The Royal Historical Society seeks nominations for three Councillor positions to replace serving Council members in November 2025.
Closing date for nominations: Monday 11 August 2025.
The work of the Society is governed by its Council, which comprises ‘Officers’ (Trustees with a specific remit) and ‘Councillors’ (Trustees without portfolio).
Trustees of the Society play a vital role in working on behalf of our fellows, members and the greater historian community in establishing our mission, vision and strategy, as well as considering crucial governance matters that ensure the ongoing sustainability of our charitable work.
The newly-elected Councillors will perform a full and active role in the Society’s governance and its work to champion and support historians of all kinds, the historical profession, and the practice of history. This is an important time for the Society as it prepares its next three-year strategy, 2026-28, under the leadership of its President, Professor Lucy Noakes.
In accordance with By-law XXIV, Fellows of the Royal Historical Society are invited to nominate current Fellows, willing to serve as Councillors for a term of four years that commences in December 2025.
Please see the Society’s website for the institutional affiliations and subject expertise of current Members of Council.
The Society desires that the membership of its Council be fully representative of the community of historians in the United Kingdom.
Nominations must be supported by one Proposer and four Seconders, who are current Ordinary, Retired or Emeritus Fellows of the Society.
Time commitment required of Councillors
The role of RHS Councillor is an active one, and comes with an expectation that Councillors will undertake a range of duties in addition to attendance at Council meetings. RHS Councillors commit to:
- attend all or most of the five annual Council meetings which are held in-person and also hybrid
- attend at least one of the Society’s regional visits during their term on Council
- serve on one or more committee focusing on specific areas of the Society’s activities (e.g. research policy, education, publishing and membership); and
- assist the Society in other ways as needed.
Council meetings are held on Fridays five times each year (in February, May, July, September and November) at the Society’s office at University College London, with the option to join online if necessary. Expenses for economy travel and accommodation are reimbursed by the Society. Selected future Council meetings, and accompanying RHS lectures, may also be held across the UK from 2026.
Committee meetings are held online and again take place on Fridays whenever possible.
The Councillors stepping down in November 2025 are: Professor Cait Beaumont, Dr Melissa Calaresu and Professor Rebekah Lee. The Society seeks to replace them with the election of three new members from the current Fellowship.
To submit a nomination for election
Nominations should be made via the RHS Applications Portal
Fellows wishing to stand for election are required to submit a short statement, and then to contact one Proposer and four Seconders via the Application Portal. Proposers in turn submit their supporting statement, and Seconders their electronic signature, via the Portal. Completed nominations are then submitted by the Fellow who wishes to stand for election.
For clarity, all ‘Proposer’ and ‘Seconder’ statements of support must be submitted before the end of the application period.
Fellows wishing to discuss the role of an RHS Councillor prior to standing are very welcome to contact Professor Lucy Noakes, President of the Royal Historical Society, to discuss the role and work of the Society: president@royalhistsoc.org.
The closing date for nominations is: 11.59PM on Monday 11 August 2025.
The election period will begin soon after the closing date, with further details circulated at that time. Results of the election are expected to be announced in October, ahead of the Anniversary Meeting (Friday 21 November 2025).
Timetable for elections to Council, 2025
- Thursday 26 June: call opens for nominations from Fellows
- Monday 11 August: closing date for nominations
- w/c 18 August: voting opens for Fellows of the Society
- w/c 22 September: voting closes
- September / October: results announced
- Friday 21 November: new Councillors attend Anniversary Meeting of the Society