Meeting held 21st March 2016
The last meeting of the Augustinian Society season was the Annual General Meeting. The Prior, Rick Hudson, welcomed members, and in his report thanked all the members of the Chapter and the membership who had helped him and the society throughout the year. Of particular note, he thanked Christine Gatenby who took on the role of Speaker Finder after the last AGM, and Pam Quigley for her competent performance in her first year as Bursar. These are two of the society’s most important roles. The Prior also gave some details of the pilgrimage being planned for late spring to a normally inaccessible Bridlington building and nearby passages.
In the Scribe’s report, Bro George Parrott, stated that the number of members and the average attendance over the last year was slightly down but still healthy. He gave key dates for the next seasons events.
The Bursar’s financial report was made available to members present and a brief resume was given. There was a small surplus on the year and the chapter propose no increase in the £20 membership fee.
The meeting confirmed the Prior, Sub Prior, Bursar and Scribe’s continuing appointments. Eight members were confirmed as Chapter members. With nine positions available no vote was necessary.
Under “any other business” members discussed proposals to alter times of some meetings. Further consideration will take place in Chapter.
The evening was not all business however. The Prior had asked members to bring items of historic interest to talk about after the AGM business was concluded. The response was overwhelming. Over 20 members brought something, but there was only time to ask ten members to talk about their treasures. And what a variety there was.
We heard the stories of an Indian maharajah’s jewelled wedding gifts, a carved wooden owl finely detailed and with a removable head, an exquisite pot doll with two sets of clothes in a poker work box dated 1885, small medicine bottles in a case from the 1850’s, Cunard Line ocean liner memorabilia collected by a steward working on board including signed photographs of the famous, an historic house in South Back Lane and its many occupants, an original 1786 map of London bought as a reminder of home, badges awarded for selling National Saving Stamps and WVS badges from several eras, a pair of pliers the science museum couldn’t identify but now we can, and government bonds worth millions of pounds at today’s prices dating back to Georgian times and issued to pay Royal Navy expenses. It was not only the glorious objects but also the fascinating stories behind them that had members spellbound.