Burgon Society

The Burgon Society, concerned with academic dress, should not be confused with the Dean Burgon Society, concerned with the advocacy of the King-James-Only Movement. They are separate organizations.

The Burgon Society was founded in 2000 for the study and promotion of academical dress, to preserve its history, and to advise film and television companies and interested others in its correct usage. The President of the society is James P.S. Thomson, MS (London), DM (Lambeth), FRCS, FBS, Master of London Charterhouse. His predecessor was the organist John Birch, MA (Sus), DMus (Lambeth), FRCM, FRCO(CHM), LRAM, FRSA, FBS, who served two terms ending in 2011.

The society publishes an annual journal of peer-reviewed research into academic dress. [1]

One of the society's founding fellows, Dr Nicholas Groves, created the Groves classification system for academic dress, in which the most common shapes of British gowns, hoods and caps are coded for easy reference.[2] He also designed the gowns of the University of Malta.[3] His design, selected from entries submitted in an international competition, debuted in November 2011 at a degree ceremony in Valletta, Malta.

The society is named after John William Burgon (1813–1888) from whom the Burgon shaped academic hood takes its name. The Burgon Hood is depicted in profile in the society's emblem, surrounded by Bishop Andrewes caps.

In 2010, the Society received charity status from the Charity Commission.

Contents

Patrons

The patrons of the society are:

Membership

The society includes the president, eleven council members, and numerous patrons, fellows, subscribing members and corporate members. Membership is open to all who support the aims of the society. Fellowship (FBS) may be awarded to members upon supplication (i.e., after submission of substantial work on the study of academical dress), honoris causa (well-recognized experts in the field), or de jure (usually existing dignitaries).

Footnotes

  1. ^ [1] Burgon Society Library: Transactions of the Burgon Society. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
  2. ^ Groves, Nicholas (2001), "Towards a Standard Terminology for Describing Academic Dress", The Burgon Society Annual 1: 9–12.
  3. ^ [2] "New PhD and Master's Gowns," University of Malta: Features, 18 October 2011. Retrieved 21 October 2011

References

External links