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
https://www.burgon.org.uk
Peter A. Thompson’s article on wearing academic hoods ‘in quire’ uses as a foundation the portrait collection of the archbishops of Armagh, evidence of past practice and evolving custom. Which hoods were worn when? Should a hood should be worn with the chimere?
newprairiepress.org/burgonsociet...
newprairiepress.org/burgonsociet...
December 1, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Peter A. Thompson’s article on wearing academic hoods ‘in quire’ uses as a foundation the portrait collection of the archbishops of Armagh, evidence of past practice and evolving custom. Which hoods were worn when? Should a hood should be worn with the chimere?
newprairiepress.org/burgonsociet...
newprairiepress.org/burgonsociet...
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
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...
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
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.
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
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...
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...
newprairiepress.org/burgonsociet...
![On 14 March 1879, Kate Milligan Edger became the first woman in the British Empire entitled to wear an academic hood trimmed with fur. The hood in question, a BA from the relatively new University of New Zealand, was a black Cambridge full shape [f1], lined with pink silk (denoting Arts) and bordered with white fur (denoting a bachelor’s degree).](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4yktcbvnm65zeioail5h3b7x/bafkreihzjpdyhjdjurm6v7nfu24yks2y65a7cecohdsu3bgiswamghq6bm@jpeg)
November 9, 2025 at 11:18 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...
newprairiepress.org/burgonsociet...
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
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.
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
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/
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 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?
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
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.
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
There’s time for tea before the twenty-fifth Congregation starts in the Great Hall of The Charterhouse in London.
If you haven’t joined yet, you’re welcome to back issues at newprairiepress.org/burgonsociety/
Can’t wait to read the newest academic dress research? Become a member of the Society at burgon.org.uk/join-us
Can’t wait to read the newest academic dress research? Become a member of the Society at burgon.org.uk/join-us
October 21, 2025 at 1:10 PM
If you haven’t joined yet, you’re welcome to back issues at newprairiepress.org/burgonsociety/
Can’t wait to read the newest academic dress research? Become a member of the Society at burgon.org.uk/join-us
Can’t wait to read the newest academic dress research? Become a member of the Society at burgon.org.uk/join-us
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
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....
Absolutely! The Burgon Society is part of the open access movement. Dive in at newprairiepress.org/burgonsociety/
October 20, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Absolutely! The Burgon Society is part of the open access movement. Dive in at newprairiepress.org/burgonsociety/
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
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.
Burgon founding Fellow and former Dean of Studies Prof. Bruce Christianson was invested as a Fellow of the University of Hertfordshire at St Albans Cathedral on 2 September 2025.
Heres a photo of Bruce receiving the Fellowship from the Pro Vice Chancellor, with a view of the University mace too.
Heres a photo of Bruce receiving the Fellowship from the Pro Vice Chancellor, with a view of the University mace too.
September 28, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Burgon founding Fellow and former Dean of Studies Prof. Bruce Christianson was invested as a Fellow of the University of Hertfordshire at St Albans Cathedral on 2 September 2025.
Heres a photo of Bruce receiving the Fellowship from the Pro Vice Chancellor, with a view of the University mace too.
Heres a photo of Bruce receiving the Fellowship from the Pro Vice Chancellor, with a view of the University mace too.
There’s still time to book in for our annual Congregation on Saturday 11 October, in Charterhouse in London. Another reason to join us: Seats remain for the dinner on Saturday evening at the Café du Marché.
Need an even better reason? Wear your festal dress in the afternoon!
burgon.org.uk/events
Need an even better reason? Wear your festal dress in the afternoon!
burgon.org.uk/events
September 22, 2025 at 5:12 PM
There’s still time to book in for our annual Congregation on Saturday 11 October, in Charterhouse in London. Another reason to join us: Seats remain for the dinner on Saturday evening at the Café du Marché.
Need an even better reason? Wear your festal dress in the afternoon!
burgon.org.uk/events
Need an even better reason? Wear your festal dress in the afternoon!
burgon.org.uk/events
We have a full line-up of ceremony and research presentations set for our 25th anniversary Congregation. Interested in learning about academic dress and how the Burgon Society promotes its discoveries? Join us at Charterhouse in London on 11 October. burgon.org.uk/latest-news/...
September 6, 2025 at 10:57 AM
We have a full line-up of ceremony and research presentations set for our 25th anniversary Congregation. Interested in learning about academic dress and how the Burgon Society promotes its discoveries? Join us at Charterhouse in London on 11 October. burgon.org.uk/latest-news/...
Burgon Society Founding Fellow Bruce Christianson will become a Fellow of the Univ. of Hertfordshire on Sept. 2. The award, for ‘service to the university’, also honors his help designing its academic dress, entitling him to wear a robe of his own design. Watch live: www.herts.ac.uk/graduation/o...
