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The Jane Austen Society
Jane Austen (1775 - 1817), novelist, lived her life as part of a large and close knit family located on the
lower fringes of English gentry. Works: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma,
Northanger Abbey, Persuasion.
The Jane Austen Society is active in its wider aim of honouring the author and
promoting interest in her life and work. In addition to the Society's day and weekend conferences, a varied menu
of events is offered by Branches and Groups in Bath and Bristol, Cambridge, Hampshire, Kent, London, the Midlands, Norfolk,
the North, Scotland, Wales, the South West, and counties adjoining Surrey - the Southern Circle. More details on their
website at http://www.janeaustensoci.freeuk.com/.
The Jane Austen Society Midlands
Jane Austen (1775-1817),
novelist, lived her life as part of a large and close knit family located on the lower fringes of English gentry. Works:
Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion.
The Midlands
Society was founded in 1990 with the intention of providing regular meetings where like-minded people could share and promote
interest in, and understanding of, the life and works of Jane Austen. It produces an annual publication Transactions,
and members also receive seasonal newsletters - and there are events. More information at www.janeaustensoci.freeuk.com/pages/branches/midlands_home.htm.
The William Barnes Society
William Barnes (1801 - 1886) was born in Bagber,
North Dorset. He was a poet who wrote mainly in the Dorset dialect but also in national English. He taught himself
60 languages, was a competent engraver, antiquary; linguist and musician playing the flute, violin and piano. He was
a schoolmaster but later registered as a ten year's man with St John's College, Cambridge, and was priested in 1848.
Died at Winterborne Came and is buried in the churchyard there.
The Society promotes the enjoyment of the poems
of William Barnes and knowledge of the man himself and his times. They aim to nurture the dialect and encourage the
reading. They hold events which include talks, members' evenings when members read poems both dialect and national
English, musical entertainment drawing on Dorset's rich folk and cultural traditions and an annual service of remembrance.
They produce a bi-annual newsletter which contains articles and information on publications and research related to William
Barnes. More information at www.william-barnes-society.org.uk.
The Adrian Bell Society
Adrian Bell (1901-1980), journalist-farmer.
The son of a newspaper editor, born in London and later moved to Suffolk. Publications include Corduroy, Silver
Ley, The Cherry Tree, The Countryman's Notebook. One of the finest writers on country matters. Wrote
24 books between 1930 and 1976, generally based on the country and farming. Weekly essays in local paper. These
are currently being republished in the same paper. Numerous articles for varied publication. Compiled 4,520 Times
crosswords over a 50 year period.
The aim of the Society is to encourage an interest in Adrian Bell's life
and work. Membership is worldwide. It produces two journals and holds two meetings each year (April and October).
There are also various outings. Talks about Bell given to clubs and similar. More details from Mr M Flynn (Treasurer
and Membeship Secretary), 28 Skelton Road, Diss, Norfolk, IP22 4PW.
The Arnold Bennett Society
Arnold Bennett, journalist and writer of fiction. Best known for the Clayhanger trilogy, and
The Old Wives' Tale.
The present Society was reformed in 1954 and has members throughout the UK and
overseas. It is based in the city of Stoke on Trent, the 'five towns' of Bennett. Their aim is to promote
the study and appreciation of the life, works and times, not only of Arnold Bennett himself, but also of other provincial
writers, with particular relationship to North Staffordshire. More details on the Society from www.arnoldbennettsociety.org.uk/.
The E F Benson Society
E F Benson (1867-1940), prolific writer and best
known for his Mapp and Lucia series and ghost stories. Also wrote biographies and autobiographies, as well as fiction.
Formed in 1984, the Society publishes an annual journal, The Dodo, a talk, and organises walks in Rye, an
annual visit to Rye, and also visits to places of Benson interest. It gives talks on the Bensons and has organised exhibitions.
More detail on the Society from www.efbensonsociety.org/.
The Betjeman Society
John Betjeman (1906-1984), poet, writer and broadcaster.
Educated at Magdalen College Oxford, his first book of poems Mount Zion was published in 1931. Knighted in
1969 and Poet Laureate from 1972 until his death in 1984, he is buried in St Enodoc, Daymer Bay, North Cornwall.
The Society aims to promote the study and appreciation of the work and life of Sir John Betjeman by bringing together all
those who admire his writings and share his enthusiasms. There is an annual programme which includes poetry readings,
lectures, discussions, visits to places associated with him, walks, picnics and social events. A regular newsletter
is published which gives information about the Society. Our annual journal, The Betjemanian, contains articles,
letters, reviews and photographs. Meetings are held in London and other centres. There is also a growing number
of local branches.
More details on the Society from www.betjemansociety.com/ and for more information about the poet from www.johnbetjeman.com/.
The Bewick Society
Thomas Bewick (1753-1828), wood engraver and ornithologist.
Works include Select Fables, A General History of Quadrupeds, and History of British Birds.
The
Society works to promote an interest in the life and work of Thomas Bewick and related subjects, especially with regard to
wood engraving. They produce a newsletter, Cherryburn Times, twice a year, and there are also visits to special
collections (some of which are not open to the public).
For more detail, visit www.bewicksociety.org/
The Blake Society of St James's
William Blake (1757-1827), poet, painter and engraver.
Founded in 1985, the Blake Society encourages a greater appreciation of William Blake's remarkable artistic achievement
through regular meetings with eminent speakers. They publish a journal each year and this is regarded as a major source
of Blake studies. For more detail, visit www.blakesociety.org.uk
The Robert Bloomfield Society
Robert Bloomfield (1766-1823), poet, best known
for The Farmer's Boy.
The Robert Bloomfield Society was founded in 2000 and aims to serve admirers
of this remarkable and unjustly neglected poet through promoting awareness of his life and work. It acts as a focus
for anyone who may have a local, family, academic or general literary interest in the poet. Membership entitles you
to participate in the events that the Society organises and to receive its newsletter. The Society hosts an annual Bloomfield
Day, and at least one social event, usually involving a visit to locations identified with Bloomfield. In past years,
they have toured Bloomfield's Suffolk, the Bedfordshire locations where he spent his latter days, and visited the British
Library for an introduction to their extensive Robert Bloomfield holdings.
To find out more, visit the website
at robertbloomfieldsociety.blogspot.com, or by email to kerri.andrews@strath.ac.uk.
The George Borrow Society
George Henry Borrow (1803-1881), writer of
novels and travelogues. His most important works were: The Zincali, or The Gypsies of Spain; The Bible of
Spain; Lavengro; The Romany Rye; Wild Wales; Romano Lavo-lil; Word-book of the Romany.
Founded in 1991, the
Society works to promote knowledge of the life and works of George Borrow. Meetings are held each year, usually either
close to the date of Borrow's birth (5 July) or in September. The pattern varies but may include the reading and
discussion of papers, visits to sites connected with Borrow, and related social activities. The Society issues the George
Borrow Bulletin twice a year, containing scholarly articles and news of events and publications relating to Borrow.
For more detail, visit http://georgeborrow.org/.
The Boswell Society
The Boswell Society exists to foster interest and research into all aspects pertaining to the life and works of James Boswell,
his family, and his associates. It meets for lunch followed by a speaker. In Lichfield in March; in London in
May; in Edinburgh in August; in Bath in October; and at Auchinleck, Ayreshire, in November.
To find out more about
the Society, contact David Boswell, Balmuto, The Avenue, Tunsbury, Bath, BA2 OHD, or Derek Walker on 01623 870515.
The Bronte Society
The Bronte Society is open to everyone to join. It is one
of the oldest literary societies in the english speaking world. They are always looking for new members to join and
help support their important work in preserving the museum at Haworth and the library collections. They have now refurbished
their exhibition area with secure glass cases and fibre optic lighting, allowing them to display original manuscripts, first
editions and other items from their priceless collection. visit the website for details of their upcoming exhibitions.
