- Royal Society of St George
The Royal Society of St George is an English patriotic society established in
1894 to encourage interest in the English way of life, and English customs andtraditions . It operates from offices inFolkestone ,Kent .History
In
1415 St. George became thePatron Saint of England after the English soldiers fighting under the command of King Henry V had beaten the French at theBattle of Agincourt . Ever since then, St George has been the patriotic rallying point for theEnglish people .Howard Ruff was the founder in 1894 and the first Honorary Secretary of the Royal Society of St. George. In 1900 he gave up farming to devote his time exclusively to the Society.Obituary: Mr Howard Ruff. "
The Times ", 2 November 1928.] The Society's first Royal Patron was Queen Victoria - each monarch since has been the patron of the Society.The Society is incoporated by a
Royal Charter which was presented by Queen Elizabeth II in 1963 and has its own Armorial Bearings granted underLetters Patent in 1990 and also now has members and branches around the world.The Society's role today
Today the Society considers itself as the standard bearer of traditional English values, both at home and abroad. Of itself, the Society says, our
The Society's objects
The objects are specified in the terms of its Royal Charter:
*To foster the love of England and to strengthen England and the Commonwealth by spreading the knowledge of
English history , traditions and ideals.
*To keep fresh the memory of those in all walks of life, who have served England or the Commonwealth in the past, to inspire leadership in the future.
*To combat all activities to undermine the strength of England or the Commonwealth.
*To furtherEnglish interest everywhere to ensure thatSt. George's Day is properly celebrated and to provide focal points all the world over where English men and women may gather together.Charity
The Society runs its own charity - No. 263076.
The objectives of the charity are to:
*help and encourage young people to greater achievement
*encourage the enterprise, skills and enthusiasm of young peopleMembership criteria
Membership of the Society is open to:
*All those who subscribe to the Objects of the Society; and who
*Are born in England or wherever born being English men or English women or children or remoter issue of the same; or
*Not being of English descent nevertheless support the aims and objectives of the Society.Former Presidents
*
Duke of Cambridge [http://books.google.com/books?ei=eLWiR6X5MoTCyQSD3PTjDA&as_brr=0&id=WoE3AAAAMAAJ&dq=%22Howard+Ruff%22+%22St+George%22&q=%22Howard+Ruff%22+&pgis=1 "An Almanack for the Year of Our Lord 1903."] Joseph Whitaker. 1903.]
*Duke of Windsor (when Prince of Wales)
*Field Marshal the Viscount Montgomery of Alamein
*Rudyard Kipling and
*Duke of Devonshire Previous Vice Presidents
*Sir
Winston Churchill
*Duke of Wellington
*Duke of Westminster
*Earl of Aylesford
*Earl Nelson
*The Lord Forte
*Field Marshal The Lord Bramall
*The Rt Hon. The Lord Kingsdown, Major General C. C. Taylor CB,
*Brigadier F. G. Stafford CMG, CBE,
*The Rt. Hon. The Lord Cope of Berkeley PC
*The Rt. Hon. The Baroness Thatcher LG OM FRS,
*Mr B. M. Cronan,
*Mr. A. H. Hamilton Hopkins,
*Mr G. F. Sadler MBE,
*Mr. C. P. Fairweather and
*Mr. W. R. Firth.Bibliography
External links
* [http://www.royalsocietyofstgeorge.com/index2.htm Society website]
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