Thursday, 10th March, 1988ST John's College
3.30 p.m.
 
THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
     
  1. Those present: D. Mark Collins
    Richard Marquis-Hirsch
    ?
    Michael H. Davies
    John Brimacombe
    James Sergeant
    Gernot Biehler
    John Horton
    Thomas Knollys
    P.J.S. Little
    Gordon Wright
    David Babington-Smith

  2. The Secretary's Report – attached.

  3. The Junior Treasurer's Report – attached.

  4. Matters arising from these.
    It was agreed that a strong recruitment initiative was essential for the forthcoming Academic Year, and that a squash held early in the Michaelmas Term with a well-known speaker should provide the spearhead for this. (Richard Marquis-Hirsch sugegsted inviting Lord Lyon once again, as he was unable to come in October '87!) It was also suggested that sheets with information about the Society should be printed to be distributed at the Societies' Fair in the Michaelmas Term.
    Dr. Wright enquired if the Annual Dinner were thought to be too expensive for many people – David Babington-Smith replied in the negative. Following the healthy state of the Society's accounts, the Junior Treasurer suggested that at least some of the new-found wealth be used to purchase books for the Society library. However, indicating that the Society library was not used very frequently, the President thought that just one book – Fox-Davies "Heraldry" – should be purchased. It was pointed out by John Brimacombe that books were one of the Society's principal assets.
    It was asked if the Society receives a grant from the University. The answer was no, and it was wondered if this might be looked into; on the subject of Society bow-ties, David Babington-Smith reported that Ryder & Amies would take a minimum order of 24 ties, and that once 24 people had expressed a desire to purchase, an order could be placed.

  5. Determination of next year's subscription fees.
    It was unanimously agreed that these should be raised to the following amounts:
    Annual Membership£4
    Life Membership£8

  6. Election of new committee:
    President –David Babington-Smith
    Secretary –Toby Wilkinson
    elected
    Jnr. Treasurer –Michael Davies
    Committee –John Brimacombe
    unanimously
    Patrick Little

    James Sergeant wondered if the Society's constitution should be changed to permit full involvement of members of C.C.A.T. It was decided to set up a constitutional sub-committee to look into this, consisting of David Babington-Smith and John Brimacombe, to report to the Society at a future S.G.M.

  7. The Garden Party and other forthcoming events.
    A date of the 10th or 11th of June was suggested for the Garden Party, to be held in Peterhouse.
    The Mountbatten Lecture will be given on Friday 6th May by Peter Gwynn-Jones, on "Five Heraldic Leaps". The lecture will be preceded by a black-tie dinner.
    On 20th June there will be a mediaeval banquet held at Trinity with the theme "Come as an ancestor". The provisional cost is about £20. There will be five courses; there is a limit of 65 people; all members will be mailed and informed of details.

  8. Suggestions of events for next year.
    Dr. Wright offered his car as transport for the proposed Church Heraldry excursion. He also took the opportunity to express the necessity of making arrangements for speaker meetings as early as possible, so that Clare hall / F4 can be booked in advance for dinner / meetings. A stall at the Societies' Fair and a well-publicised squash were reaffirmed as important events for the Michaelmas Term.

  9. Date of next committee meeting
    – undecided.

  10. Any other business

Report and Statement of the Secretary. 1987-88.

Recruitment of membership has been a success this year, with a total of twenty-one new members and attendance at meetings has been consistently high. We have had ten events so far this year including five speakers. The Michaelmas Term began with Kintyre Pursuivant who gave an engaging talk on State ceremonial and which drew the largest gathering of members – twenty-eight. Later in October, the President and Secretary were privileged to witness the colourful ceremony of the Presentation of the Letters Patent to St. Edmund's College by the Earl Marshal. Genealogy was represented in the first term by a lively talk given by Jeremy Gibson whilst the highlight was the visit to the Royal Academy's Age of Chivalry Exhibition followed by a tour of the College of Arms kindly given by Rouge Croix Pursuivant.

The Annual Dinner proved, once again, a complete success with one of the largest guest lists on record; thirty-four. Patric Dickinson, Rouge Dragon Pursuivant, was our guest of honour and delivered a witty speech about some of his more eccentric clients at the College of Arms and the President gave a speech in reply. We received another generous gift from Archbishop Heim.

Finally, on behalf of the Society I should like to thank the President for entertaining us both at dinner in St. John's and for organizing such pleasant evenings afterwards at Clare. The Society would like to offer many thanks to the Senior Treasurer for once again giving us so much of his time and help and for arranging for our meetings to be held in the comfort of F4 for another year. Thanks are also extended to the Junior Treasurer for re-structuring the accounts and putting them in good shape for the future.

D. Mark Collins

D.M. Collins,
Peterhouse.
10th March, 1988


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