ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE OLD CLAYESMORIAN SOCIETY
AT SIMPSON'S -IN-THE-STRAND
Saturday, 31st January, 1998
at 1810hrs.
Present: D.St. K. Anderson, President
D.J. Beeby, Headmaster
Jane Salkeld, Chair and Membership
H. Teed, Hon. Sec.
N.J. Zelle, Hon. Editor, Newsletter
H. G. Chubb
D.R. Fangen
H.G. Thompson
G.G. Staines, Retiring Hon. Treas & Newsletter
Apologies for absence: R.H. Mitchell
MINUTES OF PREVIOUS A.G.M.
Minutes of previous A.G.M/ 1st Feb.'97 read by Hon. Sec. Accepted by meeting and signed by Chair.
Matters arising
No comment from Committee or floor, meeting moved to agenda.
AGENDA
Report for 1997 from Hon. Sec.
The Centenary Dinner was held at Simpson's on 1st Feb '97. One hundred and five applications reduced to 99 by one broken leg and five cases of 'flu. The 'Centenary hundred' diners was restored by the random arrival of Adrian Turner (40-45) post theatre. He sat next to his brother Michael (42-47) and took dessert, coffee and speeches. By way of celebration, the menu included a fish course: 'Simpson's famous potted shrimps' at the Society's expense. Toasts, speeches and presentations to Robert Mash(52-56) and Stephen Levinson(62-67) for years on the committee, extended the after-dinner slot and left all too little time for socialising. No presentations are planned for '98.
Dick Everett, the founding Headmaster of the Prep school died on 6th August '96, gently living and leaving this life at the age of 94. His widow "Tommy" being herself ill for much of the winter, his memorial service was held in the school Chapel on 20th May '97. The Prep school choir led the singing, the Headmaster Martin Cook at the organ. Henry Teed(42-45) gave the tribute, having gone to the Prep School at Charlton Marshall age eleven, junior member of staff for three years and visited regularly ever since.
A year later to the day, our celebrated Hon OC George Dobie died suddenly, albeit quietly at his home in Iwerne Minster at the age of 85, his wife having died some years before. The cremation took place at Yeovil on 14th August out of consideration for the older members of his family living locally. The Society sent a wreath in OC colours. Headmaster and Mrs Beeby were there plus John Elderkin(38-43), Nigel Herring(41-46), Barry Denny (43-46) and Henry Teed. George's memorial service was held in the School Chapel on Saturday 20th September. There was a good turnout for this as it was also an OC week-end. It had been hoped and intended that an OC would give the tribute. The Chairman of the School Council, Brig John Elderkin was the obvious choice having arrived at the School at the age of thirteen and kept in touch with George up to a few weeks before he died. We made our pitch with the family, but they chose to ask John King, son of the late E. M. King; not himself an OC. He did a very good job.
The Dorset Dinner was to have been held in the evening. There were only five diners so no dinner. Previous events have fared much better; suggestions and explanations welcome. Another OC event that almost died was the Feb Week-end; John Grant, Bob Mash and Henry Teed made three out of a possible five at lunch. No quorum for a Committee this time nor in May, though both events were well advertised. No meeting possible at the May week-end though on the plus side there was an OC cricket match plus a sufficient number of OCs out of hibernation to give a little life and take a little lunch - all part of the welcome we receive from the Headmaster and Mrs Beeby.
The final committee meeting of '97 took place at 154 Fleet St by kind permission of Stephen Levinson. The post of Hon. Treasurer and Hon. Editor of the Newsletter was imposed on the meeting by the sudden resignation of George Staines (64-69) who wore both hats. The latter in an acting capacity while the committee looked for a volunteer with no success during the past year. The Newsletter had not gone out these three years due to difficulty in finding an editor while material continued to build up steadily to present a daunting prospect. Nick Zelle(55-61) took on the post and by giving the job his full attention during three weeks, had it ready for the printers by early December. Normally it's Hon. Sec. who orders the printing of the Dinner announcements to send them out by earl December. Thirteen hundred of these is work enough. Imagine Hon. Sec's. relief when NZ suggested that as there was so much printing in hand a Dinner announcement would hardly notice and would post with the Newsletter at no extra cost. Last year's printing and postage came to £447+ for these let alone the lick, stick, and label that goes with this sort of job. The Newsletter went out on the 17th December, some arriving next day and others next year according to the whims of local sorting offices. It is a quality product and a good read. Could we do it next year? This means contributions starting now. Your Hon. Editor deserves the best and plenty of it. What about a Clayesmore Crossword?
The post of Hon Treasurer remains vacant, with Chair and Hon. Sec. signing the cheques on hopefully a temporary basis. Nick Zelle may well have solved this one by suggesting Karen French (nŽe Lynch)(77-82). She has been asked and agreed to stand for election at the AGM. What we did not know was that the lady was near term and has now given birth. She remains keen, but begs to be excused the AGM and Dinner this year.
