The Mark Rutherford Society

Aims

The aims of the Mark Rutherford Society are to:

• Unite all those who appreciate the work of Mark Rutherford.
• Encourage publishers to make all the Mark Rutherford novels and other writings available in print.
• Produce a scholarly journal devoted to the study of the work of Mark Rutherford.
• Hold conferences as appropriate to present the results of study and to bring together those who appreciate Mark Rutherford.
• Publish the proceedings in the society's journal.

The last meeting of the Mark Rutherford Society took place on Saturday March 13th, 2004 at Bedford Public Library. If you are interested in joining, please contact Nick Wilde.

Officers

The officers of the Mark Rutherford Society are:

• President: John Hale-White
• Chair: Mark Crees
• Secretary: Nick Wilde
• Treasurer: Volunteer needed
• Website Administrator: David French

William Hale White's Observations on Literary Societies

I duly attended the meeting of the Wordsworth Society, and must confess I was more than ever convinced of the folly of these assemblies. All the papers are read, and what purpose can be served by sitting and listening to people reading for hours documents which are going to be printed, I cannot imagine.

Mr Browning was present, and there was a touch of irony in his silence, whilst half-a-dozen persons, whose names we hardly knew were discoursing on matters indifferent, including what had been picked up from the old butcher boy whom Wordsworth honoured with their orders for mutton or beef. If butcher boys find their observations upon the families whose areas they visit are saleable in literature we shall have some remarkable discoveries. While the butcher boy's revelations were being promulgated, Mr. Browning, as I have said, was dumb.

If he would but have told us what were his thoughts of Wordsworth, I should not have grudged the loss of time. I very much doubt whether these new-fangled personal societies are not the cause of much harm, and whether they really promote genuine sympathy with and love of their centre. That they provoke an immensity of vanity is only too obvious.