The Burgon Society
| Introduction | History | Constitution | Officers |
| Fellows | Meetings | Photographs | Robes |
Constitution of the Burgon Society
NOTE: in the following regulations, the pronoun 'he' shall, unless the context dictate to the contrary, be read as including 'she'.
- The name of the Society shall be the BURGON SOCIETY,
named after Dean Burgon, the only eponym of an academical hood
- vidz the burgon shape.
- The Society shall concern itself with the study of academical dress
in all its aspects - design, practice, history.
- The membership of the Society shall comprise:
(a) FELLOWS, who shall have demonstrated a significant contribution to one or more of the said aspects;
(b) SUBSCRIBING MEMBERS, who shall be in sympathy with the aims of the Society;
(c) CORPORATE MEMBERS, who shall subscribe to the Society as determined by Council.
Categories (a) and (b) overlap: a Fellow may or may not be a Subscribing Member; a Subscribing Member may or may not be a Fellow.
Admission to membership shall require the approval of Council in every case.
- Only such persons as are at the relevant time members in both categories
(a) and (b) simultaneously (that is to say, Fellows who are also Subscribing
Members) shall be entitled to voting rights at meetings and in elections.
- Subscribing Members shall pay such annual subscription as Council determines
from time to time, in exchange for which they shall be entitled to receive
such publications and other mailings of the Society as Council sees fit,
and to attend meetings. A Subscribing Member who fails to pay his annual
subscription shall cease to hold that status.
Any Fellow of the Society who is not a Subscribing Member may chose to become one by paying the annual subscription.
- All Fellows, and only Fellows, may use the post-nominal designation FBS,
and wear the Society's academicals.
- A Subscribing Member may proceed to Fellowship on the presentation and
successful examination of a paper of 5,000 words (or a series of shorter
articles which forms the equivalent) on one of the aspects specified in
§2 supra;
or by demonstrating in some other way a significant academic contribution.
In each case, the application shall be discussed and voted on by Council.
The Society may admit to Fellowship honoris causa any person who has made an outstanding contribution to any area of the aims and objectives of the Society. Nominations shall be discussed and voted on by Council.
In the case of the election to Council of a person who is not a Fellow at the time, he shall be created a Fellow de jure.
- There shall be a Council of Management,
elected annually by the Fellowship, to take effect at the next Congregation,
and shall comprise ELEVEN Fellows.
The following officers shall be elected:
Chairman of Council;
Registrar;
Dean of Studies;
Treasurer;
Membership Secretary;
Publications Editor;
Communications Officer;
and four ordinary Members of Council.
In addition, there shall be an Archivist and a Webmaster,
appointed by Council,
who shall sit on Council ex officio with voting rights.
Council may appoint a Member as Marshal.
Other posts may be created as need dictates
which shall be filled by co-option.
In the event of a member resigning from Council, the post may be filled by co-option, but the person so co-opted shall be subject to election by the Fellowship at the next General Meeting.
Council shall have executive power over all matters relating to the Society, subject to the powers held by the Fellowship described elsewhere in this Constitution.
- (Deleted).
- The duties of the several Officers shall be as follows:
(a) Chairman of Council: shall chair all Council Meetings and other ordinary meetings of the Society; shall have a duty of care for the promotion and well-being of the Society; and shall present new Fellows honoris causa and jure dignitatis to the President for admission;
(b) Registrar: shall act as secretary to meetings of Council and other meetings of the Society as required; he shall be responsible for the keeping and maintaining of the Roll of Members, including details of work submitted and accepted for Fellowship; he shall present new Fellows de jure to the President for admission;
(c) Dean of Studies: shall keep records of ongoing research undertaken by members; shall oversee the supervision and examination of work in submission for Fellowship; he shall be responsible to the Registrar for the keeping of a record of work submitted and accepted for Fellowship; he shall present new Fellows, by examination, to the President for admission;
(d) Treasurer: shall have oversight of the Society's finances. He shall set up and maintain a bank account, and shall present each year properly audited accounts to the Annual General Meeting;
(e) Membership Secretary: shall receive and process applications for membership; shall maintain a membership list, and, with the Treasurer, see that all subscriptions are paid up to date; he shall be responsible to the Registrar for the keeping and maintaining of the Roll of Members;
(f) Publications Editor: shall edit the Annual, and other occasional publications of the Society;
(g) Communications Officer: shall liaise with universities, museums and other collections and other societies concerned with the history of dress; shall act as Press Officer;
(h) Webmaster: shall maintain the website;
(i) Archivist: shall maintain the archive, both the Library and the Wardrobe;
(j) Marshal: shall oversee ceremonial events in consultation with the Registrar.
- There shall also be a PRESIDENT, elected by the Fellows.
He shall be elected for a period of FIVE years,
and may be elected for subsequent terms.
If not already a Fellow,
he shall be created a Fellow jure dignitatis.
- One or more PATRONS may be elected by the Fellows if so desired.
If not already a Fellow,
he shall be created a Fellow jure dignitatis.
- Meetings shall be held from time to time,
at which papers shall be presented for discussion. The public may be admitted.
There shall be at least one General Meeting every year.
This General Meeting shall be the Sovereign Body of the Society.
All decisions made at a General Meeting shall be binding upon Council.
Other meetings may be held as decided by Council, including field trips.
Papers shall be published in an Annual.
- The Society may affiliate itself to other organizations which promote
the study of costume.
This shall be subject to a decision of Council.
- A website shall be set up and maintained by the Webmaster.
- There shall be an archive to record past and present practices of institutions
and details of current and superseded or otherwise obsolete robes.
It shall be maintained by the Archivist. It shall be formed of two parts:
(a) the Library, containing manuscript and printed material,
including photographs and other pictorial images; and
(b) the Wardrobe, comprising items of dress.
The archive shall be available for consultation by interested parties in such ways as the Archivist determines, in consultation with Council.
In the event of the Society being disbanded, items in the Wardrobe or Library, which are entrusted to the Society, are to be returned to their respective owners or their heirs or executors; items owned by the Society are to be offered to the Victoria and Albert Museum or another suitable collection of dress.
- It shall be proper for the Society to act in an advisory capacity to film
and television producers, or others who wish to ensure correctness in dress;
also to those who wish to design robes themselves.
It may also undertake commissions to design robes.
NB: any member is at liberty to act in a private advisory capacity,
but must make it plain that he does not act in this case for the Society.
- In the event of the Society being wound up, such monies as remain over
shall be given to an organization specified by Council.
- This Constitution, having been once ratified at a General Meeting of the Society,
may only be altered by a further General Meeting called for that purpose.
- Any member found guilty of conduct which, in the view of Council,
causes the Society to be brought into disrepute,
shall be subject to such penalty as Council shall deem fit,
up to and including removal from the Roll of Members
and/or deprivation of Fellowship.
In all such cases, the member in question shall have the right
of presenting a defence to Council.
- (Deleted).
- On ceremonial occasion Officers shall wear such robes as shall
be determined by Council.
AGREED UPON this 21st day of October, 2000
(as amended on 19th October 2002,
18th October 2003,
& 11th September 2004).
