The history of the Society

 

 

The Richard III Society was founded during the summer of 1924 by a Liverpool surgeon, Saxon Barton, and a small group of friends. They were all enthusiastic amateur historians with a particular interest in the life and times of Richard III. Their motivation was a belief that history had not dealt justly with the King's posthumous reputation and they wanted to encourage and promote a more balanced view. In Saxon Barton's own words 'in my view historical belief must be founded on facts where possible and on honest conviction'. 

 

The Richard III Society is now an international organisation with a membership of several thousand with a range of achievements to its name. Its contribution to fifteenth-century research and scholarship is widely recognised and admired. The recent discovery and identification of King Richard's remains at the Greyfriars Dig in Leicester has led to a resurgence of interest in the king and given renewed impetus to the Society and its work to secure a more balanced assessment of his character and role in history.

(Taken from the Richard the Third Society UK). 

 

 

The Victorian Branch

The first Australian Branch of the Richard the III Society was founded in Melbourne on the 2nd of October 1959. This was the main branch until the 1980's when separate branches began to establish themselves in other Australian states and New Zealand.

 

Most of our branch activities are held in Melbourne, we hold seven meetings during the year at which talks are given on historical topics most often associated with Richard the III and his life and times. Open discussion is a feature of the meetings, which end with supper provided by all members. 

 

There are also informal picnic days, Christmas and New Year break up and of course the annual memorial service held on the 22nd of August or therabouts each year.

 

Details of the meetings are given to members via email or announced at meetings. For further information see the Membership page.