The Disputed Presidential Election of Joan Evans, April 1959

Abstract

One evening in early 1959 George Zarnecki and I were walking up Regent Street after a lecture at the Society. We were sharing our dismay at the extraordinary ballot papers we had to hand. Mortimer Wheeler's Presidency was drawing to a close, and the Fellowship had been expecting Joan Evans, Director, to succeed him (fig 1). In those days the Directorship was an apprenticeship for the Presidency, assuring continuity of knowledge and experience in the government of the Society's affairs. But the ballot paper for the forthcoming election had substituted the name of Ian Richmond in her place.