At last Saturday’s AGM as there were no nominations for the vacant posts on the committee it was suggested that it might be appropriate to disband the Medieval Section”. Only one serving officer, the Treasurer, was willing to continue – me (!).
After 44 years of promoting Medieval archaeology in Yorkshire this is a particularly sad, but far from hopeless, state of affairs. I said in my Treasurer’s report that we have a stable membership of about 130 with 16 institutional members. Nor are we short of funds, though some of it will be needed to publish the section journal Medieval Yorkshire. The Prehistoric and the Roman sections are both thriving, so why not the Medieval section? I can think of no richer region for Medieval archaeology than Yorkshire with all its abbeys and castles, not to mention fantastic museum collections and people actively researching many different aspects of the period.
A number of people at the AGM felt that something should be done to save the section and Janet Senior, Roy Andrews and I have formed an embryonic committee with the intention of recruiting new members and officers.
We need another three ordinary committee members and a Chairman. Jo Heron has kindly agreed to serve as Treasurer, allowing me to take over from Mike Edwards as Hon.Secretary. Stephen Moorhouse will continue as Hon.Editor. We have also had offers to serve on committee from staff at the International Medieval Institute.
Other volunteers would be most welcome. With quarterly meetings on a Thursday evening at Claremont it is not onerous and you do get to find out what’s happening across the county and make your voice heard in how the section is run.
We are not out of the woods yet but just over a week after the AGM I think we are within sight of forming a fully-functioning committee. Our remit will be to turn round the section and make it sustainable. We’d like more members to attend meetings at Claremont and in time to become members of committee and continue the work of running the section.
We also need to re-engage the members. With that end in mind Janet, Roy and I have put together a provisional programme of lectures for autumn this year and spring 2014. Starting in September there will be lectures on a range of different topics 2-3.30pm every second Saturday of the month at Claremont and it would be great to see members attending. I will post details once the Committee has approved the programme, all being well after May 9th. We hope to confirm a talk on the recent identification of Richard III‘s remains at Leicester in December.
I would very much appreciate it if members reading this Blog would respond with your thoughts and suggestions. What sorts of activities would you like to see: talks, day schools, excursions, visits to museums, social activities (like the famous Xmas high tea)? If you can suggest speakers for our programme for coming years or places to visit do please let us know. Even better, why not join us on committee?
We run the section in order to promote interest in Medieval Yorkshire and we genuinely want to offer events and activities that members will take part in and enjoy. Please help us to ensure that the Medieval section continues.
Bryan Sitch
Hon.Secretary
Medieval Section
Yorkshire Archaeological Society
Saturday 4th May 2013
Medieval Section of the Yorkshire Archaeological and Historical Society 