THE THOMAS HARDY SOCIETY 25th CONFERENCE AND FESTIVAL 2022

25th to 31st July

United Church, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 1EE

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Photo ©Dr Tony Fincham

The Thomas Hardy Society once again invites you to come to the home town of our beloved author to celebrate his life and work through lectures, walks, entertainment, museum visits and spending time with your fellow Hardyans. We are particularly looking forward to welcoming international friends who have been unable to travel to England during the long years of the Covid pandemic.

2022 marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of one of Hardy most loved novels, Under the Greenwood Tree, perhaps one of the greatest pastoral novels in the English language. It is also 100 years since the publication of Late Lyrics and Earlier which, as Michael Millgate puts it, was ‘a remarkable publication for a man in his eighty-second year’ and which contains many wonderful poems.

The conference will begin with a keynote lecture by the eminent Hardy scholar Professor Richard Nemesvari. This will be followed by the opening dinner with a speech by another distinguished Hardyan, Professor Tim Armstrong. The other keynote speakers will be Professor Mike Irwin, Professor Paul Niemeyer, Dr Gregory Tate and our own Dr Tracy Hayes. A veritable roll call, I am sure you will agree, of Hardy experts. Alongside these lecturers there will be a number of shorter papers many of which, I’m sure you will find, will be of great interest.

A theme running throughout the week will be the opportunity to visit museums in the region which are participating in the ‘Wessex Museums: Hardy’s Wessex Exhibition’. This involves four museums: Dorset Museum in Dorchester, Poole Museum, Salisbury Museum and Wiltshire Museum. There will be an opportunity to visit all four. Alternatively walks of various kinds will also be on offer.

Poets have once again been invited to the conference and we will be welcoming Alison Brackenbury and Penelope Shuttle. Music always plays a part in any Hardy celebration and this year Florence and Virginia Astley and Philip Lange will be giving concerts while on the Friday evening there will be a barn dance. Other well-loved events such as The Common Reader Seminar, a Hardy Quiz and a program for students are also included. On the final Sunday the Festival service will take place at St Peter’s Church in Dorchester this year.

We look forward to welcoming you to Dorchester this July for what promises to be an exciting and enjoyable conference and festival.

With all good wishes,

Richard Franklin, Chairman of The Thomas Hardy Society

Registration is now open. Conference fees are £200 for Members, £220 for Non-members or Partners of members, £50 for Students. A deposit of £70 for members and non-members alike, or £10 for students can also be booked in order to secure your place.

The fee includes all keynote lectures, attendance at call for papers sessions, all seminars, evening entertainments and the Welcome Dinner and Farewell Dinner. Walks and tours are separate.

The full programme will be available shortly. Booking forms will also be available with the Spring journal for those wishing to pay by cheque.