16th Annual General Meeting: Tuesday 10th March 2015

The Society held its 16^th 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 28^th 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 12^th.

Ken Nice