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 Rosalba Press |
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| Graham Turner |
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Rosalba Press is the publishing arm of the Yorkshire Branch of the Richard III Society, and it had its origins in the 1970s. Over the last thirty years the Branch has brought out books and booklets, at an affordable price, on such varied subjects as Richard of York, the medieval manor court of Wakefield, and Peter Foss's study of the battlefield of Bosworth, The Field of Redemore. The publishing activities of the Yorkshire Branch began in the late 1960s with its magazine, named Blanc Sanglier after Richard III’s white boar badge. This quickly settled into a three-times-a-year rhythm. Then, in the 1970s the Branch received a legacy from the will of one of its keenest members, Fred Phillips, and decided to use it on some special project not just put it into the funds. At about that time another member was completing his research on Richard of York, Richard III's father. It seemed appropriate that the Branch publish Richard, Third Duke of York by Ian Postlethwaite as a memorial to Fred, to show our gratitude. We did not visualise then that any more publications would ensue, and so it appeared simply under the imprint of Yorkshire Branch, Richard III Society . At first the booklets were distributed by Richard Knowles. At that time he and Pauline Routh were carrying out their joint researches on church monuments and tomb effigies. In particular they had studied the alabaster monument in Sheriff Hutton church thought by some to be the tomb and effigy of Edward Prince of Wales, son of Richard III. Some controversy arose, and in 1981 they were ready to publish their reasoned research. Ian Postlethwaite's book had sold out, and the money had gone into a special Publications Fund, which was thus ready to be used on another venture. With the prospect of this cycle repeating itself in the future, each publication being financed by the one before, the Branch committee thought it time to discuss a name for the imprint. The suggestions were many and varied, most being on the White Rose theme, we having already used the White Boar in our magazine. Eventually it was agreed to take the one which put Rosa Alba (white rose) into one word as Rosalba, adding Press. It was put on a proper footing, and an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) was obtained from the Agency. In 1981 Routh and Knowles's Sheriff Hutton alabaster: a reassessment was published by Rosalba Press. Although publication of research was recognised as the main aim of Rosalba Press, other perceived needs could be met. In 1985 Mary O'Regan and Arthur Cockerill compiled a Gazetteer of Yorkshire in the 15th century. This was to commemorate the reign of Richard III, who died in 1485, and was a summary of places in Yorkshire with 15th century connections. The next publication of Rosalba Press was by far its most ambitious at that time. There was much interest in Richard III in 1985 and following years. In particular, the received wisdom about the battlefield of Bosworth came under scrutiny. Midland historian Peter Foss had long studied the accounts of the battle (and other documents) and the geology and topography of the area around Sutton Cheney and Ambion Hill, and had come to revolutionary conclusions regarding the site of the battle. His theories had not been published, and the Branch thought strongly that they deserved a wider circulation. Arthur Cockerill was the moving force behind the publishing of The Field of Redemore (1990) which was acknowledged to reflect great credit on the Branch.. He looked after every aspect of the production and distribution, taking over from Richard Knowles. The book sold well, recouping the heavy costs of production. The next project was Mary O'Regan's The Medieval manor court of Wakefield (1994). This was original research on a medieval theme, so although not strictly Ricardian it was thought highly suitable for Rosalba Press. In essence it was legal history, based heavily on a thesis for the LL.B (Hons) degree. Like the previous two publications it used ‘desk-top’ publishing techniques, being home-designed and giving camera-ready copy to the printer. The same was true of the next two publications, in 1999 and 2000. Richard III: a brief life, by Mary O'Regan, was essentially the script of a talk given to a Branch AGM, expanded to booklet size and with added illustrations. The second, Janet Senior's Sheriff Hutton and its lords, was written to commemorate the 600th anniversary of Sheriff Hutton castle. They were designed and produced for the printer by Mary O'Regan, who also took care of the next title, Sir William Stanley: a Yorkist martyr? by Jean Gidman, published in 2003. This was our second large-scale production, being the fruit of many years' research by the author, and the fIrst full-length study of Sir William Stanley. By now, printers' methods had changed, and texts and illustrations could now be given to them on computer disk, either floppy or CD. Colour printing was also possible, if on a small scale because of cost. Our latest publication came out in 2005 and is a reference work admirably filling a long-felt want, Who was who in the Wars of the Roses by Pauline Harrison Pogmore. The Yorkshire Branch receives no subsidies for its publishing work. We are proud of Rosalba Press's back list, and the fact that all except one of its titles are by members of the Branch. We hope to continue publishing research and reference works by members (and possibly others) into the future. Click here to visit the web site or write to:
Pauline H Pogmore
Graham Turner has very kindly allowed the Society to reproduce many of his painting on this website and below is some background about this very talented young artist. Graham Turner is well known for his medieval paintings, with originals, or prints reproduced from them, gracing the walls of many historian or re-enactor's homes, while a selection of the numerous books he has illustrated on this turbulent period can usually be found in their libraries. He has always had a fascination for our medieval past, but it has now developed well beyond the castles and knights in shining armour of his childhood. His first romanticised view of the medieval 'Knight Errant' was exhibited in 1992 and later published by a leading print publisher. However, as interest in Graham’s historical work blossomed and his knowledge increased, he quickly found his attention focusing more on the reality of this turbulent period rather than the chivalrous ideal. His aim is to bring life to the events and characters of this colourful chapter in our past, based on the information that is currently available, rather than the Shakespearean version of history that has often inspired artists in the past.
Studio 88 Ltd Ask for a copy of their free colour catalogue 'The Historical Art of Graham Turner' or log on to www.studio88.co.uk for full details of prints, cards, books and original paintings, together with information about Graham's jousting, and Painting Diaries that describe the work that goes into the creation of his detailed yet atmospheric oil paintings. |
