The Burgon Society
banner
burgonsociety.bsky.social
The Burgon Society
@burgonsociety.bsky.social
Membership society, academic research publishers, and charity for the study of academic dress: history, design, and use. Universities. Robes. Regalia. Graduation. Cap & gown. Join us 🎓

https://www.burgon.org.uk
Reposted by The Burgon Society
Here's a #HigherEducationPostcard of Taxila, Pakistan, one of the earliest sites of higher education in the world, active from the 5th century before the common era

If you like this image, please retweet it - remember, BlueSky has #NoAlgorithm
November 27, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Reposted by The Burgon Society
Brother Gregor never spoke and often spooked the neophytes with his appearance, but he was a gentle soul and a phenomenal cook and knew more ways to prepare a fish than the abbot knew hymns
November 11, 2025 at 4:05 PM
The question of hood etiquette in choirs has always been something of a contentious one. Regardless of what the Canons say, tradition and opinion still seem to win out in most cases. Samuel Teague’s article on hoods in Oxford collegiate choirs is now available: newprairiepress.org/burgonsociet...
November 25, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Let’s take a look, Fellows: Whose hoods do you see?
All the best to our graduates who graduated last week!

I am surprised how the same degree information leads to very different hoods being picked for me.

As I have no clue (evident by how I wear some 😅), any pointers to what they are, are welcome!

#Gown #AcademicDress
@burgonsociety.bsky.social
November 24, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Philip Goff, a founding Fellow of the Burgon Society, was honored by the University of London on its Founding Day and visited with the university’s Chancellor, The Princess Royal.
November 23, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Which knot would you suggest for tying a tassel to a trencher? Or holding a hood in place so it doesn’t ride up your throat and choke you?
November 18, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Undergraduates in cap and gown are a rare sight today. Yet in the UK, over 30 universities prescribe it for students. Find out more in Edward Teather’s article on The History of Undergraduate Academical Dress in Britain’s Modern Universities since 1880, now at newprairiepress.org/burgonsociet...
November 17, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Now online: The first woman in the British Empire entitled to wear a hood trimmed with fur was in New Zealand in 1879. Bruce Christianson, Philip Goff, and the late Nicholas Groves tell her story in Furred Hoods with Silk Linings from the Late 19th Century.
newprairiepress.org/burgonsociet...
November 9, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Looks as though we won’t have to worry about AI taking historians’ jobs any time soon.
bsky.app/profile/stev...
When I got the email, I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry:
“Our AI turned your paper ‘King’s Crowns: The’ into a shareable comic. ”
Here’s 24,000 words turned into four panels, including a reference to Nork City and the year 17605. Cf. newprairiepress.org/burgonsociet...
November 8, 2025 at 1:44 PM
We Fellows are preponderantly fellows, but not entirely! That makes us a rarity for a costume society, most of whose members are women. We would very happily welcome you into our ranks.
An idle question: are the Fellows all fellows?
October 30, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Finally, after a day of inducting Fellows, hearing from the President, learning from research presentations, and lunch, the Burgon Society heads to a dinner at Café du Marché to celebrate its twenty-fifth anniversary.
October 29, 2025 at 2:39 PM
An update on the continued growth of online readership of Transactions of the Burgon Society from the editor, Stephen Wolgast, at The Charterhouse, London, on 11 October. Find articles at newprairiepress.org/burgonsociety/
October 27, 2025 at 2:40 AM
After a group photo, Fellows and members of the Burgon Society return to the Great Hall of The Charterhouse for the afternoon session on Saturday, 11 October, in London. Most of the hoods are the Society’s Fellow’s hood. How many others can you name?
October 24, 2025 at 12:52 PM
After Congregation and before the afternoon presentations on 11 October, the Master of The Charterhouse, Peter Aiers, OBE (left), leads a tour of the cloisters.
October 23, 2025 at 12:28 PM
There’s time for tea before the twenty-fifth Congregation starts in the Great Hall of The Charterhouse in London.
October 22, 2025 at 2:02 AM
Out now for members: Volume 24 of Transactions of the Burgon Society. This year’s articles cover academic dress in the Royal College of Music, Israel, King’s College London, Aotearoa New Zealand, and Australia. Members can access it at burgon.org.uk/research/tra....
October 21, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Reposted by The Burgon Society
A warm welcome to all our new students who matriculated this weekend!
October 20, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Absolutely! The Burgon Society is part of the open access movement. Dive in at newprairiepress.org/burgonsociety/
October 20, 2025 at 1:23 PM
At the Society’s twenty-fifth anniversary Congregation last week, Dr Jonathan Cooper, right, Dean of Studies, introduces Edward Teather, standing left, for Fellowship, for his paper on the history of undergraduate academical dress in Britain’s modern universities since 1880.
October 20, 2025 at 2:36 AM
Reposted by The Burgon Society
Happy matriculation to all our new students 🌟

Matriculation is when students are formally admitted as members of the University.

Here are our new matriculants at @jesuscollegecam.bsky.social, wearing their formal gowns for the first time.

📸 Lloyd Mann
September 30, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Reposted by The Burgon Society
Oriel College, Oxford
September 29, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Reposted by The Burgon Society
A fine autumn morning in Cambridge.
September 22, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Reposted by The Burgon Society
What a great idea!
Every exhibition needs a touchable wall of fabrics like this one!
September 29, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Quite the liripipe on his hood (left image); does that hood have ear holes too?
Today's marginal #musician is playing the #bagpipes.
From a #15thCentury history of #Troy.
Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana Pal.Lat.1962

#marginaliamonday #manuscriptmonday #illuminatedmanuscript #earlymusic
September 29, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Reposted by The Burgon Society
Call for applications! 📣

The German Historical Institute London is seeking a Research Associate with a particular research interest in medieval history (with a focus on late medieval English history) for a part-time project position to start on 1 February 2026. 🤝
1/3
September 29, 2025 at 9:00 AM