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(Where there is any discrepancy between this and a dated paper copy, the paper copy shall be taken as correct for its date.)
Far Isles BC - Research Society
Policy
1. The society, in promoting an understanding of the period of history covered, may:
1.1 Either on its own behalf, or in co-operation with other historical societies, government bodies, or other interested parties, run or promote historical re-creation events or events involved in historical research for the purposes of education or entertainment.
1.2 Publish pamphlets, leaflets, periodicals, magazines or books pertinent to the aims of the society.
2. The Directors of the society shall have duties within the historical venue including:
2.1 President – In addition to the duties outlined in the By-laws, is a member of the Council of Nobles as High Steward. Oversees the creation of a year- end Doomsday Book to be published in January of each year
2.2 Treasurer – Is a member of the Council of Nobles as High Sheriff. Provides an updated list of members for the High Steward to include in the Doomsday Book.
2.3 Secretary – Maintains the archives containing all records of the Society, its publications, and copies of the records of all Branches and Special Interest Groups, and their publications. Is a member of the Council of Nobles as Minister of the Chronicles. Provides copies of pertinent documents and missives for inclusion in the Doomsday Book.
2.4 The two Directors unspecified in the By-laws shall be the High Marshall and the Minister of Arts and Sciences.
2.4.1 High Marshal – Due to its nature, this director must be selected from within the SIGs governed by this office. On the advice of the Board of Directors, the High Marshall is responsible for the creation and implementation of rules of combat and conduct of fighting in historical re-creation, including the safety and welfare of participants, other members and non-members, and the training of members in the safe techniques of fighting in historical re-creation. They shall have specific responsibility for rules and conduct of those directly involved in martial activities. If this post is vacant, no fighting may take place until it is filled.
2.4.2 Minister of Arts and Sciences – Responsible for the development of SIGs other than those pertaining to the governance of the High Marshall. Ensuring that they are properly organised and conducted, and that the standards for awards and grades within the SIGs are reasonable and consistent on the advice of the Head (Guildmasters) and senior members (Masters in Guilds) of the SIGs. They are also responsible for promoting specific "Arts & Sciences" events within the Society.
3. Governance of the medieval aspect of the society shall be by a Council of Nobles.
3.1 The Council of Nobles shall be made up of the Directors of the society in their medieval role plus a High Councillor, a Minister of Arms, a Minister of Revels, Councillors (the elected heads of each respective branch) and the Monarch.
3.1.1 High Councillor (Ombudsman) – Shall have responsibility for liaison between the Board of Directors, branches and the society members. Shall be the contact person for individual members with grievances. Has the right to attend and be heard at Board of Director meetings.
3.1.2 Minister of Arms – Responsible, on behalf of the Monarch, for all matters of procedure, etiquette and heraldry for members involved in historical re-creation in costume.
3.1.3 Minister of Revels – Responsible for the development of events. Seeing that event organisers are trained. Seeing that events planned are effectively run. Responsible for creating rules, guidelines and manuals for running events successfully. Ensuring that all mundane rules and safety precautions are taken at events. Specifically, this shall include ensuring that the appropriate standards of hygiene are known, and that the food preparation, cooking and serving are done in a safe and proper manner. Responsible for event security.
3.1.4 Monarch – Shall have authority in matters pertaining to historical re-creation in costume, as advised by the Council of Nobles. Shall have the right of attendance and voice at meetings of the BoD, governing bodies of all Branches and Special Interest Groups within the Society.
4 Membership:
Membership in the Society shall be considered for any person who is interested in the Aims of the Society. That person must have reached the age of majority (being 19 years in BC) or the age of 14 with written and notarised approval of their legal guardian. Such persons must have been a guest attendee of at least one Level 3 event and preferably, several Level 1 and 2 events. Two members in good standing must nominate said person and petition the Head of their village to present the Candidate to the CON at a meeting for consideration of membership. Members must be willing to abide by Constitution and By-laws and make payment of the appropriate membership fee. New members shall be given the opportunity to declare their intention by swearing to uphold said Constitution and Bylaws of the society at a level 3 event.
