From our Blog

Andrew Bennett

Published 18th December 2024

We were very sad to hear of the death on 15 December of Andrew Bennett, barely a year since the death of his wife, folklorist Dr Gillian Bennett. Andrew was a Trustee and Committee member of The Folklore Society for many years. We send our condolences to all the Bennett family.

Alice Gomme: Game Collector

Published 10th September 2024

Alice Gomme: Game Collector By Amara Thornton (Co-Investigator, Beyond Notability project)

Dr Gillian Bennett (1939-2023)

Published 13th December 2023

We are very sad to learn of the death of Dr Gillian Bennett, former editor of our journal Folklore from 1994 to 2002, scholar of contemporary legends, supernatural beliefs, ghost narratives, history of folklore scholarship, women folklorists, and author of numerous publications, including her wonderful Traditions of Belief (1987). 

Doc Rowe in the News

Published 10th November 2023

Doc Rowe was in the news again on 5 November 2023, with an Observer article about his work

William Francis Ryan (1937-2023)

Published 3rd November 2023

We were very sad to hear of the death on 2 November of Prof. Will Ryan, scholar of Russian history and culture, and author of The Bath House at Midnight: An Historical Survey of Magic and Divination in Russia (1999).

Marking the Death of the Queen

Published 9th September 2022

Following the sad news of the death of the Queen, we went to pay our respects and to see the floral tributes that people have been placing outside Buckingham Palace.

Past Presidents of The Folklore Society

Published 22nd February 2021

Ross Macfarlane has very kindly compiled a list of all of our past Presidents on the Wikipedia entry for The Folklore Society

We Herts Folklorists 4!

Published 28th October 2020

Here is our fourth and final post for a special weekly blog series we'll be running over the next few weeks, showcasing some of the wonderful talent of people who have recently completed or are currently undertaking the MA in Folklore Studies at the University of Hertfordshire. Throughout this series you will see some great folklore-inspired work, ranging from blogs to art.

This week, we meet Hildegunn Traa!

We Herts Folklorists 3!

Published 21st October 2020

Here is our third post for a special weekly blog series we'll be running over the next few weeks, showcasing some of the wonderful talent of people who have recently completed or are currently undertaking the MA in Folklore Studies at the University of Hertfordshire. Throughout this series you will see some great folklore-inspired work, ranging from blogs to art.

Today, we meet Sandra Unerman

We Herts Folklorists 2

Published 14th October 2020

Here is our second post for a special weekly blog series we'll be running over the next few weeks, showcasing some of the wonderful talent of people who have recently completed the MA in Folklore Studies at the University of Hertfordshire. Throughout this series you will see some great folklore-inspired work, ranging from blogs to art.

 This week, Jaymie Tapsell!

Special Blog Series: We Herts Folklorists

Published 7th October 2020

This is the first post of a special weekly blog series we'll be running over the next few weeks, showcasing some of the wonderful talent of people who have recently completed the MA in Folklore Studies at the University of Hertfordshire. First up is Jenny O'Sullivan!

Prof. William Gray

Published 10th April 2019

We are very sad to hear of the death on 8 April of Professor Bill Gray, founder of the Chichester Centre for Fairy Tales, Fantasy and Speculative Fiction (formerly Sussex Centre for Folklore, Fairy Tales and Fantasy), University of Chichester, and send our condolences to his family and former colleagues.

Iona Opie (1923-2017)

Published 3rd November 2017

We were extremely sad to hear of the death of Iona Opie. 

Venetia Newall

Published 18th April 2017

We are very sad to report the death of Dr Venetia Newall, past president of The Folklore Society and recipient of our Coote Lake Medal for folklore research. Her obituary will be be published in Folklore very soon.

Stewart Sanderson

Published 19th October 2016

We are very sad to hear of the death of Stewart Sanderson, editor of Robert Kirk's Secret Common-wealth in our Mistletoe series, 1976.

W.F.H. 'Bill' Nicolaisen (1927-2016)

Published 16th February 2016

It is with great sadness that we report the death, on 14 February, of distinguished folklorist Professor W.F.H. "Bill" Nicolaisen. Bill was President of The Folklore Society from 1999 to 2002. He will be much missed.

Norman Peacock

Published 15th August 2015

We are very sad to report the death on 10 August of Norman Peacock, Morris and sword dance researcher and long-time donor to The Folklore Society.

William John Thoms

Published 20th July 2015

William John Thoms (1803-1885) was a founder member of The Folklore Society and coined the word 'folk-lore' in English.

Jacqueline Simpson and Sir Terry Pratchett

Published 7th July 2015

Dr Jacqueline Simpson's obituary for Sir Terry Pratchett, who died 12 March 2015, will appear in the August issue of our journal Folklore.

Eddie Cass

Published 24th September 2014

We are very sad to report the death, on 17 September, of Dr Eddie Cass, our vice-president and former president, and author of The Lancashire Pace-Egg Plays and The Pace-Egg Plays of the Calder Valley. He will be very much missed.

Malcolm Taylor

Published 4th August 2014

Malcolm Taylor, OBE, now retired from his post as Director of the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library, received The Folklore Society's Coote Lake Medal at his leaving party at Cecil Sharp House on Sunday 27 July 2014 from Folklore Society Vice-President Prof. Will Ryan. 

Memorial Offerings

Published 27th September 2013

Floral Tributes to Steve Jobs outside the Apple store in Bath, 6 October 2011.

A Tribute to William John Thoms (1803-1885), Creator of Folklore

Published 27th September 2013

5 September 2010, at the close of our fifth annual Legendary Weekend "Death in Legend and Tradition," at Brompton Cemetery, London, Dr Roper gave a short eulogy and laid a wreath on behalf of The Folklore Society on the grave of William J. Thoms, who first coined the term "folk-lore" in 1846.

Jacqueline Simpson appointed Visiting Professor at Centre for Folklore, Fairy Tales and Fantasy

Published 27th September 2013

Congratulations to Professor Jacqueline Simpson, former editor of our journal Folklore and current editor of our newslettter FLS news, on her appointment as Visiting Professor at the University of Chichester's Sussex Centre for Folklore, Fairy Tales and Fantasy.