Royal Historical Society facts for kids
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| Abbreviation | RHistS, RHS |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1868 |
| Merger of | Camden Society (1897) with the RHS |
| Registration no. | 206888 |
| Legal status | Charity |
| Purpose | Historical studies |
| Headquarters | University College London, Gower Street, WC1E 6BT |
| Location | |
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Membership (2021)
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4,500+ members |
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President
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Emma Griffin |
| Adam Hughes | |
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Key people
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Philip Carter, academic director |
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Main organ
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Transactions |
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Staff
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4 |
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Formerly called
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The Historical Society |
The Royal Historical Society (RHS) is a group in the United Kingdom that helps people study history. It was started in 1868. The RHS supports historians and helps share new ideas about the past.
Contents
History of the RHS
How the Society Began
The Royal Historical Society was founded in 1868. It received a special approval called a royal charter that same year. For a few years, until 1872, it was simply known as the Historical Society.
Joining Forces with the Camden Society
In 1897, the RHS joined with another group called the Camden Society. The Camden Society had been around since 1838. This merger helped the RHS become even stronger.
From Club to Professional Group
For many years, the RHS was mostly like a social club for gentlemen interested in history. But in the mid-1900s, it changed. It became a more active group that truly represented the study and profession of history.
What the RHS Does Today
The Royal Historical Society works to encourage historical research. It supports historians in the UK and around the world. The RHS helps historians in many ways:
- It speaks up for historians and researches policies that affect them.
- It offers training and support, especially for new historians.
- It publishes books and journals about history.
- It gives out grants to help with research.
- It recognizes historians for their important work.
Events and Location
The RHS also holds many events. These include lectures, one-day meetings, and longer conferences. These events cover many different historical topics. They usually take place in London, but sometimes in other parts of the UK. Since 1967, the RHS has been based at University College London.
How the RHS is Run
The Royal Historical Society is managed by a group of trustees. This group is called the council. The RHS President leads the council meetings.
Electing Leaders
The president and the council members are chosen from the society's fellows. There are 22 council members in total. Each person serves for four years. Every year, the fellows vote to elect three new council members. These members come from different backgrounds and study different areas of history.
Who Can Join the RHS?
The Royal Historical Society has different types of members:
- Honorary vice-presidents (who help manage the society).
- Elected fellows (who can use the letters FRHistS after their name).
- Associate fellows.
- General members.
Becoming a Fellow
To become a fellow, you need to have made a special contribution to historical knowledge. This often means writing a book or a lot of important research. It can also include organizing history exhibitions or editing history journals. To apply, you need support from someone who is already a fellow. The RHS keeps an online list of all its current fellows and members.
RHS Publications
The Royal Historical Society publishes many important historical works.
- Book Series: They have published book series like Studies in History (from 1975 to 2020) and New Historical Perspectives (starting in 2016).
- Annual Journal: Their main journal is called Transactions. It was first published in 1872 as Transactions of the Historical Society.
- Camden Series: They also publish the Camden Series, which includes old texts and their translations.
- Digital Resources: The RHS also creates online resources, such as the Bibliography of British and Irish History.
Online Blog
The society also has an active online blog called Historical Transactions. It was started in 2018 to celebrate the Royal Historical Society's 150th birthday.
Awards and Prizes
The Royal Historical Society gives out several awards and prizes to recognize excellent historical work:
- Gladstone Book Prize
- Whitfield Book Prize
- The Alexander Prize
Only two historians have won both the Whitfield Prize and the Alexander Prize:
- A. G. Rosser – Alexander Prize (1983), Whitfield Prize (1989)
- Ryan Hanley – Alexander Prize (2015), Whitfield Prize (2019)
Leaders of the Society
The presidents of the Royal Historical Society have been:
- 1871–1872: George Grote
- 1873–1878: John Russell, 1st Earl Russell
- 1878–1891: Henry Bruce, 1st Baron Aberdare
- 1891–1899: Sir Mountstuart Duff
- 1899–1901: Sir Adolphus Ward
- 1901–1905: Sir George Prothero
- 1905–1909: William Hunt
- 1909–1913: William Cunningham
- 1913–1917: Sir Charles Firth
- 1917–1921: Sir Charles Oman
- 1921–1925: Sir John Fortescue
- 1925–1929: Thomas Tout
- 1929–1933: Sir Richard Lodge
- 1933–1937: Sir Frederick Powicke
- 1937–1945: Sir Frank Stenton
- 1946–1949: Robert Seton-Watson
- 1949–1953: Theodore Plucknett
- 1953–1957: Hugh Hale Bellot
- 1957–1961: David Knowles
- 1961–1965: Sir Goronwy Edwards
- 1965–1969: Robin Humphreys
- 1969–1973: Sir Richard Southern
- 1973–1977: Sir Geoffrey Elton
- 1977–1981: Sir John Habakkuk
- 1981–1985: Sir James Holt
- 1985–1989: Gerald Aylmer
- 1989–1993: Francis Thompson
- 1993–1997: Sir Rees Davies
- 1997–2001: Peter James Marshall
- 2001–2005: Dame Janet Nelson
- 2005–2008: Martin Daunton
- 2009–2012: Colin Jones
- 2012–2016: Peter Mandler
- 2016–2020: Margot Finn
- 2020–: Emma Griffin
More to Explore
- The Historical Association
- List of British professional bodies
- List of Royal Societies
- Historiography of the United Kingdom