5 PERSONA
5.1 For the furtherance of the aims of the Society, all members are to create a persona for the purposes of historical re-creation in costume.
5.1.1 Personae shall be as historically accurate as is practicable. Whilst engaged in historical recreation, members shall dress and behave according to their persona within the limits of safety, courtesy, decency and mundane laws.
5.1.2 Personae may not be actual historical characters, or a characters taken from a work of fiction. This constraint shall apply both to name and to any distinction in dress or conduct that would suggest identification with any characters historical or fictional. The decision on this, in the event of any complaint, shall rest with the CON.
5.1.3 Personae may not assume rank or title of nobility, or equivalent titles, suggesting high social status, including religious titles. Titles, ranks, and other distinctions may only be used as properly awarded by the Monarch or by SIGs. The decision on this, in the event of any complaint, shall rest with the CON.
5.2 Any member may take a second persona, on payment of the appropriate fee for registration. This second persona gives no additional benefit and does not offer a second vote at meetings.
5.2.1 No member may have more than two personae at any one time, nor change either persona more than once in any Society year.
6 BRANCHES
6.1 There shall be four levels of Branches, of increasing size. It shall be possible for a Branch to include within it a Branch, or Branches, of lower level.
6.2 The levels of Branches shall be:
Level 1: 6 or more members
Level 2: 30 or more members
Level 3: 60 or more members
Level 4: 120 or more members
Level 5: 250 or more members
6.2.1 In calculating membership of Branches, no member may be a member of more than one Branch (apart from that, as a member of a subordinate Branch, they will form part of the parent Branch). Members must be paid up current members. Second personae may not be counted for Branch membership, although they may be members of a Branch.
6.2.2 To form a Branch, or announce the promotion of a Branch, notice shall be given Council of Nobles. On High Council verifying the required membership numbers, the Branch may commence to operate. The Branch may not, however, operate in it's historical recreation equivalent without the permission of the Council of Nobles. Upon acceptance of the CON the branch would formally present itself and a declaration of intent to the Monarch at an event.
6.2.3 The Branches shall have historical recreation equivalents for the benefit of members whilst in costume. These may be known by any historical name appropriate with the approval of the Council of Nobles. Approved designations include:
Level 1: Village, Manor, Free Borough, Hundred
Level 2: County, Shire
Level 3: Duchy, Province
Level 4: Principality
Level 5: Kingdom
6.2.4 In order to eliminate inequalities, and to reward effort, Branches shall be subject to review of their status in the following circumstances.
A) Any Branch that in two consecutive Society years fails to attain two-thirds of the minimum membership for a Branch of that level will revert to the next level of Branch below.
B) When a branch attains ongoing memberships, of at least one year, that would allow dividing the group into two branches or raising said branch to the next higher level then a vote will be held by that branch to determine the will of the members. Subsequent votes may be allowed upon consultation with the CON to change the status at a later date if the members overwhelmingly wish it.
6.2.5 Level 1 Branches shall be governed by a single elected head. Level 2, 3 & 4 Branches shall be governed by a Council of Nobles. The titles used in historical recreation for the above officers of Branches shall be determined by the CON.
6.2.6 One head from each branch will have a seat and a vote on council, on behalf of their branch, on the next highest branch level.
7 SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
7.1 Members within the Society may form Special Interest Groups to pursue particular areas of research.
7.1.1 All SIGs shall have no more than five levels of award or distinction for members in that group, reflecting achievement in the particular interest of the group. The lowest level must be open to all members of the Society and SIG's are encouraged to foster children in said groups.
7.1.2 All SIGs shall be responsible to the Minister of Arts & Sciences, except:
SIG for Fighting (Fighters Group) - responsible to the High Marshall.
SIG for Archery (Royal Corps of Archers) - responsible to the High Marshall
SIG for Heraldry (School of Heralds) - responsible to the Minister of Arms
SIG for Constables (Ducal Guard) - responsible to the Minister of Revels
SIG's shall have their heads appointed in accordance with their charters.
