Registered Charity No 1137522

BURGON NOTES - ISSUE No. 30 - Winter, 2014

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The Queen’s Chapel of the SavoyBurgon Society Congregation, 2014

FROM THE CHAIRMAN -The Society’s Annual General

Meeting and Congregation seems a distantmemory as I write this, but it was only sixweeks ago. The Chaplain and Steward of theQueen’s Chapel of the Savoy made us mostwelcome, and members and friends enjoyedexploring the new surroundings. The newvenue made for a refreshing changealthough the inclement weather meant thatwe could not utilise the garden on SavoyHill. We had a healthy turn-out, just shy of50, including some new or, in one case,renewed members. The reports presented tothe AGM are included with this mailing.

I am pleased that the Fellows electeda full complement of Trustees to theExecutive Committee/Council. Wewelcomed back Drs Susan North andRichard Baker and, for the first time, Dr LesRobarts. I look forward to working with allof my colleagues in the year ahead. TheSociety’s Executive Officers for 2014/15remain Alex Kerr (Registrar), Ian Johnson(Treasurer) and Colin Fleming (Chairman).

At Congregation we admittedSeamus Hargrave as a Fellow – the secondundergraduate to achieve this distinction –for his dissertation ‘The Development of theCap’.

After Congregation, Bishop GraemeKnowles, one of our Patrons, led us throughthe history of the Church of England’sCanons on the use of hoods in Choir Dress:from the Canon XXV (1604) in whichcertain clergy are admonished to “wear withtheir Surplices such Hoods as are agreeableto their Degrees” at Divine Service, throughto the current, somewhat muddled, CanonB8 (4) “At Morning and Evening Prayer onSundays the minister shall normally wear asurplice or alb with scarf or stole.” Withevident good humour, Bishop Knowlesexplained why it is that today manyAnglican clergy simply do not recognise

what the phrase ‘Choir Dress’ means andimplies they should wear.

The new Committee met in earlyNovember. This meeting is always a busyone as it is where we confirm much of theplanning for the subsequent 12 months.One of the more interesting developments isthat, through one of our members, we havesecured a presence at the Association ofUniversity Administrators’ SpringConference at Nottingham Trent Universityin April 2015. This will enable us to bringthe work and experience of the Societydirectly to the attention of those most ofteninvolved in arranging degree ceremonies.

Other dates for your diary are theSpring Conference on 9 May 2015 inLondon and the AGM and Congregation on10 October 2015. Arrangements are well inhand for a visit to Durham University in lateMarch 2015. We also hope to host a gardenparty, but need a venue (see elsewhere inthis issue).

Colin Fleming

FROM THE ARCHIVISTAfter a rather quiet middle of the

year, we have had three large deposits to theSociety’s Collection: one a bequest and theother two from Fellows of the Societydirectly.

Fr Philip Goff, the Society’s firstChairman, continues to be a source ofmaterial: in this case a large collection ofphysical records of the Society’s foundationand early years as well as work books fromhis time as a consultant to Ede &Ravenscroft. This collection is significantand we are looking to have it indexed andcatalogued in the not-too-distant future.

Through Timothy Milner, weobtained a number of robes and hoods fromthe Estate of Lord (Jack) Lewis ofNewnham, a distinguished chemist and firstWarden of Robinson College, Cambridge,

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who died in July 2014.The collection includesitems from Canada,France, Hong Kong andthe UK. I amparticularly fond of theDSc (Hong Kong) in itsstriking and simplescarlet robe [d2] withwhite facings worn witha scarlet hood [f1] lined

white. Rarely seen is the DSc of Cranfield, a‘neyron rose’ cloth robe [d1] with royal bluefacings and sleeve linings (above left),which is worn with a neyron rose cloth hood[f1] lined royal blue.

