65/07

Rotating Chairman’s Report

Action

Website

John Dixon congratulated Derek Benson on the development of the website. Derek has put pictures and videos of the floods on the website without using up THS web space. He said that he would look into whether or not there was a website competition this year and if so he might enter the Tewkesbury Historical Society’s website.

6 October County History Day: Non-Conformity.

David Willavoys reported that he was organising an exhibition for the County History day at Sir Thomas Riches School in Gloucester. His display would be about the Moravian Chapel in Apperley. The Moravian’s had settled in Apperley and build a chapel there. Many years later it was bought by the Methodists. He has a lot of material to display.

John Dixon discussed the following anniversaries coming up in 2008 and asked if any Committee Members might be writing something about them:

• 1948 NHS 60
• 1908 Old Age Pensions 100
• 1918 Armistice Day 90
• 1858 Tewkesbury Register 150

David Willavoys was considering writing about the 1908 Old Age Pensions. Cliff Burd said that he was considering doing something on the 1858 Tewkesbury Register.

John Dixon

David Willavoys

66/07

Publications Report

John Dixon reported that the society had lost every surplus bulletin in the floods. He said that he would be claiming off the Society’s insurance for the cost of replacements. In future reprints would have to be produced digitally. Unfortunately, he did not have the masters for some of the older bulletins and these would have to be scanned into a computer. If compensation is received these bulletins will be produced professionally.

John Dixon reported that Bulletin 16 was finished and was ready for printing. The Committee Members were pleased with the finished publication and agreed that the cover would not be laminated. They particularly liked the ‘Racing Green’ cover designed by Sam Eedle. The Bulletin would cost £3.88 each and it was agreed to sell them for £5.50 each. One hundred copies would be ordered in the first instance. Free copies would be issued to the Library for their archives.

Following further thought about Bulletin 16 and consulting committee members by email, John made an executive decision to fix the wholesale/members price at £5 and not £5.50p. We will also offer expats the chance of buying the PDF version if they wish to use "podmail".

Marketing - Eventual request to Sue to take over

It was agreed that Sue would gradually take over the marketing of the Bulletins. Sue will start by selling Bulletins at THS meetings.

• Proposed No.5 Tewkesbury Cemetery by Tony Skelsey. It was reported that we had only seen the first draft and then nothing had been heard from Tony. John Dixon said that he would contact him to find out what is happening.

• Dave Wathen & Bill Treen and have been working together and have produced a lot of material about Tewkesbury. Dave has written about his work, his life and odd events that have happened. It is a factual account and they wish to publish it themselves. However, it needs editing before it can be published. Cliff Burd suggested that they have a small booklet printed. It was agreed that he would meet with them and put some suggestions forward on how this oral history account could be produced.
• John Dixon said that he was considering writing a briefing document on the floods.

Sue Norman

John Dixon

Cliff Burd & John Dixon

67/07

Acting Treasurer’s Report.

John Dixon reported the Statement of accounts as at 24^th August 2007.

The current account held £1517.21 and the on line savings account held £464.64 making a total of £1,979.85. Less un-presented cheques of £12.80 and WWII £188.14 left a net total of £1,787.66 in credit. This generated about £3.00 in interest.

The Bulletin costs were estimated as follows (100 copies):

49 pp text b&w 294.00

2pp colour cover 30.00

Collatye stitch and fold 64.00

Fleet Graphics 388.00

Production honoraria 90.00

Total costs £488.00 (suggested wholesale cost of £5.50 each)

John Dixon said that a production honoraria of £30 would be paid to Sam Eadle for his artwork and Derek Benson for typesetting and formatting the Bulletin.

There is £188.14 surplus from selling THS4 "Never has so much been owed" set aside in the accounts in order to pay for a plaque on the Cross to commemorate victims of WWII whose names were omitted. He is waiting to hear confirmation from the British Legion as to whose names may be included.

The Members were happy with the Statement of Accounts.

68/07

Secretary’s Report:

Janet Martin reported that she had agreed that the publishers of Kellys Residents Handbook could put her name in the directory and telephone number as Secretary of the Historical Society.