7.1.3 SIGs shall normally be known, for purposes of historical recreation, as Guilds.
8 NOBLES
For purposes of historical re-creation certain members shall be designated as nobles. The Board of Directors shall be known, for medieval re-creation purposes, as High Council. All high ministers shall hold the title of Count / Countess while they hold their office and hold a seat on the CON.
8.1 The Monarch is the highest ranking noble in the society. Any member of the Society may make a nomination for Monarch. At least 60 days notice of the meeting, before the allocated AGM where the election of a new Monarch is to occur, shall be given to allow for such nominations.
8.1.1 The Monarch shall be invested as such at a suitably timed investiture revel organised jointly by the new and outgoing Monarchs and the Council of Nobles.
8.1.2 The Monarch shall remain in office for a period of three years, provided that they remain a member of the Society. They shall be eligible for re-election, but shall not serve more than 2 consecutive terms. The Monarch may indicate to the Board of Directors the intention to resign on a particular date before the end of their full term of office. Where possible, the succession should be determined between three and six months prior to the end of the term of office, or resignation date, of the previous Monarch. The Monarch-Elect shall take office when the term of office of the previous Monarch comes to an end, or on the date when the previous Monarch has agreed to resign.
8.2 Branches may request the CON to create a noble to be head of the Branch. These nobles shall be known as landed nobles for their time in office and represent the branch on the CON with a title appropriate to the branch.
8.2.1 No landed noble may serve as an elected officer in his own Branch or any subordinate Branch. They shall have authority only in historical re-creation.
8.3 All titles of nobility shall be granted by the Monarch or by their appointed representative in consultation with the CON.
8.4 The Council of Nobles shall also have responsibility for the formulation of rules of conduct for the running of the society. These would include the codification of decrees of the Monarch concerning conduct whilst engaging in historical re-creation in costume, and the rules for conduct of fighting in historical re-creation decreed by the High Marshal. Such rules of conduct (statute) wholly or partially concerned with the conduct of members engaging in historical re-creation in costume shall not be published, except with the express approval in writing of the Board of Directors.
9 FINANCE
9.1 The Society is legally a single body for financial purposes, and the Treasurer of the Society shall ensure that all branches and SIGs conduct their financial affairs such that the Society meets any legal obligations.
9.1.1 The Board of Directors shall have no call on the funds of any Branch or SIG, except in the event of the Society, or a Branch or SIG, becoming unable to meet it's liabilities, in which case High Council shall only call on Branch or SIG funds to such an extent as to meet these liabilities, in equal proportions according to their means, from each group within the Society. Any group so assisted will be expected to repay such funding from it's future income, according to agreement made between the aided group and the Board of Directors.
9.1.2 If any branch or SIG should cease, any funds or other assets remaining on cessation will revert to the overall Society funds under the control of the Board of Directors.
9.1.3 A proportion of the membership fees from all full members shall be remitted to any level 2, 3 or 4 Branch not being a subordinate Branch of another Branch. The proportion of such fees to be remitted shall be decided each year at the Annual General Meeting. A Branch may refuse the remittance if they wish.
9.2 That a monetary allowance be made available to the Monarch, to be used solely for personal expenses pertaining to, or arising from, the office. Such expenses to include the purchase of gifts to be given in the medieval, the acquisition of items of garb and/or accessories deemed necessary to maintain the grandeur of the Monarchy, and the payment of revel fees where necessary. All expenditure from the allowance must be properly accounted for. The allowance may be refused by the incumbent Monarch, but will remain available to be called upon if there is need. This allowance shall be set, from October 1st, at £100.00 per year, and this sum shall be varied from time to time at the discretion of Board of Directors.
10 EVENTS
10.1 The following events shall be held each Society year:
Twelfth Night Revel, on the nearest practical date to January 6th.
Spring Revel, to be held between March 1st and May 31st.
Foundation & Independence Revel, in the month of October, approximately.
Far Isles Tourney, to be held at any time during the Society year.
10.2 The CON shall be responsible for ensuring these events take place.
10.3 All plans for major events must be approved by the Council of Nobles and overseen by the Minister of Revels.
as of 24 Apr 2001 - requires ratification at the AGM
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