To learn more about the Bronte family and the Society, visit www.bronte.org.uk/.
The Rupert Brooke Society
Rupert Chawner Brooke (1887-1915), poet, known
for his idealistic War Sonnets written during World War I. Died on his way to Gallipoli and buried on the Greek
island of Skyros.
To learn more about Rupert Brooke, and the Society, visit www.rupertbrooke.com/.
The Browning Society
Robert Browning (1812-1889), poet
and playwright. Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861), poet.
Formed in 1969, the Browning Society aims to
provide a focus for contemporary interest in Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. There is an annual programme of
lectures, and visits, in London and elsewhere, in addition to the publication of the Browning Society Notes.
Activities centre on London and the Home Counties, but members living elsewhere in Britain and overseas are kept in touch
through the journal and regulr interchanges of news and informatin. The Browning Society also supports the efforts of
the Friends of Casa Guidi to restore and maintain the Browning home in Florence.
For more information, visit www.browningsociety.org/.
The John Buchan Society
John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir (1875-1940),
Scottish novelist. Works include The Thirty Nine Steps, and Prester John.
Founded in 1979,
the Society works to promote a wider understanding and appreciation of the life and works of John Buchan. There is an
annual dinner and AGM, alternately in Scotland and in England.
To find out more visit www.johnbuchansociety.co.uk/.
The Caldecott Society
Randolph Caldecott (1846-1886), artist and illustrator.
He greatly influenced the illustration of children's books during the 19th century. He also illustrated novels,
accounts of foreign travel, made humorous drawings depicting hunting and fashionable life, drew cartoons, made sketches of
the famous Parliament inside and out, and exhibited sculptures and oils/watercolours in the Royal Academy.
The
Society works to promote and encourage, for the public benefit, the study and appreciation of the work and life of Randolph
Caldecott. For more information, visit www.randolphcaldecott.org.uk/.
The Daresbury Lewis Carroll Society
The Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson
(1832-1898), author, mathematician, logician, Anglican clergyman, and photographer. Most famous writings were Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass, The Hunting of the Snark, Jabberwocky.
For more information
contact K N Oultram, Clatterwick Hall, Little Leigh, Northwich, Cheshire, CW8 4RJ.
The Chichester
Literary Society
The Society embraces a wide range of topics and writers, from Austen to Ackroyd, Zola
to Zadie Smith, from Anthony Trollope to Joanna Trollope. Through a programme of talks, walks, outgoings and social
events, the Society aims to promote love of the written word, whichever form it takes, be it prose or verse, the classics
or more modern writers. Authors and biographers give talks, or actors perform readings on the lives and works of writers
and poets. We have enjoyed listening to, and questioning, many eminent speakers, as well as our super-supportive Patron,
Simon Brett, playwright for radio, television and theatre, and prolific crime writer. For more information visit www.chichesterliterarysociety.co.uk.
The John Clare Society
John Clare (1793-1864), commonly known as the
Northamptonshire Peasant Poet. A prolific writer with a large collection of manuscripts in the Peterborough and Northampton
museums. Clare's poetic descriptions of local fauna and flora are a great source of reference for natural historians.
Founded in 1981, the Society works to promote a wider and deeper knowledge of Clare and his countryside. They
produce a quarterly newsletter, and an annual journal. The John Clare Festival weekend is held each July in the village
of Helpston, just outside Peterborough - open to everyone. Membership is international - with branches in the USA and
in Japan.
For more information, visit www.johnclare.org.uk/.
The William Cobbett Society
William cobbett (1763-1835), political pamphleteer,
farmer and prolific journalist. Born in Farnham, Surrey. A passionate defender of the freedom of the press, and
parliamentarian where he started parliamentary debate later taken over by Harvard. He served as a soldier in New Brunswick
speaking out against corruption in the Army and criticising flogging which later earned him two years in Newgate Prison.
His most well known works are a paper, Porcupine Gazette (1797-99), published whilst in Philadelphia, Rural Rides
(1810), Advice to Young Men (1830), and about 50 other works.
The Society aims to bring together those
who have an interest in the life and writings of William Cobbett. For more detail on the Society, visit their website
at www.williamcobbett.org.uk.
The Friends of Coleridge
Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834),
poet, critic and philosopher. Best known for the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Kubla Khan, Biographia Literaria.
Founded in 1986, The Friends of Coleridge aim to foster interest in his life and works and to support Coleridge
Cottage in Nether Stowey, Somerset, through cooperation with the National Trust. They produce the Coleridge Bulletin
twice a year, host an annual study weekend at Kilve in Somerset, and sonsor a biennial international conference at Cannington,
close to the Quantock Hills.
More information from www.friendsofcoleridge.com/.
The Wilkie Collins Society
William Wilkie Collins (1824-1889), novelist,
playwright, and short story writer. Best known works: The Woman in White, The Moonstone, Armadale, No Name.
Formed in 1980, the Society works to promote interest in the life and works of Collins. The Society issues a
newsletter three times a year, and a journal. It also publishes an annual reprint of one of Collins' short, less
known works.
For more detail, visit www.wilkiecollinssociety.com.
The Joseph Conrad Society
Joseph Conrad (1857-1924), Polish born British novelist.
Works include Heart of Darkness and Nostromo.
The Society is devoted to the study of all aspects
of the writings and life of Joseph Conrad. Our aims is to provide a forum and resource for Conrad scholars throughout
the world and those with a strong interest in things 'Conradian'.
Founded in 1973, the Joseph Conrad
Society (UK) has, from small beginnings, grown into a learned society with an international outreach and perspective.
We publish the premier Conrad journal, The Conradian, appearing twice annually, hold an annual international conference
in the early summer, award an annual essay prize, and promote the study of Conrad by offering, when possible, resources and
support to scholars without or with limited access to university or other sources of funding.
For more detail visit
their website at www.josephconradsociety.org.
The Cumbrian Literary Group
Founded in 1946, the Group provides a meeting
lace for readers and writers, and those with an interest in literature. there are monthly lectures from April to October.
Poetry and prose competitions annually. A magazine Bookshelf produced once a year.
For more
information, contact the Group, Joyce Fisher at fisher_07@btinternet.com.
The Walter De La Mare Society
Walter John de la Mare (1873-1956),
poet, short story writer, novelist, anthropologist, and critic, probably best remembered for his works for children, the novel
Memoirs of a Midget, and the poem The Listeners.
The Society aims to honour his memory by promoting
the study and widening the readership of his works. It also aims to facilitate research, encourage, and, where possible,
support, new publications. The Society plans an annual event, issues an annual magazine, and occasional newsletters.
For detail on the Society, visit www.bluetree.co.uk/wdlmsociety/.
The Dickens Fellowship
Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870), most
prolific writer of the 19th century, most of whose novels were aimed at bringing public awareness of the social injustices
of the day.
The Fellowship aims to stimulate, or rekindle, an appreciation of Dickens's pure artistry of words
and for his eminently great genius of story-telling. For more information, visit www.dickensfellowship.org/.
For the Birmingham branch, visit their website at www.dickensfellowship.org/branches/birmingham.
The Dubliners Literary Circle
Irish/Anglo-Irish: Moore, Yeats, Joyce,
Becket, etc. Special interest in English writers who have contributed to Irish literary history.
The Circle
meets fortnightly to read and discuss Irish and Anglo-Irish authors. Current membership is 24. For more information,
contact Desmond O'Malley, 35 Silloge Gardens, Dublin 11 (087949 7541 or emailmailto:byrne.desmond@yahoo.com).
