Edward Lear was described by one of his contemporaries as ‘a man of versatile and original genius’. With the recent 200th anniversary exhibition celebrations of his birth in 1812 both in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and in Corfu, the aim of the Society is to widen the public knowledge, to advance education and to recognise the many interests in connection with Lear, be it music, song writing, poetry, travel, his painting skills, both in watercolour and oils. When he died he left over 7000 watercolours made during his travels, another 2000 studio watercolours, sets of illustrations to Tennyson’s poems, 200 oil paintings, ornithological lithographs, travel books, books of nonsense, songs and thousands of letters. Spiro Flamburiari and I decided the best way to celebrate his heritage was to form a Society where members and devotees of his works could access through a website and add to the information we have immediately at hand. In order to achieve this master fund of knowledge, the present website has been produced where information can be gleaned and added to.
We are fortunate in having recruited many luminaries who represent various subjects epitomizing Lear’s career, including Zoology & Natural History, Crete, Corfu, Italy, Tennyson, Art, Literature & Poetry, Theatre and Knowsley. Please find below a list of all the members of the Society’s Advisory Council.
Derek Johns
The Edward Lear Society Advisory Council
Founders
Derek Johns & the late Count Spiro Flamburiari
Advisory Council
- Sir David Attenborough (Zoology & Natural History)
- Clive Aslet (Media)
- Ann C. Colley
- The Countess of Derby (Knowsley)
- John Dryden (Theatre)
- Stephen Duckworth (Crete)
- Dr. Clemency Fisher (Zoology & Natural History)
- Count Spiro Flamburiari (Corfu & London)
- Rowena Fowler (Crete)
- Marco Graziosi (Italy)
- Dr. Colin Harrison (Art)
- Derek Johns (Art & Corfu)
- Dr. Stephen Lloyd (Knowsley)
- Michael Montgomery (Literature & Poetry)
- Michael Morpurgo (Children’s Literature)
- Dr. Robert McCracken Peck (Zoology & Natural History)
- Dr. Seamus Perry (Tennyson)
- Andrew Sinclair
The Edward Lear Society 