What will we be covering

� Who set up the Society � What happened after World War 2� The Society grows � Publications � The committee and its make up � Website

A group of enthusiasts in the lake district set up the Society in 1891 It was originally called the Northern British Pteridological Society

This picture was taken the next year in1892

1892 it changed to The British Pteridological Society

� The name changed as SOME of the most prominent fern men came from Ireland and further south

� The membership was about 40

� Stansfield was invited to be the first president

Dr W.F. Stansfield the first President

� The beginning of a long family association

� He and his son in law Percy Greenfield were very important members

The man himself

� Ran his own nursery at Todmorden and then qualified as a Doctor

� President 3 times � 1892-1897� 1902-1904� 1907-1908� Secretary 1926-1937� Editor of The Fern

Gazette 1917-1937� As well as Treasurer

in1926

Charles Druery

� Polystichum setiferum ‘Plumosum Druery’ Raised1900

The power house of the early society

� Set up The Fern Gazette issued quarterly

� Did most of the writing � And the spread of

information encouraged more people to join

� Numbers of members increased due to the Gazette

� Born 1843 died 1917

He was also an excellent grower

More of Druery� He published many books for the

Society� British Ferns and Their Varieties

still used as a cultivar bible today� The Book of British Ferns � As well as Choice Ferns� Also President of the Society

1898-1901� Set up and edited The Fern

Gazette from 1909 to 1916.

Do not Panic!

� We are not doing a Frondby Frondaccount !

Cranfield president 1920-1948

� Collector of fern collections

� Lot of his ferns were lost

� A lot were at the back of his garden and were ‘flame gunned’ for growing veg.

Cranfield exhibit – Challenge TrophyFor a 10x10ft display of ferns

Southport Flower Show 1938

Time was running out or was it!

� 1938 was a point were the Society was showing its age

� Membership was in decline� The Society stops everything from 1939-1946

1944 a close run thing

� Jimmy Dyce the ‘Fern Maniac’ (his words)

� What was left of a committee, 6 members

� Some decide it might be best to let it die gracefully

� Jimmy Dyce supported by and Percy Greenfield persuade the committee to continue

Greenfield and Dyce� Within a year Jimmy is

the Treasurer and Membership Secretary

� He raised themembership to 100

� Percy Greenfield is Secretary and described as the greatest President we never had

Scientific President

� A.H.G AlistonPresident

� A professional botanist at what is now the Natural History Museum

� After this, Presidents would alternate between scientific and horticultural

Exhibit by BPS member Mr. C. W. Grubb (he joined in 1934!) who won many prizes for BPS at Southport and later became a judge.

Southport Flower Show 1949

Irene Manton President

� Brilliant scientist� Sorted out the

chromosomes of many ferns especiallyPolypodium

Society starts to change

� Left to right � Jimmy Dyce,

Reginald Kaye and R E Holltum

� The Society starts to become more scientific than horticultural

Clive Jermy 1960s onward

� Changes The Fern Gazette from an in-house catch-all to a scientific journal

� The Bulletin becomes the new in-house magazine

� Head of ‘ferns and allies’ at the Natural History museum

Martin Rickard

� Polypodium cambricum (semilacerum group) Rickard

� Well known fern expert and fern grower

� Martin on the Bowdensstand at Chelsea

� President in 1997-2001

Martin the Fern Man

� His knowledge on cultivars and species is exceptional

� He started the Pteridologist magazine which is the most eagerly awaited publication of the year

Jimmy leaves us

� Was active in the Society � In his 90s � And died in 1998

The Society grows

� With a big mix of science and ecology the Society grows

� More institutions join the Society

� The membership increases to 700-800

� Alison Paul has edited The Bulletin since 1987

Regional Groups

� Matt Busby set up the first regional group in the Midlands in 1975

� These groups are the power house of the Society

� Also was secretary for 20 years � Now we have the following

groups, in � Scotland� North-West England� Yorkshire� Manchester and North Midlands� Midlands

� East Anglia� South Wales and Borders� Cornwall and Devon� Wessex � South-East England� North Wales

Four publications a year:Pteridologist – a full colour magazine.Bulletin – an annual account of the Society’s activities.The Fern Gazette – a twice yearly peer reviewed scientific journal. Occasional Special Publications.+ electronic mailings several times a year

The Committee� THE COMMITTEE� The Committee consists of Executive Officers, Vice-presidents, Officers (all three groups collectively are the

Officers of the Society), and Elected Committee Members, all of whom are elected and have full voting rights.� Co-opted Members and Committee Appointment holders may attend committee meetings when appropriate,

but do not have voting rights. All of the aforementioned groups receive all committee papers.

� EXECUTIVE OFFICERS� President:: for 3 years (not eligible for re-election for 3 years following)� President elect� General Secretary:� Committee Secretary: � Treasurer:

� OFFICERS� Vice-Presidents: (Max. 6, elected for 3 years, eligible for re-election on retirement)� Membership Secretary:� Meetings Secretary:� Conservation Officer:� Publications Secretary:� Editors for Pteridologist: Fern Gazette: Bulletin:� Web site co-ordinator: � Publicity and Marketing Officer: � Education Officer:

Elected members

� ELECTED COMMITTEE MEMBERS

� Max.10, annual re-election; retirement after 5 years - not eligible for re-election for at least one year thereafter.

Other appointments� CO-OPTED MEMBERS� COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS� Spore Exchange Organiser:� Plant Exchange Organiser:� Book sales Organiser:� Fern Gazette Production Editor:� Review Editors:� Pteridologist Assistant Editor� Special Publications Editor:

� Manager of Special Publications and Back-Numbers of Journals:

� Merchandise Organisers: � Horticultural Information Adviser: � Archivist:: � Data Integrity Officer:� Recorder:� Reading Circle Organiser:

� SUBCOMMITTEES� Publications Sub-Committee:� Meetings Sub-Committee:� Cultivar Registration Sub-Committee:� Education Sub-Committee:� Web team:� TRUSTEES OF GREENFIELD FUND� TRUSTEES OF CENTENARY FUND� BPS REPRESENTATIVES

Website and Internet

� This is the future to draw in more people

� www.eBPS.org.uk� Face Book, Twitter,

blogs etc

RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW FERN STAND 1991

Ferns were collected at Wisley and loaned by BPS members Robert Bolton; Matt Busby; Ray Coughlin; Jimmy Dyce; Reg Kaye; Hazel Key; Martin Rickard and John Woodhams from Kew.

2016 – OUR 125TH YEARWe had lots of special events.

• Chelsea Flower Show• Weekend display in Wisley Glasshouse• Week-long meeting in Cumbria where the Society began• Autumn Meeting at Harlow Carr with international speakers

• And special commemorative merchandise was produced

The plan for our 125th

BPS stand at Chelsea Flower Show in May 2016

One of our members, Ann Robbins, organises Chelsea� She coordinated

everything� The plan� The paper work� Transport� Build up� Break down� Many members helped

Ferns for house and conservatory by Tim Pyner

Ferns for damp places by Julian Reed