The Dorothy Dunnett Society
Dorothy Dunnett (1923-2001), Scottish
historical novelist. Best known for the Lymond Chronicles, The House of Niccolo.
The Association
produces a quarterly magazine, Whispering Gallery, and holds an annual gathering in Edinburgh in April. There
are also affiliated meetings. For more detail, visit http://dunnettcentral.org.
Friends of the Dymock Poets
Robert Frost, Wilfrid Gibson, Lascelles Abercrombie,
John Drinkwater, Rupert Brooke.
Formed in 1993, the Friends exist to foster an interest in the work of the Dymock
Poets, preserve places and things associated with them, keep members informed of literary and other matters relating to them,
help protect the border countryside of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire, and increase knowledge and appreciation of the landscape
between May Hill and the Malvern Hills. They produce a newsletter three times a year, an annual journal, hold spring
day talks and a walk; and hold a weekend of talks/walks in early October.
To find out more, visit www.dymockpoets.co.uk.
The George Eliot Fellowship
Mary Ann Evans (1819-1880), later to become
George Eliot, novelist, born at Arbury near Nuneaton. She was an intellectual but had a profound insight into the lives
of the ordinary individual. Evangelicalism dominated her earlier life but she abandoned these ideas to become a free
thinker in her early twenties. She translated important religious works, wrote poetry and later became assistant editor
of the Westminster Review. She lived an unconventional life - living openly with George Henry Lewes for whom
divorce was impossible, for 24 years, and who encouraged her at the age of 37 to begin to write fiction. After his death,
she had a brief marriage to John Walter Cross.
The George Eliot Fellowship was founded in 1930 and exists to promote
interest in George Eliot and her works. It is a forum for those who admire her writing, and for those who wish to learn
more. It encourages the collection of material associated with her nationally and locally. It publishes The
George Eliot Review annually with a strong academic element but focuses also on matters of general interest through its
newsletters.
To find out more visit www.george-eliot-fellowship.com or email blueyorkshirecat@yahoo.co.uk.
The T S Eliot Society
Thomas Stearns Eliot (1888-1965), poet, dramatist
and literary critic. Received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1948. Among his most famous writings are the poems
The Lovesong of J Alfred Prufrock, The Waste Land, The Hollow Men, Ash Wednesday, Four Quartets; the plays Murder
in the Cathedral and The Cocktail Party; and the essay Tradition and the Individual Talent.
The Society works to promote the study and appreciation of T S Eliot in England; promotes events and conferences celebrating
Eliot's works; produces a regular newsletter; and organises an annual Eliot Day at Little Gidding.
For further
detail write to The T S Eliot Society, Ferrar House, Little Gidding, Huntingdon, Cambs PE28 5RJ - or visit their website at
www.eliotsociety.org.uk.
The Epsom and Ewell Literary Society
The Epsom and Ewell Literary Society
is one of the oldest and most respected literary societies in the UK, having been inaugurated in 1898. Newcomers to
the society will discover that our talks cover a broad range of topics which are informative, inspring and illuminating ...
and not just about books; the entertaining talks given by our expert guest speakers often prompt incisive questions and lively
discussion to round off each evening. The Society is proud to present annual seasons of talks at the Epsom Playhouose.
Lectures take place at Epsom Playhouse (a firm favourite with audiences and speakers, being comfortable with excellent acoustics
and technical support) and they are held on the first Wednesday of each month from October to May inclusive starting at 7.30
pm and finishing at approximately 9 pm. Visit the website www.epsomlit.org.uk for more detail.
The Essex Poetry and Prose Society
The Essex Poetry
and Prose Society was founded in 1959 and meets once a month in Stebbing, Essex. For more detail please visit their
website at www.essexpoetryandprose.org.uk.
The Ford Madox Ford Society
Ford Madox Ford (1873-1939), novelist, poet,
critic and editor. Best remembered for the Good Soldier and the Parade's End tetralogy.
The society was founded in 1997 to promote knowledge of and interest in Ford. They organise an active programme of
events. For more information on the Society, visit www.open.ac.uk/Arts/fordmadoxford-society/.
The Gaskell Society
Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell (1810-1865), nee Stevenson,
was raised in Knutsford, Cheshire, before her marriage to a Manchester Unitarian Minister in 1832. The death of her
only son inspired her to write and dickens invited her to contribute to his magazine. Her home at Plymouth Grove was
visited by many famous people from 1850 to her early death.
Formed in 1985, in Knutsford, the Society works to
promote and encouorage the study and appreciation of the work and life of this Victorian author of Cranford, Mary Barton,
North and South, Wives and Daughters, Silvia's Lovers, as well as numerous short stories, and biography of Charlotte
Bronte. To arrange associated visits and encourage republication of her works. Bi-annual conference.
For more information, visit www.gaskellsociety.co.uk/.
The Geraint Goodwin Society
Geraint Goodwin (1903 - 1942) was an evocative
author caputring the essence of the people, the countryside, towns and villags of his native county. Born in Newtown
in the old county of Montgomeryshire, his books (often humerous, often tragic) give an acute insight into the effect on the
rural communities of the social and industrial changes during the first half of the 20th century in mid Wales. The Society
was formed to promote interest and celebrate the works of this writer. Although most of his work is out of print, the
Society hopes that its formation will lead to a revival of interest in his work. Talks have and will be given by Mary
Oldham in his local area of mid Wales. For more information visit their website at www.geraint-goodwin-society.org.uk/.
A Ghostly Company
Formed in 2004, it takes its name from the classic
1932 ghost story collection by H R Wakefield, and provides opportunities for like-minded enthusiasts to meet at appropriate
locations around the country. Previously, the Ghost Story Society and Ghosts and Scholars had organised
conventions in Chester and Rochester but had then decided to devote their energies entirely to publishing. Hence the
foundation of the Company. They are an informal, non-profit-making literary society devoted to the study of the
ghost story in all its forms. To learn more visit the website at www.aghostlycompany.org.uk
The Friends of Glendower
W H Davies (1871 - 1940), the Welsh tramp-poet, lived in Nailsworth between 1928 and 1940. He spent the last two years
in Glendower, Watledge. His most famous poem, Leisure, published in 1911, is loved by yung and old ('What
is this life, if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare').
Remembering the poet W H Davies and the
Phillips Family dedicated to saving Glendower and to promoting the poems of W H Davies. The society also assists in
restoring the cottage and garden; and arranging public readings, lectures and visits. To find out more, contact the
Steering Group Leader, Anthony R Burton MBE (tel. 01453 832228 or email anthonyburtonmbe@aol.com).
The Kenneth Grahame Society
Kenneth Grahame (1859-1932)
is best known as the author of the Wind in the Willows and The Reluctant Dragon. He also wrote a number
of essays and two highly-regarded collections of short stories - The Golden Age, Dream Days - about a family of orphaned
children.
The aims of the Society are to encourage scholarly study and discussions of the works of Kenneth Grahame,
actively promote an expanded universe around the Wind in the Willows, and to be a comprehensive and accurate resource
on the life and works of Kenneth Grahame. The Society has an extensive website. It organises an AGM/weekend in
late August/September each year - at locations associated with Kenneth Grahame, and the Society newsletter, Riverbank
News, is sent to all members twice a year. Membership is free and membership applications from all over the world
are welcomed.
There will be a small subsection within the Kenneth Grahame Society dedicated to the works of Sir
Arthur Quiller-Couch from 2008 until an independent literary society dedicated to him is formed.
To find out more
visit www.kennethgrahamesociety.net or email badger@kennethgrahamesociety.net.
The Graham Greene Birthplace Trust
Henry Graham Greene (1904-1991), novelist,
short story writer, playwright, screenwriter, travel writer, and critic. Greeene combined serious literary acclaim with
wide popularity. Works include Brighton Rock, The Quiet American, Our Man in Havana, The Man Within, Stamboul Train.