69/07

Membership Secretary’s Report:

Ken Flude reported that the society had four new members and renewal forms had been received. Forms were given out at the May 2007 meeting and some were still outstanding, it was hoped that they would be completed and returned at the next meeting in September. He will check then to see to who has signed up and have completed their forms. Nineteen members had paid so far. Each member has a number. A family member would have a number beginning with FM, an individual member IM and a life member LM followed by the year and a 3 digit number. At the last meeting a lot of people had attended who were not members and they had been encouraged to come back in September. If the Tewkesbury Historical Society had 50 members this would cover its outgoings. Some members had paid by PayPal. Although, it costs 30 pence per transaction, it enables people who live along way from Tewkesbury to join the Society. John Dixon agreed to send a letter to the expats reminding them to renew their membership.

John Dixon

70/07

Programme Report:

Audrey will arrange to book the Elmbury room at the Library for the social event. The format of the social evening was discussed and it was agreed that Cliff Burd would organise a quiz, a round of photos and artifacts. The Committee members were asked to bring prizes. Ken Flude would arrange to collect the glasses from Morrisons and organise the raffle. Members would be asked to bring food, either a savoury or sweet dish.

The format of the next AGM was discussed. It was planned to have a quick AGM and Ken Flude would ask Don Freeman if he would talk afterwards about old Tewkesbury. At the last AGM members had brought in memorabilia and artifacts for discussion.

David Willavoys had arranged with the conductor at the Methodist Church to swap venues. In the future the choir would use the back room and the Tewkesbury Historical Society would use the church. This is a better room because of the PA system. A laptop and power point would need to be set up for meetings.

Phillipa Roberts to talk about "A Wartime Poetry Journal" written by her in World War Two.

John Dixon to ask an expert on weapons at the time of the "War and the Rosses."

Cliff Burd to talk about Tewkesbury Alleyways from a slightly different angle.

Another evening with different people talking about their life in Tewkesbury.

The restoration of the Hat Shop.

71/07

Oral History Report:

Nothing to report.

72/07

Contemporary Archive Report:

Cliff Burd reported that he had been taking photographs of a building? that had been a fish and chip shop before the war. He had been in touch with Chris Rutter to obtain photos of it before the war. He had downloaded a batch of photos that were on the news report.

Cliff Burd

73/07

Heritage Report:

The Members were issued with the proposed script for the second floor of the hat shop from Mat Johnson at Continuum. This was a more generic interpretation relating to the history of Tewkesbury. Steve Goodchild was commenting on the script where it relates to the battle of Tewkesbury. The script is to be contained on information panels. Julie Wood would like THS to check it for its historical accuracy.

Comments were requested by Friday 14^th September if possible in order to be forward to Julie Woods at Tewkesbury Borough Council.

Becky Davis, the Education Officer at the Hat Shop, has asked for help in identifying articles found in the Hat Shop.

Cliff Burd said that he met a woman from Continuum and she had asked for all kinds of images that might be used in the Hat Shop.

All Committee Members

John Dixon

74/07

Research Co-ordinator:

John Dixon reported that research was carrying on and the database was continually being up dated. He had had some offers to do some transcribing.

John Dixon

75/07

Date and Venue of the Next Meeting

31^st January 2008 at 7.00 p.m. at Ken Fludes home at Beresford Lodge, Pamington, Tewkesbury, GL20 8LS.

20^th September 2007 – Chair - John Dixon (Host - Sue Norman)

18^th October 2007 – Chair - Cliff Burd (Host - David Willavoys)

22^nd November 2007 – Chair - John Dixon (Host - Janet Martin)

24^th January 2008 – Social Evening

14^th February 2008 – Chair – John Dixon (Host - John Dixon)

13^th March 2008 - Chair and host - Cliff Burd (Host - John Dixon)

24^th April 2008 – Chair – John Dixon AGM

22^nd May 2008 – Chair John Dixon/Cliff Burd (Host - Paul Kerr)

Chairman for the January Committee Meeting – Cliff Burd

It was agreed to put this on the agenda for the next meeting

76/07

Any Other Business

Sue would like to organise a visit to the Gloucester Record Office.

John Dixon thanked Ken Flude for hosting the evening.