Chairman’s Letter : September 2009

Dear Member(s)

The months from Easter until the June break were busy ones for the committee, planning and making decisions about next years programme, finalising arrangements for the Society visit to Normandy, and making sure that all was in place for The Sandwich Lunch which followed the June lecture. I hope that, like me, you have enjoyed the summer break and are now looking forward to the autumn programme of lectures.

Committee News

Ann Hollis will be standing down from the committee at the AGM in November after seven years of service. Chris Lund will take over as Vice Chairman and combine it with his role as organiser of Days of Special Interest. Chris has also taken on the responsibility of setting up and up-dating the digital notices. I continue to encourage you to consider joining the committee. Please speak to myself or a committee member if you are prepared to consider this and would like some information. We are particularly looking for someone to take over the Treasurer’s role from Graham Spring in the near future.

2009 programme

The first part of the year offered a wide choice of lectures from the scientific complexities of “What Colour Is My Red?” to the tantalising “Feast for the Eyes” that is the Frick Gallery, New York. The lecture on St Pancras led to a successful Study Day in March when a small group of members witnessed for themselves the amazing transformation of the station into an exciting International destination. As a committee we recognise that a number of people were disappointed not to obtain a ticket for this trip and will endeavour to cater for bigger groups in future. However, we will not discount a trip or venue on the basis of the limited number that it can cope with. Days of Special Interest generally attract smaller numbers. The visit to Normandy in June was a great success. Forty two members were treated to a wonderful variety of private homes and gardens, and the weather helped to create a relaxed holiday atmosphere. It was an opportunity to get to know many of the members and when we attended the June lecture two days after our return it was like greeting old friends! This relaxed and friendly feeling continued on into The Sandwich Lunch which once again proved popular with members. The Outings to Kentwell and Rochester have been well supported and greatly enjoyed. We still have the tour of the Albert Hall and the Albert Memorial to look forward to. I hope that you have taken time to log on to our web-site and have already had an introduction to the subject of this month’s lecture!! The porcelain factories of Chelsea and Bow have had a fascinating history. Jean Hockings continues to up-date our web-site for the benefit of members and I would like to thank her for all her efforts. We are hoping that the theme of November’s lecture, “Deck the Halls” will provide a fitting finale to 2009 and get us into the festive spirit.

2010 programme

The programme for 2010-2011 is now in place. Subjects range from “The Landscapes of Gustav Mahler” to “The Shakers of North America”. We are in the process of arranging a locally based study day on Organic Gems to link up with the May lecture on “The Jewellery of Ancient Egypt”. Ideas for Outings are being explored, one of which may be a visit to The Stanley Spencer Gallery, Cookham. Norah Irvin is looking into arranging another Young Arts Day. She is in contact with Monks Walk School where it is hoped that a group of students will spend a day working with an illustrator of graphic novels.

Annual Fees

Our annual subscription has now been £31 for four years but the costs of lecturers and hiring Campus West are rising significantly. It has therefore been decided that for 2009-10 the subscription will be £32, this includes the NADFAS affiliation fee of £10. 75. We believe this represents extremely good value for money and is lower than many other NADFAS societies. The visitor’s fee will remain at £5 per meeting. Please make your renewal by the date of the AGM, 18th November at the latest. If you do not we will assume that you wish your membership to lapse and will offer your place to one of the people on the waiting list. You are reminded that you need to attend three lectures each year and that it is your responsibility to register each month as recognition of attendance. If you do not achieve three attendances in a given year you will be put on a suspended list. You will be notified of this and will then have three years in which to re-apply for membership on a priority basis. Should you wish to re-join after three years you will then have to join at the bottom of the existing waiting list. People’s circumstances change and although you may not be able to commit to a regular monthly attendance you are reminded that you can always attend as a visitor.

Church Recorders

The group are working in the church at Watton-at-Stone. Progress has been good but they anticipate some real challenges in the form of floor memorials hidden under heavy chests, and a narrow winding stairway leading up to the roof which must be explored in order to record doors! The recording and photographing of a clock mechanism poses another challenge as it is squeezed in against a wall in the bell chamber and can only be accessed by a narrow metal ladder. Of interest is a Victorian corona lucis (a heavy brass chandelier) which resides on top of the organ at present. It used to hang in the chancel but fell down during a service and broke the arm of a man standing beneath it. Group leader, Joyce Wallis, reports that it has been satisfying to help a couple researching their family history. They knew that there was a brass to the Bardolph family in the church once but they thought that it had disappeared. Joyce was able to uncover it for them from beneath a carpet and as it had already been recorded she was able to give them the results of their research. We thank Joyce and her team for all the effort and time that they put into this valuable work.

Courtesy to Speakers

Sometimes it is necessary for a member to leave the hall as soon as a lecture has finished. If you know that you will have to leave promptly at the end of a lecture, could we request that you arrive early enough to secure a seat close to an aisle and exit via the back doors to avoid disturbing proceedings during a question and answer session.

finally -------- Another reminder that next month we meet on the second Wednesday, 14th October.

Best wishes,
Dianne Howes

  • Chairman's Letter January 2009