Also included in the collection are therobes of a Fellow of Lancashire Polytechnic,now the University of Central Lancashire(right). The robe is greycloth [d1], the sleeves arelined with figured silk (thepattern is of Lancastrianroses). The bottom of thesleeves also featureLancastrian roses (on thegrey). The hood is greycloth [a1] fully lined withred damasked silk. A greysquare cap is worn. Nowthat the institution is aUniversity and able to award higherdoctorates, the Fellowship is obsolete.

Also in the Lewis bequest are thehoods of a DSc of Edinburgh, Kingston, and

Waterloo (Ontario). Butfor me the jewel of thebequest is the epitoge ofa Doctor Honoris Causaof Rennes: a deep redwith three bands of realermine (left).

Seamus Hargravewas invited to rummage

through some cupboards and closets in St

Mary’s College, St Andrews, where he isstudying. This resulted in a handsomeaddition of items from the University to ourcollection, including MA and BD hoods andthree more significant items. First, thestudent’s gown of a member of St Mary’sCollege (left) means that the Society now

has both styles of St Andrews’student gowns. Also includedwere the robes of a Doctor ofDivinity (named to the RevdD. S. Stiven, DD) and theundress robe of a DD, notablefor the black ‘cassock front’

sewn on to the facings of the gown (right).In this case, the buttons (and thebuttonholes) are coveredin ‘wood violet’ ribbedsilk, similar buttonssecure the black silksleeve cuffs. Stiven wasawarded his DD in 1954,so the undress robecould be his (given itscondition).

Also, a chanceeBay purchase producedan historical gem: an Aberdeen DD [a7] inthe original scheme: purple cloth, linedwhite. There is no maker’s label. Apart from

a bit of fraying at the neckand some foxing of the silk, itis in remarkable condition.

Finally, Alex Kerr hadthe curious fortune to receivea donation from Oxfam inOxford of a BA hood, Trinity

College Dublin (name-tag for ‘T. G.Pockley’). The store isn’t permitted to sellhoods with real fur and thus the Society’sCollection benefits.

Colin FlemingAGM & CONGREGATION

Through the generosity of the RevdProfessor Peter Galloway, OBE, the Society

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held its fourteenth annual general meetingand congregation at the Savoy Chapel,London, a royal chapel and home of theRoyal Victorian Order. The event was well-attended with around 50 fellows, membersand guests in attendance.

The AGM heard reports from theChairman on the healthy state of the Societyand its public engagement. TheSecretary/Registrar reported on membershipnumbers which are stable (c. 170) and on thegrowing queries from members of thepublic, which affirms the Society’s status asthe internationally-recognised body for thestudy of academic dress. The Treasurerreported on the healthy finances of theSociety. With five candidates reading for theFBS, the Society is clearly continuing tosponsor research along new avenues.

The election for the Society’s trusteesfor 2014-15 was not contested but three newfellows joined the council: Dr RichardBaker, Dr Les Robards and Dr Susan North.

Finally, following the successfullaunch of volume two of the third edition ofGeorge Shaw’s Academical Dress of GreatBritain and Ireland, there was a report on thelatest Society publication, which will be acollection of historical articles onacademical dress complied by Dr NicholasJackson. Copies of volume 13 of the

Transactions of theSociety, superblyedited by Dr StephenWolgast, weredistributed tomembers inattendance.

After a lunch inthe Lancaster Hall ofthe Savoy Chapel, theCongregation,presided over by DrJames Thompson,witnessed the

conferring of a Fellowship of the BurgonSociety on Seamus Hargrave for adissertation on the origins of the square cap.Seamus had spoken on this topic at the 2014Spring Conference of the Society in April.

Then one of our patrons, the Rt RevdGraeme Knowles, gave a pithy talk on theways in which the changing canons of theChurch of England have treated the wearingof academical dress by clergy. It was anentertaining talk but one which did notinspire confidence in the Church’s grasp ofthe nature of academical (or indeed any sortof formal) dress.

After the Congregation there was teaand biscuits in the Lancaster Hall and anopportunity to enjoy the range of academichoods sported by members and guests.Among these was a Surrey BMus, aLeicester MA and more than an occasionalinstance of St Andrews fur. Among theSociety’s members present were Mary Shawand her daughter.

