‘Notice of the Alcuin Society first Annual General Meeting' – Wil Hudson, 1966

This letterpress invitation for the first Annual General Meeting of The Alcuin Society is an excellent example of the typography and printing of Vancouver printer Wil Hudson. The invitation was hand-set in Goudy Oldstyle and then letterpress printed directly from the metal type. Hudson often used typographic flowers, also known as fleurons, as a decorative element in his printing. In the fall of 1965 a small group gathered to discuss the possibility of creating a book society in Vancouver. From that small gathering, the Alcuin Society was formed. One year later they rented space at the Arts Club on Seymour Street in Vancouver’s downtown. In his memoir of the early years of the Society, founder Geoffrey Spencer recalls how it began: “It would be nice to say that the Society arose out of an act of spontaneous artistic combustion, a font of book lovers clamouring to give expression to a mutually perceived need. In fact it was dreamed up by me as an instrument to try to feed a worthwhile craftsman who did not show any signs of being able to do so himself”. Unfortunately, Hudson proved to be more difficult to deal with than Spencer, or perhaps anyone else had bargained for and within a few years they parted ways. However, the Alcuin Society flourished and today has members from across the country. It remains the only society in Canada devoted to the book arts.

Artifact Text

The Alcuin Society (set within an ornamental border of fleurons)
Notice of Annual General Meeting
(Fleuron) The Society’s first Annual General Meeting will be held Thursday, October 27th, at The Arts Club of Vancouver, 1181 Seymour Street, Vancouver 2, B. C., preceded by the serving to Members and Guests from 7:30 to 8:00 p. m. of an Alcuin Punch (Fleuron) The main items of business will include A Display of The Society’s First Book, The Election of Directors, and The President’s Report (Fleuron) Members of The Society will also display a selection of their Most Beautiful Limited Editions.
(Fleuron)
(Fleuron) Following the meeting, Coffee and Refreshments will be served, and the Bar will be open (Fleuron) Guests sympathetic with the aims of The Society will be welcome.
(Fleuron)
(Signed)
Geoffrey A. Spencer
President