities (the full text is printed later in this edition). In spite of his apology for his broken English, he came across extremely well. The second address was from Jonathan Cooper, FBS, who read in his submission for the Fellowship on the Scarlet Gown and its History in Scottish Universities, with particular reference to St Andrews, including a Founding Members: L-R (Back): Giles Brightwell; Bruce Jonathan Cooper Christianson; John Horton; Peter Durant. L-R (Front): most interesting hand-out on the gown’s Stephen James; Philip Goff; Nicholas Groves. 2 The following article appeared in the New York Times, mater. The individual approaches to academic dress were which holds the copyright: seen in America as a weakness: without knowing each university's rules, no one could tell who studied what where. In the 1890s a Princeton trustee, John McCook, Sunday, October 17, 2010 began a push for reform, which resulted in a meeting of university leaders at Columbia University in 1894. They ACADEMICAL DRESS set national standards that largely remain in effect today. By Stephen Wolgast Their plan, the Inter-Collegiate Code of Academic Caps and gowns, the fancy dress of graduation Costume, is based on Columbia's academic dress statute of day, had their start in medieval Europe. When the 1887. Americas were colonized by Great Britain, old world The code borrowed the University of Oxford's fashion migrated to the new, where black gowns were shapes for bachelors' and masters' gowns and hoods. The worn first by students at Princeton. Students at Columbia doctoral gown, which today resembles the bachelor's and Yale followed suit, wearing gowns before the gown but with broader sleeves, has the same velvet American Revolution. decorations as the Columbia doctor and master of 1887. The European tradition of academic dress began The velvet can be black or one of 26 colours to denote the when the everyday style was long, closed gowns. field of study. Scholars, who were clergy in minor orders, wore the same In the U.S. system, hoods are meant to show the thing. Their gowns were typically black or brown. graduate's degree, specialty and alma mater. A detailed By the time the University of Cambridge was explanation is available from the founded in the early thirteenth century, graduates who American Council on Education. held doctorates in law and music were permitted to wear The code was approved to less sombre shades. While colourful, these gowns in regulate the look of gowns, hoods scarlet, purple and red weren't as vivid as their modern and caps, but it had early defections.