The consensus was that the Savoy wasan ideal venue and it is hoped that we canhold the event there in future. The 2015AGM and Congregation will be held onSaturday 10 October 2015 and we hope thatas many members as possible will comealong and enjoy both the event and thesurroundings.

William GibsonPictures of the day are on the back page of the Notes

SPRING CONFERENCESaturday, 9 May 2015, Deloitte LLP, AthenePlace, 66 Shoe Lane, London, EC4A 3BQCall for papers A programme of short presentations isplanned, following the successful format ofthis year’s event. If you would like to offer apaper (30 minutes max.) or suggest a topic,then please speak to Bruce Christianson -E-mail: comqbc@herts.ac.uk

Postal address: Computer Science Dept,University of Hertfordshire, College Lane,Hatfield, Herts AL10 9AB, UK Of course, the conference is first andforemost an occasion for sharing ourcommon interest in all aspects of academicdress and meeting like-minded people, soplease keep the date in your diary. Aprogramme and booking arrangements willbe circulated nearer the time.

Alex Kerr

SPOT THE FACE (BNotes Issue 29)Answers to Spot the face

All twelve are authors (or co-authors)of at least one book or booklet specificallyabout academic dress.

They are:1. Philip Lowe: Manchester Academic

Dress (2002)2. Charles A. H. Franklyn: Academical

Dress from the Middle Ages to thePresent Day (1970), etc.

3. Jerónimo Hernández de Castro:Catálogo de orientaciones sobre eluso del traje académico y sus colores(2010)

4. Len Newton: Kenyatta UniversityAcademic Dress (2011)

5. Nicholas Groves: Shaw’s AcademicalDress, 3rd edition (2011-14), etc.

6. Gardner Cotrell Leonard: The Capand Gown in America (1896)

7. Philip Goff: University of LondonAcademic Dress (1999)

8. G. W. (George) Shaw: AcademicalDress of British Universities (1966),etc.

9. John Venables: Academic Dress of theUniversity of Oxford, 9th edition(2009)

10. Bruce Christianson: Academic Dressin the University of Hertfordshire(1993, 2006)

11. Colin Fleming: Malachite and Silver:Academic Dress of the University ofStirling (2009)

12. W. N. (Norman) Hargreaves-Mawdsley: A History of AcademicalDress in Europe until the End of theEighteenth Century (1963)

Alex Kerr

‘KEEP CALM AND STITCH A HOOD’I have recently acquired on eBay a set of

robes. I was particularly interested inacquiring the hood, which is an excellentexample of a ‘vintage’ Wales MA, with theold Arts silk – almost metallic in effect. Thegown I was less interested in. But when Iopened the parcel, there was a second hoodincluded.

This is of Burgon shape [s2], linedwith green shot blue taffeta: this is not the

hood of any award, norhas it ever been.

But it isimmediately obviousthat it was initially aBA(Wales) hood,being bordered insidewith 4” green/blue silk,bound over for ¼”, as aclear join runs alongthe lining. At somepoint, extra pieces ofsilk have been added tomake it fully lined. But

of course, the shape is wrong for both BAand MA. Wales bachelors’ hoods are madein [s5] pattern, and masters’ in [f1]. (Notonly does Wales give its bachelors only a 4”border of faculty silk, but also makes themwear a simple hood, while masters anddoctors get a full hood with a full lining.)

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The hood as worn

Cowl edge ofhood at top,showing thejoin whereextra lininghas beenadded

Closer inspection reveals that thehood was originally made for some otheraward. The neckband has a buttonhole, acommon device for holding a hood in placebefore loops became common, but the holeis covered over on the inside with theblue/green silk; the ‘cape’ edge is hemmedover on itself, implying a hood bordered onthe cowl only; and finally, although thebinding over of the blue/green on the cowledge has been done by machine, the oppositeedge is hand sewn.