The Trust aims to promote the appreciation and study of the works of Graham Greene, and is based in Berkhampsted,
his birthplace. More detail from www.grahamgreenebt.org/.
The Fulke Greville Society
Fulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke, de jure
13th Baron Latimer, and 5th Baron Willoughby de Broke (1554-1628), Elizabethan poet, dramatist and statesman. His poetry
consists of closet tragedies, sonnets and political/moral subjects. Work include the Life of the Renowned Sir Philip
Sidney, Alaham, Mustapha.
For more information on the Society, contact Anthony Astbury, 6 Mellors Court, the
Butts, Warwick, CV34 4ST (01926 492086).
The Rider Haggard Society
Sir
Henry Rider Haggard (1856-1925), prolific writer of adventure novels. Famous for King Solomon's Mines and
She, but also for non-fiction works on farming, social conditions and historical aspects of the Boer War. Many
of his adventure stories have been filmed and some dramatised. A fascinating man and a fascinating life. Very
influential.
Formed in 1987, the Society meets eveyr 12-18 months in different locations. They research and
help studies from all over the world. Recently introduced an annual Short Story Competition for the general public.
A journal is issued four times a year, with many coloured illustrations. Hundreds of Haggard books are available to
purchase. For more information visit www.riderhaggardsociety.org.uk/.
The Thomas Hardy Society
Thomas Hardy (1840-1928), novelist, short story
writer, and poet. The bulk of his work, set mainly in the semi-imaginary county of Wessex, delineates characters struggling
against their passons and circumstances. Works include The Poor Man and the Lady, Far From the Madding Crowd, the
Mayor of Casterbridge, The Woodlanders, Tess of the d'Urbervilles.
The Society aims to promote the works
of Hardy for both education and enjoyment. It's for anyone with an interest in Hardy. It holds various events,
including a biennial international conference and a festival. For more information, visit www.hardysociety.org/.
F W Harvey Society
Frederick William Harvey (1888 - 1957) achieved
fame as a War Poet, his first verses having been written while he served in the Great War. He was a friend of Ivor Gurney,
the dually-gifted poet and composer, and of Gurney's fellow-composer, Herbert Howells - all three were from Gloucestershire.
Will Harvey was known as 'the Laureate of Gloucestershire' and the 'Forest Poet'. Harvey's best
known poem is Ducks, which was a popular inclusion in many anthologies, but he is also respected for other works such as In
Flanders, put to music by Ivor Gurney, If We Return, The Horses, Spring 1924, Quietly I Will Bide Here and lighter
verse such as Cricket: The Catch - cricket was one of Harvey's passions.
The aims of the society are
to ensure legacy of F W Harvey is remembered through events, publications, research and by developing and maintaining an archive
of his life and work. Learn more about the Society at www.fwharveysociety.co.uk.
The Hawker Society
Robert Stephen Hawker (1803 - 1875), poet, historian,
antiquary, and, for forty years, Vicar of Morwenstow on the north coast of Cornwall.
The Society exists to perpetuate
Hawker's memory and foster and extend interest in his life and works; to help to protect and conserve the buildings and
countryside connected to Hawker and recorded in his writings; to inform members of news and arrange events, and to keep them
abreast of relevant publications. For more information visit their website at www.hawkersociety.org.
The James Hilton Society
James Hilton (1900-1954), novelist and scriptwriter.
Author of Lost Horizon, Random Harvest, Goodbye Mr Chips. Eight of his novels were made into films.
The aims of the Society are to promote interest in the life and works of James Hilton. We publish a quarterly newsletter
and an annual scholarly journal, and organise conferences and meetings. For more information visit www.jameshiltonsociety.co.uk/.
The Historical Novel Society
Founded in 1997, the Society promotes all
aspects of historical fiction. they provide support and opportunities for new writers, information for students, booksellers
and librarians; and a community for authors, readers, agents and publishers. They publish a quarterly magazine, Historical
Novels Review, and a twice yarly mazine Solander. There are also conferences in the UK and the USA.
For more information visit www.historicalnovelsociety.org/.
The Sherlock Holmes Society of London
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - "patriot,
physician & man of letters", to quote the inscription on his gravestone. But the Society's principal interest
is less in the author (who was a remarkable and in many ways a great man) than in the characters he created, specifically
Sherlock Holmes and John H Watson of 221B Baker Street. Founded in 1951, the Society is open to anyone with an interest
in Sherlock Holmes, Dr John H Watson, and their world. It is a literary and social Society, publishing a scholarly Journal
and occasional papers, and holding meetings, dinners and excursions. For more information visit their website at www.sherlock-holmes.org.uk or contact their Press and Publicity Officer at shj@waitrose.com.
The Housman Society
Alfred Edward Housman (1859-1936) was a poet
of great popularity and widespread influence. He was a Latin scholar of the front rank and his influence is still felt
today.
Founded in 1973, the Society aims to promote knowledge and appreciation of the lives and works of A E Housman
and other members of his family. It produces two newsletters and one journal per year, and sponsors an annual lecture
at Hay on Wye. For more information, visit www.housman-society.co.uk/.
The Richard Jefferies Society
Richard Jefferies (1848-1887), was an authority
on agriculture and rural life. Best known for his nature writing, he was also an essayist, novelist and mystic.
The Richard Jefferies Society was founded in 1950 and has nearly 300 members around the world. Most activities are
based at Coate, Swindon - Jefferies' birthplace and home, now a museum open to the public on the second Wednesday of the
month (10 am to 4 pm) throughout the year and Sundays (2 pm to 5 pm) from May to September inclusive. Admission
is free - park at coate Water. There are winter meetings, outings, a study day and a Birthday Lecture. Publications
include a yearly journal, spring and autumn newsletters and an annual report along with leaflets of tours of places beloved
by Jefferies.
More information from Jean Saunders, Pear Tree Cottage, Longcot, Oxon SN7 7SS (01793 783040).
Website richardjefferiessociety.co.uk. Student forum richardjefferies.forumotion.com/.
Protect Jefferies Land from development. Please continue to sign the Save Coate petition www.petitiononline.com/savecoat/petition.html.
The Jerome K Jerome Society
Jerome Klapka Jerome (1859-1927), write and
editor of Today and The Idler. Best known for the classic of English humour Three Men in a Boat
(say nothing of the dog), and its sequel Three Men on the Bummel. He produced a typically off-beat autobiography
My Life and Times.
The Society, which is based in the author's birth place, Walsall, was formed in
1984 and aims to stimulate interest in and public awareness of the life and works of Jerome K Jerome. The magazine,
Idle thoughts, is produced twice a year. There is a glittering annual dinner in Walsall on or around the author's
birth date, 2 May, and an annual Christmas concert. To find out more, visit www.jeromekjerome.com/.
The Johnson Society (Lichfield)
Dr Samuel Johnson, born in Lichfield
September 1709 and died in London December 1784, lexicographer, author, poet, conversationalist, and Christian.
The
Johnson Society aims to encourage the study of the life, works and times of Samuel Johnson and also to cooperate in preserving
the memorials, associations, manuscripts and letters of Johnson and his contemporaries. It commemorates Johnson's
birthday for a weekend in September every year.
Officers of the Society can be contacted at the Johnson Birthplace
Museum, Breadmarket Street, Lichfield, Staffs WS13 6LG. Or by email at info@thejohnsonsociety.org.uk - or visit the website at www.thejohnsonsociety.org.uk. The annual publication Transactions is published in January and circulated to members.
