16th Annual General Meeting: Tuesday 10th March 2015
The Society held its 16th Annual General Meeting
on10th March in Foxearth Village Hall when 14 members attended to enjoy cheese
and wine refreshment. Chairman Alan Fitch presented apologies on behalf of
President Ashley Cooper who was absent in connection with the prestigious
Silver Lapwing Award of the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group which he won
last year in recognition of his outstanding work in the field of nature conservancy
on his farm. The Society's warmest congratulations are expressed to Ashley. The
Chairman reported that Susan Fenner was leaving the Committee after many years
of much-appreciated service. Her role as Archivist would be taken by Andrew
Clarke whose diligent work on the web site meant that it now attracted in the
region of 1,000 hits a day and which was generally regarded as one of the best
history sites in the UK. The Chairman thanked the Secretary - Claire Matheison,
Treasurer – John Geddes and committee members for their efforts in the past
year and also those who had helped with refreshments, raffles and
report-writing. The officers and committee were re-elected en bloc to much
vocal support from the floor!
The Treasurer presented a statement setting out income and
expenditure for the year ended 28th Feb 2014 with comparitive
figures for the previous year. Hall-hire
costs and raffle revenues were both lower in 2014 reflecting the shift
in the balance between speaker events and visits. It was agreed that the
membership subscription should remain at £10 per person.
The Chairman recalled that this season had begun with visits
to the Glemsford and Cavendish societies (and in 2014 to Long Melford): he
welcomed the contacts which these had fostered and trusted that such
interesting reciprocal arrangements would continue. He further reported that
Helen Walker – an Essex archaeologist – had written a book on The Medieval
Roads of Essex. This had been published as an e-book and he suggested that the
Society should produce it as a paperback; this was agreed.
Members had been invited to bring along any old photographs
and there was a varied selection. In terms of age the most impressive was one
dating from 1868 at the start of a wide ranging Geddes dynasty.
Next meeting: This will take the form of a Saturday
afternoon metal detecting session in Pentlow on a field – at the invitation of
Andrew Clarke – which has a past history of fairs and circuses. Subject to
confirmation this will be on April 12th.
Ken Nice
