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The Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies, 1910–60

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 September 2012

Extract

The events which led up to the formation of the Society are recorded in the history of the Hellenic Society written by Mr. George Macmillan and published with the Jubilee issue of the Hellenic Journal in 1929. We read that Dr. Ashby, Director of the British School at Rome, in the Session 1908–9, sent a memorandum to the Council of the Hellenic Society requesting it to approve the making of a grant comparable with that made to the British School at Athens. The Hellenic Society, unable to meet this request, recommended, on the advice of a special committee, that members of the Hellenic Society, the Classical Association and other bodies should be asked to approve the inclusion of Latin studies in the purview of the Hellenic Society with a corresponding increase in its annual subscription, or alternately, to support some other scheme which could command adequate financial support. The great majority replied that they were in favour of the creation of a new Society on the lines of the Hellenic Society, but for the promotion of Roman studies, and this solution was endorsed at a joint conference of the Hellenic Society, the British School at Rome and the Classical Association. The Hellenic Society most generously undertook to work in harmony and collaboration with the new Society and to offer it access to the Library, with the same facilities for borrowing books and slides as those enjoyed by its own members.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © M. V. Taylor 1960. Exclusive Licence to Publish: The Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies

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References

1 The sponsors of the meeting besides Professor Gardner, Mr. Macmillan and Mr. Penoyre were F. Haverfield, Camden Professor of Ancient History at Oxford, J. S. Reid, Professor of Ancient History at Cambridge, A. H. Smith, Librarian of the Hellenic Society, G. H. Hallam, for the Classical Association, and G. F. Hill, of the British Museum, cf. JRS I, 227.

2 Originally the proposal was to make the limiting date the end of the Middle Ages.

3 The Earl of Cromer, Mr. A. J. Evans, Sir A. Geikie, Dr. Kenyon, Professor Mackail, Dr. Ashby, Dr. T. Rice Holmes, Mr. A. H. Smith, Mr. St. Clair Baddeley, Mr. G. F. Hill, Mr. St. John Hope, Assistant Secretary to the Society of Antiquaries, and Mr. H. B. Walters were its members.

4 Both were issued with vol. 1 of the Journal.

5 An Editorial Committee for the Journal, to direct its policy and advise the Editor, was now appointed, consisting of Professor Haverfield, Professor J. S. Reid, Dr. Stuart Jones and Dr. George Macdonald.

6 All subsequent open meetings were held in these Rooms, by the courtesy of the Society of Antiquaries, until the removal in 1958 from 50 Bedford Square to 31–34 Gordon Square.

7 Thereafter triennial meetings were held to fix the amount of the Roman Society's contribution.

8 See an article in JRS I by Mrs. Strong, who criticized the small part taken by Britain in the exhibition, but the Society so recently formed had no time to get together more than a few casts. For the scheme see JRS III, 336; IV, 247.

9 See Haverfield, F. and Jones, H. Stuart in JRS II, 121152Google Scholar.

10 After that, not I hope the deluge but a smaller Journal, unless further help is forthcoming. After these words were written a letter came from the British Academy announcing that the generosity of All Souls College, Oxford, enabled the Academy to continue grants in some measure for a further period of three years and inviting an application.

11 The original term was for five years; this was reduced in 1931 to three years and lengthened in 1951 to a period not exceeding five years if so desired.

12 Though Miss Waugh's tenure of office was brief (only five years), it covered a difficult period of change and the Society remains deeply in her debt and regrets her departure. It welcomes Mrs. Gilbert.

13 The two Secretaries preceding her had used their own quarters for the Society's work.

14 We would also wish to acknowledge the constant co-operation, courtesy and skill of the printers, Messrs. Stephen Austin and Sons, Ltd., of Hertford, who have produced the Journal. They succeeded Messrs. Hunt Barnard and Co., of Aylesbury, in 1939.

15 A letter dated 25th November, 1924, from Mr. C. P. Duff on behalf of Mr. Stanley Baldwin, in reply to the Society's congratulation when he became Prime Minister says ' what a real encouragement it is to him to feel that he has such support’. Classical bodies do not usually carry much weight with governments or their heads.