The Johnson Society (London)
The London Society was founded in 1928 and has an international
membership. It holds seven meetings each year with speakers. It also publishes an annual journal the New Rambler
and an occasional newsletter The New Idler. For more detail, visit www.johnsonsocietyoflondon.org/.
The David Jones Society
David Jones (1895-1974) attended Camberwell Art
College before joining the Royal Welch Fusiliers in 1915. He fought at the Battle of the Somme, and, on returning to
England, met Eric Gill and continued to paint. He subseuently started to write, publishing long poems with illustrations.
The Society aims to promote and encourage knowledge about the painter-poet. Annual conferences are organised,
as well as visits to sites of interest where he lived, worked, fought in the Great War, and art galleries containing his visual
art. It also publishes an annual journal. For more information visit www.davidjonessociety.org.
The Sheila Kaye Smith Society
Sheila Kaye Smith (1887-1956), writer,
known for her many novels set in the borderlands of Sussex and Kent in the English regional tradition. Works include
The End of the House of Alard, Joanna Godden, susan Spray.
Formed in 1987, the Society works to encourage
interest in her writings and their relationship with her life and with the places associated with her. Meetings in Sussex,
in St Leonards. For more information, contact The Sheila Kaye Smith Society, Silverden Oast, Church Lane, Northiam,
Rye, East Sussex TN31 6NW (01797 252550).
The Keats-Shelley Association
Formed
in 1903, apart from maintaining the Keats Shelley Memorial House, the Association is responsible for the upkeep of the graves
of Keats and Shelley in the non-Catholic Cemetery at Testaccio. In Italy, they run a continuous programme of outreach
to schools and other interested groups as well as individual tourists. They publish an annual review of scholarship
and new writing on the Romantics. For more information visit www.keats-shelley.co.uk/.
The Kilvert Society
Robert Francis Kilvert (1840-1879), diarist.
His Diaries are considered to be classics, and also of historical importance for the study of remote rural life and
Victorian society.
Formed in 1948, the Society aims to keep alive an interest in Francis Kilvert's diaries
and the countryside he loved. They meet several times a year - based in Hereford. A journal is published three
times a year. Details from The Kilvert Society at www.thekilvertsociety.org.uk
The Kipling Society
A prolific writer, Rudyard Kipling was born in India at the height
of the British Empire and as its unofficial poet laureate became the most famous Englishman of his time. He was author
of over 1,000 poems, 300 short stories, 4 novels and letters of trvel, but is best known for Kim, The Jungle Books
and the Just So Stories for children.
Founded in 1927, the Kipling Society promotes and celebrates the
life and work of Rudyard Kipling and holds an annual luncheon and 5 meetings each year, in London, with guest speakers.
These talks and other articles are published in the Society's quarterly Journal. The Society's website www.kipling.org.uk includes a comprehensive Readers' Guide, book reviews and an index to the complete texts of the Kipline Journals
(apart from the last two years), published from 1927. The Society maintains a library at the City University in London
and has links with Bateman's, Kipling's home in sussex, and a small Kipling museum at Rottingdean. More information
from their website.
The Charles Lamb Society
Charles Lamb (1775-1834), essayist
and poet. Best known for his Essays of Elia and for the children's book Tales from Shakespeare,
which he produced along with his sister, Mary Lamb.
The Charles Lamb Society works to educate the public in the
life and work of Lamb and his circle. They also maintain a collection of Eliana and publish the CLB four times a year.
For more information on the Society, contact Nicholas Powell, Chairman, The Charles Lamb Society, 28 Grove Lane, London SE6
8ST.
The Philip Larkin Society
Philip Arthur Larkin (1922-1985), poet,
novelist and jazz critic. Born in Coventry, worked as a librarian at the University of Hull until his death.
Founded in 1995, the Society works to promote awareness of the life and work of Larkin and his literary contemporaries;
to bring together all those who admire Larkin's work as poet, novelist, jazz critic and librarian; and to promote relevant
publications on all things regarding Larkin. It holds regular talks on all aspects of Larkin's life and work; readings;
exhibitions; workshops; conferences; and walks and tours to sites of interest associated with Larkin's life.
The Society's journal is About Larkin; it organises pre-arranged visits to the Larkin archives held in the
Brynmor Jones Library; runs a lively active discussion forum available freely; and the Philip Larkin Society Shop sells audio
and books; including tapes of Larkin reading his own work.
For more information, visit www.philiplarkin.com/.
The D H Lawrence Society
David Herbert Richards Lawrence (1885-1930),
born in Eastwood, near Nottingham, and died in Vence in the South of France. In his comparatively short life he travelled
widely and established an international reputation as a novelist, poet and short story writer. He also completed work
in many other literary forms - drama, philosophy, history, essays, travel books and literary criticism. In addition,
he was a prolific letter writer and an artist of no mean ability.
The Society was founded in 1974 by a group of
enthusiasts in the Eastwood ara who wish to encourage knowledge and understanding of the life and work of D H Lawrence.
It aims to bring together people interested in Lawrence and to encourage study of his work; to provide information and guides
for individuals and groups visiting the area; to make links with those interested in Lawrence in other countries; and to assist
in the protection of sites associated with Lawrence and of the countryside in general.
For information on the Society,
contact Mr Leslie Parkes, Treasurer, The D H Lawrence Society, 1 Gorse close, Newthorpe, Nottingham NG16 2BZ.
The Leamington Literary Society
The Society was founded in 1912 and meets on the second
Tuesday of each month in the Royal Pump Rooms in Leamington Spa. the Society aims to advance education of the public
by the study and appreciation of literature, including poetry and drama. To this end, they engage 10 professional speakers
each year and occasionally host a nationally well known literary figure for an extended audience.
For more
information about the Society, contact the Leamington Literary Society, 1 Woodbine Cottages, Woodbine Street, Leamington Spa
CV32 5FI or watkinsmargaret@yahoo.co.uk.
The Wyndham Lewis Society
Wyndham Lewis (1882-1957), British painter
and author. Co-founded the Vorticist avant-garde art movement and edited its journal BLAST. Novels include
Tarr, The Apes of God, and The Human Age.
For information on the Society visit its
website at www.wyndhamlewis.org.
The Katherine Mansfield Society
Katherine Mansfield (1888-1923),
modernist short story writer, diarist and letter writer. An international literary figure who continues to influence
fictional techniques. Mansfield is important within European modernism and is New Zealand's most celebrated writer.
Main works: Bliss and Other Stories; The Garden Party and Other Stories; Journal: Collected Letters; Collected Stories.
This international society was set up in 2008 to promote and encourage the worldwide study and enjoyment of Katherine
Mansfield's writing. Members receive a copy of Katherine Mansfield Studies - the annual jurnal of the Society,
published annually by Edinburgh University Press; 3 e-newsletters a year; regular email news alerts; a comprehensive website
with exclusive member-only resources and daily KM blog; discounted rates for KMS conferences/events.
For further
details on the Society, visit their website at www.katherinemansfieldsociety.org/.
The Marlowe Society
Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593), dramatist, poet,
and translator of the Elizabethan era.
The Marlow Society aims to present Kit Marlowe in his true light as a great
poet and playwright, the innovator of blank verse drama; to encourage the performance of his plays; to discuss and study Elizabethan
and Jacobean literature with particular attention to Marlowe's place in it; and to publish historically valid information
about him based on research. They produce two newsletters annually, and hold various events. For more information
visit www.marlowe-society.org/.
The Martineau Society
The Society was established to foster the collection,
preservation, study and publication in the pubic interest of material relating to the Martineau family of Norwich in the 19th
c. and the princiles of freedom of conscience advocated by Harriet Martineau and her brother, Dr James Martineau.
