The Byron Society

As recorded is our last report we began the celebration of the bicentenary of this momentous Byron year when we were privileged to be present, at the kind invitation of the Earl of Lytton, in the House of Lords when the Earl read his ancestor’s Maiden Speech. We were joined on this occasion by members of the Irish Byron Society and the whole evening was voted a great success.

We then concentrated our energies on organising the Symposium ‘Byron in 1812’ held at the Kingsway Hall Hotel, Covent Garden, London in September. We welcomed a galaxy of eminent speakers who covered all aspects of Byron and 1812 – his poetry, politics, the theatre, his long association with John Murray and his relationship with his fellow Romantics. On the Monday evening we had the great pleasure of visiting John Murray’s in Albemarle Street at the kind invitation of John and Virginia who had mounted a special exhibition of Byron artefacts for us to enjoy. On Tuesday we went to Melbourne House (Scotland Office) by the gracious invitation of the Secretary of State for Scotland. Alison Skilbeck and Edward McLiam gave us readings from Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage after which we were given a special tour of the house – a great privilege. On Thursday evening we had a dinner at Old Hall, Lincoln’s Inn, made possible by one of our members who is a barrister. We started the evening with drinks in the crypt when a raffle of various Byron items were offered, after which we went up into the Old Hall before dinner, where Geoffrey Bond, Vice President, spoke on the subject of ‘Byron in Chancery’, followed by a short speech by Chariman, Kenneth Robbie. On Friday morning we visited Kensall Green cemetery where Lady Byron is buried and Byron’s sister Augusta is interred with her husband in the catacombs. The tour was followed by a buffet lunch in the Dissenters’ Chapel. The Symposium was greatly enjoyed by all who attended, not only from The Byron Society, but also from the Irish, American and French societies.

In October we held our Annual General Meeting at the Naval Club, which was followed by tributes to Derek Wise, Vice President and past Chairman, who died in June. There were many warm and affectionate remembrances paid to Derek whose wit and deep knowledge of Byron will be greatly missed.

This year also saw the addition of a Green Plaque on the side of the John Lewis department store, Holles Street, Oxford Street, London, W1, to commemorate the site of Byron’s birthplace in 1788 [see front cover of this issue]. The President and Officers were invited to attend the ceremony, which was sponsored by John Lewis, and the plaque was officially unveiled by Lord Byron, The Lord of Westminster, Councillor Angela Harvey and the Managing Director of John Lewis, Mr Simon Fowler. This splendid event was also attended by Lady Byron, the Hon. Emily Byron and Lord Wilfrid Lytton, son of the Earl of Lytton. Anyone in London should make the effort to see this special plaque.

In November a public lecture held by The Byron Society and the Institute of English Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London was given at Senate House by Professor Jonathan Bate, who spoke on ‘Byron and the Age of Sensation’. The meeting was chaired by Mr William St. Clair, Vice President, and was well attended and enthusiastically received.

In December we had our Christmas lunch, chaired by Mr Kenneth Robbie, at the Naval Club, when we had the pleasure of welcoming Mr Kenneth Purslow of the Newstead Abbey Byron Society, who spoke on ‘Byron and the Nottingham Luddites’. Lord Byron opened questions and this immensely interesting talk prompted much discussion. The vote of thanks was given by Mrs Rosemarie Rowley, President of the Irish Byron Society and the lunch, deemed a great success, properly brought a close to the celebrations of ‘Byron in 1812’.