The First Meeting of the Sixth Council was held in the Church House, Westminster, on Whitsun Tuesday, June 5th, 1906, when there were present 61 out of 86 elected representatives, and 6 out of 10 Honorary Members.
On the motion of the Rev. F. E. Robinson, seconded by the Rev. T. L. Papillon, Sir Arthur Heywood, Bart., was unanimously re-elected President.
The President having taken the chair and thanked the Council, announced that the next business was the election of one to fill the combined offices of Honorary Secretary and Treasurer. On the motion of the Rev. F. E. Robinson, seconded the Rev. G. F. Coleridge, the Rev. C. D. P. Davies was unanimously re-elected. The Hon. Secretary then thanked the Council for the honour conferred on him. Letters of regret for absence were read from the Revs. H. E. Tilney-Bassett, and A. H. F. Boughey, and from Messrs. N. J. Pitstow, W. Snowdon, and F. E. Ward.
The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.
The Hon. Treasurer then submitted the following statement of accounts. Starting with a balance of £37 7s. 10d. in hand from the previous year, there had accrued to the Council £7 2s. 8d. from Sales of Publications during that year, and £2 12s. from the same source during the past year; from sales at the Meeting 2s. 1d.; from affiliation fees £11 2s. 6d., making a total of £58 7s. 1d. The expenditure had been:- Meeting at Canterbury £2 14s. 6d.; Printing and Stationery £11 5s. 9d.; Postage 11s. 10d.; Repaid Messrs. Bemrose and Sons £1 12s. 0d.; leaving a balance in the bank of £42 3s. 10d. These accounts having been previously audited in detail by the Standing Committee, were passed unanimously on the proposal of Mr. R. A. Daniell, seconded by Mr. H. Dains.
It was proposed by the Rev. F. E. Robinson, and seconded by the Rev. W. W. C. Baker, that Mr. John Carter, Rev. C. D. P. Davies, and Messrs. J. Pettit, J. S. Pritchett and J. A. Trollope be re-elected Honorary Members. Carried unanimously. On the proposal of the Rev. C. E. Matthews, seconded by Mr. H. White, Mr. G. Williams was also unanimously elected an Honorary Member.
The following were elected on the Standing Committee, viz., the President and Hon. Secretary, the Revs. H. A. Cockey, G. F. Coleridge and F. E. Robinson, with Messrs. G. F. Attree, H. Dains, R. A. Daniell, J. Griffin, R. S. Story and W. Snowdon.
Before proceeding with the main portion of the Agenda, the President gave a valuable and stirring address on the Education Bill, his words being followed with close attention throughout, and warmly applauded at the close.
Dr. A. B. Carpenter and Mr. H. Dains, on behalf of the Peal Collection Committee, reported that the fourth sheet of the Double Norwich Section had been printed. The report was adopted, and the Committee consisting of Dr. A. B. Carpenter, Mr. H. Dains, and the Rev. C. D. P. Davies were re-elected.
On behalf of the Committee, on the Condition of Rings, the President gave an exhaustive Report with full details, saying that the work had now come to an end.
After a long and interesting discussion on various points raised by the Report, and as to the best means of bringing it to the notice of the authorities, it was proposed by the Rev. H. J. Elsee, and seconded by the Rev. H. L. James, that the President be requested to tabulate the chief results of enquiry into the Condition of Rings, and to communicate them in the form of a letter or article to the Press, together with any practical points in connection with the care of bells which may be suggested thereby.
A vote of thanks to the President for his work, proposed by the Rev. W. W. C. Baker, and seconded by Mr. A. T. King, was carried by acclamation.
For the Church Press Committee Mr. R. A. Daniell reported that the work of preparing the descriptive Catalogue was in a forward condition. The Report was adopted, and the Committee consisting of the Revs. H. A. Cockey, M. Kelly, T. L. Papillon, and Messrs. H. Dains and R. A. Daniell was unanimously re-elected. On behalf of the Committee on Peal Values, Mr. R. S. Story reported that the Committee recommended that 36 points should be given for seven 720s in Surprise methods on six bells ; 50 for fourteen 360s in Surprise methods on six bells; eighteen for seven 720s on six bells in methods with “broken leads,” and 22 for Double Norwich Court Bob Caters.
It was proposed by Mr. J. Griffin, and seconded by the Rev. E. W. Carpenter, that the Report be adopted. This was carried, as was also a resolution proposed by the Rev. H. A. Cockey, and seconded by the Rev. C. E. Matthews, that the Committee be requested to consider the question of points for peals rung double-handed on handbells, and to report to the next meeting.
The Report of the Committee on Legitimate Methods was brought forward by the Rev. H. L. James, who also moved its adoption. This having been seconded by Mr. J. A. Trollope, was carried unanimously. A resolution on the motion of the Rev. F. E. Robinson, seconded by the Rev. H. Drake, re-electing the Committee, thanking them for their past labours, and asking them to continue the work and report to the next meeting, was carried unanimously, those thus re-elected being the Revs. H. L. and E. B. James, with Messrs. J. Carter, H. Dains and J. A. Trollope.
The President proposed, and the Hon. Secretary seconded the following alterations in the rules, the proposal being unanimously carried.
(a) That in the thirteenth line of the second Rule the word “fifteen” be substituted for the word “twelve.”
(b) That in the first line of the sixth Rule the word “Easter” be replaced by the word “Whitsuntide.”
(c) That to the tenth Rule be added the words - “That every new member, whether Representative or Honorary, shall, before taking his seat, be introduced by an old member to the President, or, in the absence of the President, to the Chairman of the Meeting.”
Mr. J. A. Trollope having called attention to the fact that the last publication of the Analysis of Peals issued under the authority of the Council was on December 31st, 1904, the returns being those for the year 1903, a long discussion ensued, the result of which was that the Rev. H. Drake moved, and Mr. A. T. King seconded a resolution thanking Mr. Attree for his past labours in connection with the Analysis, and proposing that Messrs. C. E. Borrett, J. Griffin, A. T. King and J. A. Trollope be appointed a Committee to continue the work. This was carried with only three dissentients.
Mr. C. Willshire moved that the Council take steps to establish a Labour Bureau. This was seconded by Mr. H. White. After discussion Mr. R. A. Daniell kindly offered to make an attempt, to be considered entirely unofficial, to keep a register at his office. This being thankfully accepted, the motion was withdrawn.
On behalf of the Lancashire Association the Rev. H. J. Elsee cordially invited the Council to hold their next meeting at Manchester. While saying that he was sure that the Council warmly appreciated the wish of the Lancashire Association, the President took occasion to point out that, following the usual rotation, the next meeting would naturally be held in the west of England. On the motion of the Rev. M. Kelly, seconded by the Rev. G. F. Coleridge, it was unanimously resolved to hold the next meeting at Exeter.
On the motion of the Rev. F. E. Robinson, seconded by Mr. J. Griffin, a cordial vote of thanks was by acclamation passed to the President.
The Bell News and Ringers’ Record, Aug. 25, 1906, page 244
| PRESENT. | ABSENT. | TOTAL. | ||
| Representative | Members | 60 | 26 | 86 |
| Honorary | " | 6 | 4 | 10 |
| Total | 66 | 30 | 96 | |
| Fully | represented | 19 |
| Partially | " | 7 |
| Not | " | 10 |
| Total | 36 | |
The Bell News and Ringers’ Record, June 9, 1906, page 111, correction June 30, 1906, page 149