This year's speakers are His Worship, The Mayor of Elmbridge. (Gordon Chubb, a member of your Committee) for the school. The Headmaster replying. Hamish Dow for the Society, (another NZ head hunt), with Hon. Sec. (Faute de mieux) replying.
Finally, arrangements have been made to keep an OC database at the School in the care of John Grant and the CCC . office. Another is held by Hon. Chair, pending election of an Hon. Membership Sec. (0171 249 9464). For a good OC read, John Grant has produced details of just about every old boy still living in a paperback available from his office at £10.
Report for 1997 from Hon. Treasurer
1. Income and Expenditure.
Once more we have shown a deficit, this time of £1820 on the Income and Expenditure account, as opposed to £1443 for the year before. Therefore, this is a second year in succession that we have shown a trading loss. This is a trend that I can see continuing unless steps are taken to address the problem, which is simply that at the moment we perforce spend more than comes in.
Whereas last year there was an increase in the entry fee of some £450, this year they went down by the same amount. There is nothing that can be done about this, of course, it is simply dependent on the number of leavers from school who become members of the Society. There was a slight increase in the subscription fees. Our overall income is therefore down from £6895 for 96 to £6193 for 97, down £702.
On the Expenditure side, there are two items that should be commented on. The first is the cost of the Newsletter. As many of you are aware, Nick Zelle did a superb job on publishing it, having taken over at short notice from the previously appointed Editor, who for one reason or another signally failed to get it out. It is much larger and of a higher print quality than before, it having been printed by OC John Burnie's firm. Nevertheless, it represents a substantial increase in previous costs, but one I think worthwhile, as it is the principal method by which the Society communicates with its members. The other item of note is the larger than normal loss on the Annual dinner. For those who attended last year, you will remember that, as it was the Centenary Dinner, it was decided to include an extra course and in the end the per capita cost was higher than the price charged to the members who came. It has been normal policy in the past for the Society to price the dinner above actual cost per head and even then, as we pay for the guests' food and wine, we normally make a loss, so this one may be considered a blip.
2. The Balance Sheet.
Despite those matters mentioned above, we are still in a reasonable cash position, having close on £12000 in the bank. Although on this balance sheet, it shows that we run both a current and a deposit account these have now been merged into an interest bearing current account, specifically called a Treasurer's Account and in future will show only one figure and a better rate of return.
The Sundry Creditors item should be noted. It is currently high as to maintain the proper balance in the accounting system, so although the cost of the Newsletter is shown as an outgoing on the Income and Expenditure sheet, it also appears in this column, which has an item of expenditure from the School to cover the Carlo Curley concert, an item of postage for a joint OC / School mailshot and some photocopying. There is an item outstanding to NJZ for expenses incurred in the preparation of the Newsletter.
3. Finally, in my comments on the Income and Expenditure, I mentioned that steps should be taken to address the problem of the former being outstripped by the latter. There is one simple way to do this: that is to make sure that all those of us who pay an annual subscription pay the full amount. At the moment, there are 302 members who make an annual standing order. Equally, at the moment the subscription is £7.00. per annum. Of these 302, a total of 129 do not pay the current amount, there being 63 who pay only £2.00. and 53 who pay only £4.00., 9 pay 50 pence, and 2, a fiver.
It does not take much working out that if all members due to pay, paid the full amount, then the Society would be better off roughly to the tune of £500. However, those members need to be contacted and chased up. I understand that John Grant has undertaken to do this rather monumental task and I hope that he is successful. Before he does though, may I suggest that it is time for the subscription to be raised to £10.00. That would, if we could get it paid by all subscribing members roughly double the income, from about £1700 p.a. to over £3000 p.a..
I recommend this. If the Society is to continue in financial health it is essential that we return to surplus and it is self evident that those who do not pay the full amount even now are being highly subsidised by the Society and that is not an equitable situation.
Report of Hon. Editor of Newsletter
Nick Zelle having proved his credentials by publication of the Newsletter invited further contributions by 'e' mail and a 'web site'. Numerous kind remarks from all over the room about the general excellence of the Newsletter led to a vote of thanks proposed by W Parker (63-68), and seconded by H. Dryden (59-62). Carried unanimously.
Election of Hon Editor of Newsletter
Nick Zelle elected by virtue of the above report. Hugh Thompson invited on to the editorial "Board" with N.J.Z. The duo voted in by general acclaim from the meeting.
Any Other Business
Volunteers for Membership Secretary conspicuously lacking. Chair continues to carry this post. However, the School database carries the same information and provides office premises and staffing, with John Grant at the controls with Alan Gilmour kindly offering backup. Committee is most grateful to these two gentlemen.
At the invitation of Hon. Sec. Daniel Rimmer, master i/c cricket at the school, made his "pitch" in aid of the Barbados summer cricket festival. This was well received, Russell Harding moving a vote of appreciation. "Carried" by general consent.
There being no further business Chair declared the meeting closed at 1902hrs. Dinner called at 1920.