St John Historical Society
The St John Historical Society was formed in 1981 for the advancement in learning and understanding of the history of the Order of St John. There are no formal qualifications for membership, other than an interest in the subject. The Society became a branch of the St John Fellowship on 1st January 2022.
The Society has members not only here in the UK and Ireland but also across the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the USA. The Society offers an interesting and varied programme of talks throughout the year, in partnership with the Museum, both online and in person at St John’s Gate. Talks are on a wide range of subjects, from the medieval history of the Knights Hospitaller to the humanitarian work carried out by St John Ambulance since its foundation in 1877.
A highlight of the programme is the annual Jonathan Riley-Smith Memorial Lecture, usually held in the autumn. This is presented by a distinguished speaker on a subject that reflects their particular interest in our shared history. You can find out more about upcoming events, and book tickets, by visiting Eventbrite.
As part of its core mission, the St John Historical Society has sponsored a number of projects to digitise the Museum’s holdings to make them more accessible to researchers worldwide. These initiatives have included Order of St John Member Rolls, Order of St John Annual Reports (1868-1970) and First Aid Journal. A full list of digitised resources can be found here.
Current subscriptions per annum
Single £15, two people at the same address £20.
Membership
The St John Historical Society welcomes applications for membership, which can be made by completing the application form and emailing to the email address shown at the foot of the form. Each application will be acknowledged by an email that will include payment instructions for the initial subscription.