There will be some departures from the usual format for the JSA’s 2010 seminar on Saturday, July 24 with a more varied and entertaining program.

In addition to three main papers by Prof Wallace Kirsop, Nick Hudson and Paul Tankard, Prof Kate Burridge will present a “stub” paper – a short discussion of a subject from her speciality, linguistics.

These will be followed by readings on various Johnsonian subjects by Barrie Sheppard, Bronwen Hickman and John Byrne. The will also be music, with a brief commentary supplied by Barbara Niven.

The seminar will be held at the usual venue, the English Speaking Union at 146 West Toorak Road South Yarra, starting at 11am, and finishing around 4.30 pm, with the bar open until 6pm to allow for some convivial fraternization.  A light lunch will be served and morning and afternoon tea provided.

Full details of speakers and subjects will becirculated to members before the seminar. 

 Barrie Sheppard, the newly -elected President of the Johnson Society of Australia, has been one of our most active members since he joined the JSA in 1994. He has been a committee member since 1999, and Treasurer since 2005, a position he still retains in addition to the presidency.

Barrie, a former lecturer in English at Deakin University, previously had no special interest in Samuel Johnson, but a chance meeting with Bryan Reid, and his existing friendships with the late Rusi Khan and Clive and Meg Probyn, attracted him to the idea of joining the JSA.

He soon became a confirmed Johnsonian, and in 1996 gave his first seminar paper, a satirical treatment of Johnson’s view about the proper use of the cucumber, and several subsequent papers, the latest was on Johnson and the Problem of Evil.

Barrie’s Johnsonian interest extended overseas in 2007 when he attended the Pembroke College Conference on Johnson and the Theatre, and again this year, when he took part in the Tercentenary celebrations at both Pembroke and Lichfield.

Barrie’s expressed hopes as President are to continue the good work of previous presidents, to forge links with the Jane Austen and Shakespeare Societies , and to develop the Annual Seminar to include regular readings, short 'stub' papers, and a short lexicographical 'spotlight', as well as the usual solid academic fare.

Barrie is also half of the celebrated duo, with Bryan Reid, of “Baz and Bry” who by popular demand entertain the guests at the JSA Christmas party.

Bryan Reid has been appointed the first Honorary Life Member of the JSA. At the 2009 AGM, newly-elected President Barrie Sheppard paid tribute to Bryan’s continuing contribution to the JSA since he became the founding secretary in 1993. He has since retired from the position and been succeeded by Barbara Niven.

Barrie presented Bryan with a commemorative plaque which read:

The Johnson Society of Australia Inc

Hereby confers Honorary Life Membership on

Bryan Reid

In grateful appreciation of his unique role in the

foundation and development of the Society.

Bryan’s son Sam, daughter Deborah, and long-time friend and fellow-JSA member Jan Lowe were present for the occasion.

Sadly, we record the death of Anne Calvert, a long-time member of the JSA, who died in December after a long illness.

Anne joined the JSA in 1995, and made a huge contribution to the Society with her work in designing and producing the earliest editions of The Papers from 1997, through the desktop publishing classes she conducted at Holmesglen College of TAFE, Melbourne.

Her efforts not only served a useful educational purpose but also kept costs to a minimum and so enabled the Papers to be published. Anne will be sadly missed by JSA members. 

John Wiltshire. The Making of Dr Johnson, Helm Information, Great Britain, 2009 

2009, Johnson’s tercentenary year, saw the publication of three biographies for the popular market. And one scholarly work on the making of biographies – our own John Wiltshire’s. The Making of Dr Johnson.  John’s book deals with the biographies, anecdotes, memoirs, pictures, and lampoons that have created our conception of the Great Cham. It’s the ‘the story of how Samuel Johnson was made into Dr Johnson’. The book is also an implicit analysis of the craft of making biographies.  

A visit to the National Gallery of Victoria has been arranged for JSA members on Sunday May 30 at, 2:15 pm, when a senior Gallery guide will give a detailed account of Reynold’s portrait of Miss Susanna Gale, before the picture in the Eighteenth Century Room 

We will meet inside the Water Wall on the St Kilda Road entrance. The tour is free, and members who wish can gather for afternoon tea in one of the Gallery’s cafés.