Ross MacFarlane (Wellcome Collection), will trace the reputation of Edward Lovett, who amassed one of Britain’s largest ever collections of folk objects. Online talk, Tuesday 25 January 2022, 18:00-19:30 Edward Lovett (1852-1933) was a member of The Folklore Society in the early 20th century and a frequent contributor to its journal. He amassed one of...
Prof. Felicity Wood (University of Fort Hare, South Africa) talks about a South African form of wealth-giving magic, “ukuthwala”, believed to involve ownership of a dangerous spirit, “mamlambo” Online talk, Tuesday 11 January 2022, 18:00-19:30 This talk discusses the practice of ukuthwala, a dangerous, powerful procedure for long-term wealth, believed to involve the ownership of...
This online talk is an exploration of the darker side of folklore, including dark church lore and thanatourism Mark Norman, the creator and host of The Folklore Podcast, gives a talk on the new book written by himself and his wife Tracey on the darker aspects of folklore. Published by The History Press, the book...
By popular demand, another chance to hear Sophia Kingshill’s talk Mermaids: Fish, Flesh or Fowl, online on Tuesday 30 November 2021, 18:00-19:30 GMT What is a mermaid? Nothing so simple as a woman with a fish’s tail. Mythology, symbolism, literature, art, folktale and ballad have all influenced her development, and male attitudes to women are...
This year’s Katharine Briggs Lecture will be given online on Tuesday 16 November, 18:00-19:00 by Prof. Ian Russell (The Elphinstone Institute, University of Aberdeen) ‘Peace o’er the World’: Christmas Carolling in the Hope Valley For well over two and a half centuries the performance of distinctive carols has been a feature of the seasonal holiday...
CHANGE OF LOCATION: NOW ONLINE ONLY Owing to the rising numbers of Covid infections, we have decided to cancel the live event and host the lecture Online Only. The lecture is free: book tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/brother-workmen-solidarity-in-trade-folklore-the-roy-palmer-lecture-2021-tickets-162987998491 In association with Martin Graebe for the roypalmerlecture.org, The Folklore Society is hosting the 2021 Roy Palmer...
Jeremy Harte (Curator, Bourne Hall Museum, Ewell, and author of the forthcoming Cloven Country: Legends of the Devil in England) talks about the Devil in local legends. ‘I was Satan’s roadie:’ Tracking the Devil in English local lore Part ogre, part buffoon, the Devil of local legend is very different from the theological one. Where...
Prof. Owen Davies’ Presidential Address 2021: ‘Finding the Folklore in the Annals of Psychiatry’ Before psychoanalysts delved into the realm of fairy-tales during the twentieth century, early psychiatrists had been busy analysing and diagnosing a range of folklore beliefs. They considered the belief in fairies, witches, ghosts, and devils to be archaic and intellectually redundant....