News and Events

Richard III Society

Leicestershire Branch

THURSDAY MAY 15th 2025

Branch Annual General Meeting

All meetings are held at the Richard III Visitor Centre, 4A St. Martins, Leicester. LE1 5DB commencing at 7pm unless otherwise stated. Meetings are free to branch members, but visitors are requested to donate £3 towards the expenses of the meeting.

The Leicestershire Branch of the Richard III Society presents

THURSDAY DECEMBER 12th 2024

A Meal at Taste Restaurant – A three course meal and coffee is booked for 7pm at 'Taste', Leicester College, Freemen’s Park Campus, Aylestone Road, Leicester. LE2 7LW.

THURSDAY MARCH 20th 2025

NO MEETINGS ARE HELD IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY

Why Maps Matter: Discovering Medieval Leicester and the Greyfriars Legacy – Grahame Appleby will explain how we use maps to inform our understanding of a place and why the scheduling of Greyfriars preserves more than the original burial place of Richard III.

Further details can be obtained from the Branch Secretary (see Contact Page).

The Wars of the Roses and the Sengoku Jidai – Joe Robey will tell us about some of the striking similarities between the Wars of the Roses and the Period of Constant Unrest in Japan. He will also reference the contrasts and similarities between Europe’s knights and Japan’s samurai. This is the delayed talk from July 2023.

THURSDAY JUNE 20th 2024

THURSDAY JULY 18th 2024

Leicester Cathedral Revealed – the construction of Leicester Cathedral’s new Heritage and Learning Centre has revealed a snapshot of life in Leicester over the past 2000 years. Mathew Morris will take us on an archaeological journey through time, revealing the lives of the people of St. Martin’s parish and the significance for the story of Leicester.

NO MEETINGS ARE HELD IN AUGUST

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 19th 2024

The First British Military Surgeon – William Hobbes was the first Sergeant Surgeon (Chief Military Surgeon) in our history, court physician to Edward IV and Richard III, and a rarity in that he was a university-educated physician who was also a surgeon. There are also questions about how much he knew of Richard III’s hidden scoliosis, as well as Hobbes’ scandalous personal life! Discover his intriguing life and times in this talk by Stuart Orme.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 17th 2024

Medieval Kings’ Tombs - 1307-1485 – this is part II of the fascinating, illustrated talk given by Caroline Wright last year. Caroline will discuss the locations of the tombs, their style and decoration and the ceremonies involved in burying kings during the Hundred Years War and the Wars of the Roses.

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 21st 2024

Every Picture tells a Story (How artists hid stories in their paintings) – a welcome return by Eddie Smallwood who will enlighten us on the hidden symbolism put into certain images by the artists. Sometimes paintings were used as a way of telling stories, while others were pieces of propaganda. You may be familiar with some of the pictures, but are you aware of the stories behind them?

Pilgrimages – Some people went on pilgrimages to ask forgiveness for their sins, others to pray for fertility and some sites were purported to have healing powers. Pilgrimages were also big business as inns were needed to accommodate travellers and naturally there was always the opportunity to purchase holy relics. Peter Liddle will tell us the story of medieval pilgrimages.

Programme of speakers 2024/25