Cotmania. Vol. VI. 1930-31

HISTORICAL RESEARCH-
REVIEW BY SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES
The St. Georges's Day Anniversary meeting of the Society of Antiquaries was held last evening in Burlington House, and the follow­ing were re-elected officers for the ensuing year: —
President. Mr. C. R. Peers; treasurer, Mr.
William Minet; director, Mr. Reginald A.
Smith; secretary. Mr. A. W. Clapham. The
Fellows elected to the council of the society
were: —
Mr. R. C. Bosanquet. the Dean of Norwich. Mr. H. W.
Fincham. Mr. Arthur Gardner. Dr. G. F. Hill. Mr.
Robert Holland-Martin. Mr. S. D. Kitson. Mr. W. G.
Klein. Brigadier-General Fane Lambarde. Mr. E. Thurlow
Leeds. Mr. J. G. Mann. Dr. T. Davies Pryce. Mr. R.
Garraway Rice. Mr. Harold Sands. Mr. E. Reginald
Taylor, Mr. Earnest Woolley. and Mr. Sidney Toy.
In his address, the PRESIDENT reviewed the
activities of the society for the pant year,
including the first season of excavations at
St. Albans and Colchester, and the ninth season
at Richborough. The present moment, said
Mr. Peers, seemed particularly favourable to
historical studies: the recommendations of the
Royal Commission on the Museums had
already been partially carried out, but the
report of this commission had emphasized the
extent of obligation which was owed to the
generosity and good will of private benefactors.
The marked success of the National Art-
Collections Fund had suggested the formation
of similar bodies, often in the support, of a
single institution only, but a project which
might appeal with special force to the society
was the society called the Friends of the
National Libraries. Historical manuscripts
were in considerable danger; for while their
rich relations, the illuminated manuscripts,
carried their own recommendation on their
pages, it was the exception for an old document, stained with age, to command respect
fronm the casual observer. The Instiitute of
Historical Research was engaged on a census
of such documents, and tlie British Record
Society was aiming at co-ordinating their care.
Mr. Peers proposed the creation of a
gold medal for archaeological research, not
necessarily confined to members of the society
or even to British subjects. George IV., it
appeared, had offered the society to provide
two medals annually, each of the value of
50 guineas, but the records of the society were
silent on the results of this offer.