The main activities of the Society are an annual meeting in July which includes the presentation of papers, local trails
related to the Martineau family, social events and exchanges of information. There is an interest also in collaborating
with other literary societies which have connections to the Martineau family - e.g. the Gaskell and Carlyle Societies.
More information on the Society can be found at www.hmc.ox.ac.uk/MartineauSoc/martineausoc.html.
The John Meade Falkner Society
Born in 1858, the son of a Wiltshire curate,
Meade Falkner spent most of his childhood in Dorchester and Weymouth. From Marlborough College and Hertford College,
Oxford, he joined the huge armaments firm of Armstrong in Newcastle, and ended up as Chairman. He wrote three novels
- The Lost Stradivarius, Moonfleet, The Nebuly Coat; topographical guides; and oetry, dying at his home in Durham
in July 1932.
The Society was established in 1999 on the anniversary of Meade Falkner's birth - 8 May.
Its aim is to promote the appreciation and study of the life, times and works of an author best known as the writer of Moonfleet.
An annual journal, three newsletters and support for buildings associated with Meade Falkner are the main activities.
The main areas of interest are Durham, Newcastle, Oxford, Burford, Dorset and Wiltshire. For more information, visit
www.johnmeadefalknersociety.co.uk.
The Melrose Literary Society
The Society offers stimulating twice-monthly
evening events in a friendly atmosphere in the Ormiston Institute, Melrose, when there is an opportunity to hear published
authors and other speakers give talks on a wide variety of literary topics. For more detail, visit http://www.melrose.bordernet.co.uk/literary-society/ or contact our Secretary, Dr Peter Hoad at peterhoad@aol.com.
The Orwell Society
George Orwell (1903 - 1950) died of tuberculosis
following the publication of Nineteen Eighty Four and was one of the greatest writers of the 20th century.
The Society only came into existence in July 2011 and are therefore feeling their way. Their aim is to be the cohesion
between all supporters of Orwell, informing and guiding through their website and newsletter, both of which are supported
by worldwide scholarship and ordinary readers. For more information, visit their website at www.theorwellsociety.com.
The Wilfred Owen Association
Wilfred Edward Salter Owen (1893-1918),
poet and soldier. Best known works include Dulce Et Decorum Est, Insensibility, Anthem for Doomed Youth, Futility,
Strange Meeting.
The Association promotes the poetry of Wilfred Owen, organises occasional lectures, and publishes
the Wilfred Owen Journal. For more detail of the Association, visit www.1914-18.co.uk/owen/, email swgray@tiscali.co.uk or phone 01323 641520.
The Edith Nesbit Society
Edith Nesbit (1858-1924),
author and poet. She wrote or collaborated on over 60 books of fiction for children. Best known for The Story
of the Treasure Seekers and The Wouldbegoods.
To find out about the Society, contact The Edith Nesbit
Society, 26 Strongbow Road, Eltham, SE9 1DT.
The Elsie Jeanette Oxenham Appreciation Society
and the Abbey Chronicle
Elsie Jeanette Dunkerley (1880-1960), storywriter for girls. Best known
for her Abbey Series of 38 titles.
Find out aboout the Society by visiting sites.google.com/site/ejosociety/.
The Anthony Powell Society
Anthony Dymoke Powell (1905-2000) is best
known for his twelve-volume novel A Dance to the Music of Time, which many scholars and readers consider to be one
of the greatest works of the 20th century; it may also be the longest English language novel written to date. Powell's
other works include two plays, seven further novels, a biography of the 17th century diarist John Aubrey as well as four volumes
of memoirs and three volumes of journals. A prolific liteary critic and book reviewer, Powell worked for a number of
periodicals, including the Daily Telegraph (for which he reviewed for almost 50 yers). Times Literary Supplement,
Punch (where he was Literary Editor in the 1950s) and The Spectator, he published three volumes (the last, posthumously)
of his erudite and incisive literary criticism selected from his work as a reviewer and critic.
Founded following
Powell's death in 2000, the Society's aim is to increase widespread interest in the works of Anthony Powell in a way
which balances the needs of all enthusiasts, including academics and professional literarists. In addition to a biennial
conference, the Society oranises events for members, publishes a quarterly Newsletter, the academic journal Secret Harmonies,
conference proceedings, and Powell-related monographs. It also maintains the Anthony Powell resources website and an
email discussion list.
For more information, visit www.anthonypowell.org or email secretary@anthonypowell.org.
The Powys Society
The Powys Society promotes the writings of John Cowper
Powys (1872-1963), T F Powys (1875-1953), and Llewelyn Powys (1884-1939), through the reading and discussion of their works.
The Society publishes a journal and three newsletters a year. In addition, it organises an annual conference and holds
other occasional meetings. It has also launched a publications programme.
For more information visit www.powys-society.org.
The Priestley Society
John Boynton Priestley (1894-1984), wwriter and
broadcaster. Writings included An English Journey, Man and Time, Bright Days.
Established in Bradford
in 1997, the Society aims to widen the knowledge, understanding and appreciation of Priestley's literary and other published
works, promote the study of his life and career, and the social, cultural and political forces which influenced him; and provide
the members of the Society with opportunities to share experiences and knowledge of his works, life and career. For
more information visit www.jbpriestley-society.com/.
The Barbara Pym Society
Barbara Mary Crampton Pym (1912-1980), born in
Oswestry and graduated from St Hilda's College Oxford. Her comic novels were popular in the 1950s and early 1960s,
but she endured a period 'in the wilderness' before being nominated for the Booker Prize in 1978.
Founded
in 1994, the Society is based at St Hilda's College. It holds an annual conference (August/September) and a Spring
meeting, usually in London. there is a biannual newsletter, Green Leaves. For more information visit
www.barbara-pym.org/.
The Arthur Ransome Society (TARS)
Arthur Mitchell Ransome (1884-1967),
author and journalist. Best known for Swallows and Amazons series of children's books set mostly in the
Lake District and on the Norfolk Broads.
The Society was formed in 1990 to celebrate and promote the life and works
of Arthur Ransome. Its membership is international. It has a regional structure in the UK, supporting local gatherings
and events. there is also a biennial literary weekend. For more information visit www.arthur-ransome.org/.
The Herbert Read of Ryedale Group
Sir Herbert Read, native of Ryedale
in North Yorkshire, distinguished himself as a soldier, pacifist, writer on Art and Literature and poet. He is buried
at St Gregory's Minister at Kirkdale near Kirbymoorside.
The Herbert Read of Ryedale Group started in and around
Kirbymoorside, Helmsley, Pickering and Malton in the summer of 2007. It aims to keep alive, in his home locality, the
memory of this internationally renowned writer, informing visitors to the countryside which he evokes so well. For more
details contact John Dean, c/o Summit Bookshop, 2 Market Place, Kirbymoorside, York YO62 6BB - email johnopenlearning@yahoo.co.uk.
The Romany Society
Romany was the name used by the Rev. George Bramwell
Evans (1884-1943). A Methodist minister and the first great broadcasting naturalist, he was loved by a huge radio audience
in the early 1930s and 1940s, and influenced a generation to appreciate nature. His books and 'Out with Romany'
radio show made him a household name to millions.
The Romany Society was reformed in 1996 with Terry Waite as Patron
and Romany's daughter, Romany Watt, as President. The Society exists to promote and encourage the study and appreciation
of Romany, his life and his works. There are around 300 members in the UK and abroad, and, with the help of Cheshire
East Council, they look after his caravan or 'Vardo' on display in Wilmslow, Cheshire. For more information,
visit www.romanysociety.org.uk/.
The Ruskin Society
John Ruskin (1819 - 1900) was the leading art critic
of Victorian Britain. His writing ranged over a vast number of subjects from art and architecture, through political
economy and social reform, to geology, botany and ecology. His influence reached around the world, with William Morris
and the founders of the welfare state, Tolstoy, Proust and Gandhi all acknowledging a debt to him.
