David Jones Society

The David Jones Society is a United Kingdom-based membership society dedicated to remembering, discussing and researching the life, art and thinking of the painter-poet David Jones (1895–1974). It was inaugurated in 1975 by Professor David Blamires, following a successful symposium at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth on the work of the late David Jones. The Society is run from the UK and its current Director is Dr. Anne Price-Owen, with Dr. Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury, serving as Honorary President. The Society's stated aim is to promote and encourage knowledge of David Jones and his holistic vision of the world. It argues that Jones's essays contain prophetic and timely observations about the arts, religion, the condition and matter of the history of the Western world, and twentieth-century civilisation, which it believes to be of particular importance today. To that end it hosts scholarly meetings, publishes the semi-regular David Jones Journal, and organises readings, performances, 'walking pilgrimages' of Jones's old haunts in and around London, and visits to galleries holding his works. The Society's activities have not been continuous. After its founding it convened another conference at Pembroke College, Cambridge in 1977 and produced a regular newsletter from 1976 until 1984, but from the mid-1980s its formal meetings ceased for a time. In 1996, following the success of several symposia to celebrate the centenary of Jones's birth, the Society was reinstated by Dr. Anne Price-Owen and has since hosted a number of meetings and events. Notable activities have included walking pilgrimages in Rotherhithe (1998 and 2012), London Churches (1999) and Harrow (1997, 2000 and 2002). The Society maintains an official website at david-jones-society.org, which presents sections on David Jones, the Society itself, contact details, news, research and resources. It is a small, specialist cultural organisation rather than a commercial enterprise, and its work is supported by the Trustees of the David Jones Estate, who grant kind permission for the use of images of Jones's works on the Society's site.

The David Jones Society was inaugurated in 1975 by Professor David Blamires, following a successful symposium at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth on the work of the late David Jones. The first symposium, the David Jones Weekend School, was convened by Roland Mathias at the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth. The Society convened another conference at Pembroke College, Cambridge in 1977 and produced a regular newsletter from 1976 until 1984, but from the mid-1980s the formal meetings of the society ceased for a time. In 1996, following the success of several symposia to celebrate the centenary of Jones's birth, the David Jones Society was reinstated by Dr. Anne Price-Owen and has since hosted a number of meetings and events. The Society aims to promote and encourage knowledge of the painter-poet David Jones and his holistic vision of the world. In his essays Jones articulated many prophetic and timely observations about the arts, religion, the condition and matter of the history of the Western world, and twentieth-century civilisation which the Society believes to be of particular import today. The Society hosts scholarly meetings on David Jones and publishes the semi-regular David Jones Journal. It also hosts readings, performances, 'walking pilgrimages' of Jones's old haunts in and around London (including Rotherhithe, 1998 and 2012, London Churches, 1999, and Harrow, 1997, 2000 and 2002), as well as visits to galleries with holdings of his works. The Society is directed from the UK by Dr. Anne Price-Owen, with Dr. Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury, as Honorary President.

• 1999

  Walking pilgrimage of London Churches.

• 1998

  Walking pilgrimage in Rotherhithe (repeated in 2012).

• 1997

  Walking pilgrimage in Harrow (repeated in 2000 and 2002).

• 1996

  Following centenary symposia for Jones's birth, the Society was reinstated by Dr. Anne Price-Owen.

• 1977

  The Society convened a conference at Pembroke College, Cambridge.

• 1976

  The Society began producing a regular newsletter, which continued until 1984.

• 1975

  David Jones Society inaugurated by Professor David Blamires after a symposium at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth; first symposium, the David Jones Weekend School, convened by Roland Mathias at the National Library of Wales.

A specialist UK literary and arts society devoted to the life, art and thinking of the painter-poet David Jones.

• David Jones Journal

  Semi-regular journal published by the Society.

• Scholarly meetings and symposia

  Meetings on the life and work of David Jones.

• Walking pilgrimages

  Guided walks of Jones's old haunts in and around London.

1. 1Homedavid-jones-society.org
2. 2Aboutdavid-jones-society.org
3. 3David Jones Societywikidata.org