Correspondence with the sellerrevealed that the robes belonged to hisgrandfather, who graduated from Bangor ‘inthe late 1940s’. So do we have here anexample of post-wartime austerity? Anexisting hood was converted into another inorder to save money. The silk lining is amuch coarser and stouter weave than isusually found as linings, so could it possiblybe dress-making taffeta – even someone’sold party-frock? Interestingly, the effect ofthis taffeta is shown on the 1926 Will’scigarette cards (see TBS 7, pp 68 and 69); it’svery unlike the metallic effect of the laterhood, or indeed of an old DLitt set I havefrom 1924. The difference in shape ([s2] for[s5]) is not readily noticeable, especially ifworn over a black gown.

Inside cowl (liripipe at base)showing extra pieces added forconversion to MA

Presumably, whenthe owner proceededMA, he converted thehood by adding the extrasilk to make a full lining,

even though it was the wrong shape. It couldwell be that he was relying on a sourcewhich merely said something like:

BA Wales: black bordered blue shotgreenMA Wales: black lined blue shot green

and made no reference to the shapes.In due course, he acquired a ‘proper’

MA hood (probably 1960s/70s, judging bythe E&R label).

The question remains: what was thehood originally? There was no award in the1940s that had a black Burgon hood, with anarrow (½”) border or binding. It can havebeen no wider, as otherwise the buttonholewould be obscured, and there are no ‘ghosts’of stitches where a wide border has beenremoved; nor (so far as I can make out) doesthe original cowl binding exist under theblue/green silk. Possibly it was a literate’shood.

All in all, a fascinating find, and a nicepiece of AD archæology.

Nicholas GrovesNB: the colours here do not represent completely

accurately the real thing.

CAN YOU HELP?Garden Party: do you have access to apossible venue?

After earlier Garden Parties atWeybridge (courtesy of Dr Michael Powell),and then in Pershore (courtesy of the RevdKenneth Crawford) the Society is seeking anew venue for a Garden Party in July 2015.We need your help. We are asking allmembers to consider whether they can helpus find the right place. What we ideally needis:

●A private garden capable ofaccommodating perhaps 40-50members and guests.

● Inside accommodation also availableif the weather is unkind to us.

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●Close to good road and rail transportlinks

● Ideally in the London area, HomeCounties or Midlands

●Cloakroom facilities

●Car parking space

●A kitchen area would be useful; be wecan always hire outside caterers.

We have a limited budget available forhiring premises.

If you have suggestions or offers ofaccommodation please urgently email theRegistrar on registrar@burgon.org.uk,putting “Burgon Garden Party” in thesubject line. We will get back in touch veryshortly.This entry was submitted anonymously through the Registrar

VARIATIONS ON A THEMERecently, I received an enquiry from

a Church of England priest serving in theMediterranean area of Europe. His enquirywas to ascertain the possibility of a DurhamBA hood with the cape bound and the cowlpart-lined in white silk rather than fur. Hewas complaining bitterly about his officialhood, the fur of which caused him to swelterin the local climate.

Not being one to supply robes onanyone’s whim, I spoke to the CeremoniesOffice at Durham University to ask theiropinion. I added that there was a wartimeprecedent with the BA hood at Cambridgebeing bound and part-lined with white. Tomy delight - and surprise - the Officecommented that, as long as the hood wasworn only abroad and not in the UK, myclient could be furnished with the hoodbound and part-lined with white silk.

The client has accepted my quotationand will look forward to receiving his“summer” Durham BA hood early in the

new year. For general interest, a picture ofthe hood will be in the next edition ofBNotes.

Kenneth Crawford

Copy for the next edition of the Notes isdue no later than 28 February, 2015.Please email copy tomagnificat@live.co.uk, or post to TheEditor, Burgon Notes, 30 SmithfieldRoad, Darlington, Co. Durham, DL14DD.

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Picture Credits:Cover - Nicholas Jackson / Editorp4 - Nicholas JacksonBack Page - Charles TsuaOthers - Writers of Articles

AGM & CONGREGATION ENJOYED!