The Ruskin Society
seeks to raise awareness of the life, work and times of the great art critic and social reformer, John Ruskin. Meeting
about four times a year, the calendar of events include an annual birthday dinner, an excursion and illustrated lectures
and talks, mostly in London. For information on the Society, visit their website at www.theruskinsociety.com.
The Mark Rutherford Society
William Hale White (1831-1913), writer and
civil servant. Writings include The Inner Life of the House of Commons, The Autobiography of Mark Rutherford, Mark
Rutherford's Deliverance, The Revolution in Tanner's Lane.
The Society aims to unite all those who
appreciate his work; encourage publishers to make all the Rutherford novels and other writings available in print, produce
a scholarly journal, and hold conferences. For more information on the Society visit www.concentric.net/~Djfrench/mrsociety.htm.
The Malcolm Saville Society
Malcolm Saville (1901-1982) is best known
as an author of children's series fiction but also wrote books about the English countryside. Millions of children
have read Malcolm Saville's adventure stories which are set in real locations which he encouraged his readers to explore
for themselves. His principal works involved The Lone Pine Club - a group of children who form a secret society in wartime
Shropshire.
The Malcolm Saville Society was formed in 1994 and exists to remember the author and to promote awareness
of his work. They organise a number of walking weekends each year plus their Annual Gathering in April. They have
published several books, a dvd of the two films made from his stories as well as their quarterly magazine Acksherley!.
For more detail, visit their website at www.witchend.com.
The Seacroft Community Literature Society
For more detail on this Society
please contact Geraldine Beattie at beattieg1@aol.com.
The Siegfried Sassoon Fellowship
Siegfried Loraine Sassoon (1886-1967),
poet, war hero, critic and memoirist. He became known as a writer of satirical anit-war verse during World War I.
The Fellowship organises events, produces a biannual journal and ebulletins, and offers book discounts. For
information on the Fellowship visit www.sassoonfellowship.org/.
The Shaw Society
George Bernard Shaw was born in Dublin, and moved to
England at the age of twenty. An ardent socialist, Shaw wrote brochures and speeches for the Fabian society, became
a journalist writing music and literary criticism, and went on to write more than sixty plays. He was awarded the Nobel
Prize for Literature in 1925 and won an Oscar in 1938 for the filmed version of his play Pygmalion, later transformed
into the musical My Fair Lady.
The Shaw Society was established in 1941 to discuss and celebrate the life
and works of George Bernard Shaw. Meetings are held in Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, Holborn, London WC1, on the last
Friday of every month, 6.30 to 7 pm, except July, August and December. £4 on the door (£2 for members).
The Shavian is published three times a year, and a playreading group meets on the first Friday of the month - details
from Malcolm Wroe (020 7485 8902). Please visit their website at www.shawsociety.org.uk.
The Shropshire Literary Society
The Society exists to bring together
all those with an interest in literature and to increase and further literary knowledge and appreciation by the sharing of
literary activities. Tribute will also be paid to Shropshire's interesting literary past, present and future.
Members are encourged to be proactive. There are regular meetings in Church Stretton.
Further information
can be obtained from Miss T Thompson, Greta, Sandford Avenue, Church Stretton, Shropshire SY6 7AB (01694 722821).
The Robert Louis Stevenson Club
Robert Louis (Balfour) Stevenson (1850-1894), Scottish
novelist, and essayist. Author of Treasure Island, Kidnapped, Jekyll and Hyde.
The Club was formed
in 1920 to foster interest in Stevenson's life and works. The Club does this today by organising events, outings,
talks and other occasions, issuing its quarterly newsletter and holding an annual lunch. For more information visit www.robert-louis-stevenson.org/index.php or email mail@stevenson-house.co.uk.
The Thackeray Society
William Makepeace Thackeray (1811-1863),
novelist. Works include Vanity Fair, Catherine, The Luck of Barry Lyndon, Pendennis, The Newcomers, The Adventures
of Philip.
For information on the Society contct Robert Proctor, The Reform Club, Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5EW.
The Tennyson Society
Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892), poet. One of
his most famous works was Idylls of the King. He was poet laureate.
The Society promotes the study
and understanding of the life and work of Tennyson. It holds events, lectures, visits, etc. For more information
visit www.tennysonsociety.org.uk/tennyson/.
The Angela Thirkell Society
Angela Margaret Thirkell (1890-1961), novelist.
Granddaughter of Burne-Jones, cousin of Rudyard Kipling and Stanley Baldwin, between 1933 and 1961 she wrote 29 Barsetshire
novels, regarded at the time as popular fiction, but revealing to the modern reader an extraordinary range of references and
allusions ranging from the classics of the ancient world through English literature to topic events of her time, so that they
have now become a valuable source of social history. Wickedly witty, with a range of idiosyncratic characters in the
manner of her beloved dickens, she wrote with impeccable style about a world which in some ways still resembled that of Jane
Austen, and has ceased to exist today. Books include Three Houses (autobiographies), Wild Strawberries,
August Folly, Pomfret Towers, Northbridge Rectory, The Old Bank House, The Duke's Daughter.
Based in the
UK, with a thriving North American branch and members in Australia, where Mrs Thirkell lived in the 1920s, various European
countries, notably Ireland, where the Society was formed in 1980. Annual outing in the UK, AGM in September, regional
UK meetings to discuss the books. To find out more contact penny.aldred@ntlworld.com - or visit their website at www.angelathirkellsociety.com.
The Dylan Thomas Society
Dylan Thomas (1914-1953), influential writer
of poetry. Best known works Fern Hill, Do Not Go Gentle, death Shall Have No Dominion. A considerable
amount of prose and also film scripts, and his most famous 'play for voices' Under Milkwood.
The
Society fosters interest in the work of Dylan Thomas and other Anglo-Welsh writers. Monthly meetings, lectures, readings,
performances, and publications. For more information visit www.dylanthomas.com/. Or contact Sonia Thomas, 4 Bishop's Grove, Swansea SA2 8B - email soniacthomas@hotmail.co.uk.
The Edward Thomas Fellowship
Philip Edward Thomas (1878-1917),
born in Lambeth, educated at St Paul's and Lincoln College Oxford. Wrote biographies, histories, geographical books,
and essays. One book of complete poems, which has never been out of publication since it was first published in 1920.
Married Helen Nobel. Died Arras, Easter Monday 1917.
The Fellowship works to perpetuate the memory of Edward
Thomas and to foster interest in his life and work. It supports the conservation of places and things known to Edward
Thomas and keeps members abreast of relevant literary matters. It also arranges events which extend fellowship.
For information on the Fellowship, please visit their website at www.edward-thomas-fellowship.org.uk.
The Tolkien Society
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973), writer, poet,
philologist. Best known as the author of the high fantasy classic works The Hobbit and The Lord of the
Rings.
The Tolkien Society works to encourage and further interest in the life and works of Tolkien.
Based in the UK and a registered charity, the Society has an international membership which benefits from regular publications
and events. Further details about the Tolkien Society, as well as educational materials for use in schools and colleges,
may be found at the website www.tolkiensociety.org/.
The Sylvia Townsend Warner Society
Sylvia Townsend Warner was known for her
verse, novels, short stories and biogrphy of the novelist T H White. In the 1970s she became known as a significant
writer of feminist or lesbian sentiment.
The Society was launched in 2000 and its main aim is to promote a wide
readership for and a better understanding of her writings. For more information visit their website at www.townsendwarner.com/.
The Traherne Association
Thomas Traherne was born in Hereford c.
1637, living through the civil war. He became Rector of Credenhill, 5 miles north west of Hereford in 1657, and wrote
extensive works of poetry and prose. At their heart was love, the fountain of all happiness, peace and security!