![The University of Hertfordshire Fellows’ robe is grey [d4] faced purple & white.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4yktcbvnm65zeioail5h3b7x/bafkreiefofylob3da3vwozrxzzjuwerl6zaawgfzu5wn2rzlodui66hyeu@jpeg)
August 26, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Burgon Society Founding Fellow Bruce Christianson will become a Fellow of the Univ. of Hertfordshire on Sept. 2. The award, for ‘service to the university’, also honors his help designing its academic dress, entitling him to wear a robe of his own design. Watch live: www.herts.ac.uk/graduation/o...
At the Yale Center for British Art during our Colloquium this month, the Society’s Chairman, Dr Andrew Hogg, poses with the ‘Reverend Dr. Charles Symmons’, 1794. Oddly, he wears a hood with his Oxford DD robes. Why? Find out in a future Burgon Notes.
collections.britishart.yale.edu/catalog/tms:...
collections.britishart.yale.edu/catalog/tms:...
August 24, 2025 at 9:55 PM
At the Yale Center for British Art during our Colloquium this month, the Society’s Chairman, Dr Andrew Hogg, poses with the ‘Reverend Dr. Charles Symmons’, 1794. Oddly, he wears a hood with his Oxford DD robes. Why? Find out in a future Burgon Notes.
collections.britishart.yale.edu/catalog/tms:...
collections.britishart.yale.edu/catalog/tms:...
From our North American colloquium, a little treasure in the Yale archives at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library: A pamphlet from the robemaker C. E. Ward of New London, Ohio. It’s a four-colour, die-cut item that unfolds to reveal its gowns, hoods and caps on offer. @yaleisp.bsky.social
August 15, 2025 at 2:30 PM
From our North American colloquium, a little treasure in the Yale archives at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library: A pamphlet from the robemaker C. E. Ward of New London, Ohio. It’s a four-colour, die-cut item that unfolds to reveal its gowns, hoods and caps on offer. @yaleisp.bsky.social
At the North American Colloquium earlier this month, Jayne Ball, Michael P. Kolcun, Ashley Cale, and Jonathan Cooper view historic volumes at Yale’s Beinecke Rare Books Library. The archivists pulled some wonderful photos and ephemera from the university’s collection for us. @yaleisp.bsky.social
August 12, 2025 at 12:08 PM
At the North American Colloquium earlier this month, Jayne Ball, Michael P. Kolcun, Ashley Cale, and Jonathan Cooper view historic volumes at Yale’s Beinecke Rare Books Library. The archivists pulled some wonderful photos and ephemera from the university’s collection for us. @yaleisp.bsky.social
Quite a find: An original fanfold copy of The Costumes of the Members of the University of Oxford, by Nathaniel Whittock c. 1840, at the Yale Center for British Art. Viewed at our third North American Colloquium in New Haven this morning. @oxfordhistory.bsky.social @ox.ac.uk @yalebooks.bsky.social
August 1, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Quite a find: An original fanfold copy of The Costumes of the Members of the University of Oxford, by Nathaniel Whittock c. 1840, at the Yale Center for British Art. Viewed at our third North American Colloquium in New Haven this morning. @oxfordhistory.bsky.social @ox.ac.uk @yalebooks.bsky.social
Our next colloquium speaker, Ashley Cale, shared her visual history collages using Yale academic dress. Here, Cyrus Spotswood Shippen, Class of 1894, superimposed on images of a topographic chart, a landscape painting, and Black students in a lab. We were hosted by the Yale Center for British Art.
August 1, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Our next colloquium speaker, Ashley Cale, shared her visual history collages using Yale academic dress. Here, Cyrus Spotswood Shippen, Class of 1894, superimposed on images of a topographic chart, a landscape painting, and Black students in a lab. We were hosted by the Yale Center for British Art.
At the Yale Center for British Art, Michael Kolčun describes the development of academic dress at Sewanee during out colloquium this morning. The Sewanee system predates the US Code, and always resisted it. @yalepress.bsky.social
August 1, 2025 at 9:23 PM
At the Yale Center for British Art, Michael Kolčun describes the development of academic dress at Sewanee during out colloquium this morning. The Sewanee system predates the US Code, and always resisted it. @yalepress.bsky.social
Bon voyage to travelers headed to New Haven today for our colloquium tomorrow. We’ll meet tonight to say hi over drinks in the Old Heidelberg Pub in the Graduate by Hilton. Looking for something to read on the plane? How about: newprairiepress.org/burgonsociet... The Code lasted from 1895 to 2022.
July 31, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Bon voyage to travelers headed to New Haven today for our colloquium tomorrow. We’ll meet tonight to say hi over drinks in the Old Heidelberg Pub in the Graduate by Hilton. Looking for something to read on the plane? How about: newprairiepress.org/burgonsociet... The Code lasted from 1895 to 2022.