The Association normally holds an annual Traherne Festival, during the weekend of Trinity Sunday. It also
aranges a Traherne Lecture on the evening of October 10 each year. It publishes a newsletter four times a year, exploring
the relevance of Traherne's thought for today. For more detail, contact Hilary Rosankiewicz at hilary.jackson@talktalk.net, or visit www.thomastraherneassociation.org.
The Trollope Society
Anthony Trollope (1815-1882), novelist. Best
known for The Chronicles of Barsetshire.
The Society has an international membership and promotes and
publishes the works of Trollope. It produces a quarterly journal, and runs a wide range of events. It also encourages
local seminar groups. For more information visit www.trollopesociety.org/.
The Walmsley Society
Leo Walmsley (1892-1966) best known for his Bramblewick
books, immortalisng the local fishing community and Robin Hood's Bay.
The Society produces regular newsletters
and two journals annually. They also hold meetings. Find out more about the Society by visiting www.walmsleysoc.org.
The Izaak Walton Cottage Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America
Izaak
Walton's life - born in Stafford in 1593, and died in Winchester in 1683 - spanned the Tudors, Stuarts and the Commonwealth.
His most famous work The Compleat Angler (1653) is a paean to a peaceful England where people and nature are in harmony.
His five Lives are the first recognisable biographies in the English language.
The Izaak Walton Cottage
Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America serves as the equivalent of the Friends of Izaak Walton's Cottage, four
miles from Stafford in Shallowford. The parent IWLA is a conservation organisation; our Chapter also focuses on Walton
the man and author, principally through our newsletter. For more information, go to http://www.iwla.org/.
The Evelyn Waugh Society
Arthur Evelyn St John Waugh (1903-1966),
English writer and acclaimed prose stylist whose novels include Decline and Fall, Vile Bodies, Scoop, A Handful of Dust,
The Loved One, Brideshead Revisited, The Sword of Honour trilogy.
Founded in 2005, the Society promotes interest
in the life and works of Evelyn Waugh, widely regarded as one of the 20th century's greatest novelists. The Society's
publications, events and email discussion list provide a resource for Waugh enthusiasts, students, researchers, and collectors
throughout the world. To learn more about Evelyn Waugh and the Society, please visit www.evelynwaughsociety.org.
The Mary Webb Society
Mary Webb (1881-1927), Shropshire poet and novelist.
Works include Gone to Earth from which a film was later made, and Precious Bane, later dramatised by the
BBC.
The Society was established in 1972. Its aims are to honour the memory of Mary Webb, to further the
reading and appreciation of her works and to foster appreciation of the Mary Webb countryside. The Society plans a programme
of four events a year. These include a birthday lunch and summer school which provides lectures, tours and entertainment.
Events are held at various Shropshire locations. For more information visit the Society's website at www.marywebbsociety.co.uk.
The H G Wells Society
Herbert George Wells (1866-1946), writer.
Works include The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds, The Invisible Man, The First Men in the Moon, The Island of Dr
Moreau.
Founded in 1960, the Society has an international membership and aims to promote a widespread interest
in the life, work and thought of Wells. It publishes an annual journal, The Wellsian, and issues a biannual
newsletter. There is also a weekend conference each year. To find out more visit www.hgwellsusa.50megs.com/.
The Oscar Wilde Society
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) is appreciated around
the world as the writer of some of the wittiest plays in the English language. In addition, he wrote engaging children's
stories, a novel which has given us one of the most enduring archetypes in Dorian Gray, and powerful writings inspired by
his time in prison. His life was as varied and colourful as his writings.
The Oscar Wilde Society, founded
in 1990, is a literary society devoted to the congenial appreciation of Oscar Wilde. It organises lectures, readings
and discussions about Wilde and his works, and visits to places associated with him. The Society's Journal of Oscar
Wilde Studies, The Wildean, is published twice a year and Intentions, the Society's newsletter, is published
six times a year. For more information visit www.oscarwildesociety.co.uk.
The Friends of Alfred Williams
Alfred Williams (1877-1930), poet, author,
historian, linguist, naturalist, folk song collector, philosopher and scholar.
For more detail visit the website
at www.alfredwilliams.org.uk.
The Charles Williams Society
Charles Walter Stansby Williams (1886-1945),
poet, novelist, theologian and literary critic. Works include Taliessin Through Logres, War in Heaven, The Figure
of Beatrice. A leading member of The Inklings.
The society exists to encourage the study and appreciation
of Williams' life and writings. It meets twice a year (once in Oxford and once in London), publishes the Charles
Williams Quarterly, organises occasional residential conferences, and maintains lending and reference libraries.
It has an international membership. For more information visit www.charleswilliamssociety.org.uk.
The P G Wodehouse Society
Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse (1881-1975),
writer of over 70 humorous novels and 200 short stories. Also wrote lyrics for musical comedies, working with such composers
as Jerome Kern, George Gershwin, Ivor Novello, and Cole Porter.
The Society exists to promote enjoyment of the
work of the greatest humorous writer of the 20th c. the programme of events includes regular social evenings, cricket
matches, dinners and talks. There is a quarterly journal Wooster Sauce. To find out more visit www.pgwodehousesociety.org.uk/.
The Parson Woodforde Society
James Woodforde, clergyman, best known as the
author of The Diary of a Country Parson.
Founded in 1968, the Society aims to extend and develop knowledge
of his life and the society in which he lives, and to provide an opportunity for fellow enthusiasts to meet together.
For more information visit www.parsonwoodforde.org.uk.
The Virginia Woolf Society of Great Britain
Virginia Adeline Woolf (1882-1941),
novelist and essayist. Works include Mrs Dalloway, To the Lighthouse, Orlando, A Room of One's Own.
Formed in 1998, the Society aims to raise the profile of Woolf and promote the reading and discussion of her works.
To find out more visit www.virginiawoolfsociety.org.uk/.
The Charlotte M Yonge Fellowship
Charlotte M Yonge (1823-1901), writer,
best known for The Heir of Redclyffe.
The Fellowship produces The Review year, holds meetings
and has a loan collection of books and photocopies. To find out more visit www.cmyf.org.uk/.
The Francis Brett Young Society
Francis Brett Young (1884-1954), regional
novelist of Birmingham, the Black Country and its green borderlands. also wrote poetry, short stories, drama, non-fiction
and music.
The Society exists to dvance the education of the pubic on all matters relating to Francis Brett Young
- through publications (twice yearly journal; occasinal books and papers), meetings, outings, exhibitions and readings.
For more information visit www.fbysociety.co.uk or emailmailto:michael.hall10@gmail.com.
The Emile Zola Society
Emile Zola (1840-1902) is a towering literry figure
of the 19th c. His literary achievement is his twenty volume novel cycle, Les Rougon-Macquart, combining a
novelist's skills with those of a journalist to examine the social, sexual and moral landscape of Second Empire France.
In 1898, he crowned his literary career with a political act, J'Accuse, his famous open letter to the President
of the French Republic, in defence of Alfred Dreyfus.
Founded in 1991, the Emile Zola Society offers friendly and
well-informed contacts for members who are interested in Emile Zola, his life, works and times. They meet regularly
for talks and discussins (in English) on Zola and his contemporaries, on films based on his novels, fin-de-siecle Paris, impressionist
painters, etc. They organise visits to places of interest, and publish an annual Bulletin including articles, reviews
and details of their activities such as their highly enjoyable annual dinner 'Avec Zola a table'. Following
their International Conference in Aix en Provence they published a selection of papers Visages de la Provence (Emile
Zola Society, 2008) which is available from them. For more information go to www.emilezolasocietylondon.org.uk
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