WINCHESTER AND PORTSMOUTH DIOCESAN GUILD OF CHURCH BELL RINGERS
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 1991
MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD 5 JULY 1991 AT CATHEDRAL HOUSE PORTSMOUTH
Opening Prayer and Welcome
The Master, Rev Barry Fry, supported by the Honorary General Secretary, Derek Jackson, the Honorary General Treasurer, Michael Bubb, and the Minute Secretary, Andrew Case, opened the meeting at 2.02 with a prayer.
Malcolm Powell, the Chairman of the Portsmouth District then addressed the meeting welcoming the Guild on behalf of the Portsmouth District.
Apologies for Absence
Apologies were received from:-
Jane & Phil Le Conte, the Bishopstoke band, David & Christine Holmes, Nick Allingham, Les Duguid, Ann Collins, Jessie Kippin, Nicky French, Jacqui & Steve Dunster and Gilian Davis.
Loss of Members through death
The meeting stood in silence to respect the following deceased members:-
Les Songhurst (Hinton Admiral)
Vice Admiral Sir James Kennon (Soberton)
Harry Symes, Life Member (Micheldever)
Minutes of the 1990, AGM
Minutes of the 1990 AGM held at Goodworth Clatford had been circulated in 1990. The minutes were approved on the Master's proposition.
Matters Arising
100 Club. Mark Esbester reported that the first three prizes had been drawn at the Guild Dinner and that there was still time for anyone to join the club at a reduced fee before the AGM draw to be held after tea.
The Secretary advised that the National Ringing Centre proposed by the Central Council was still under consideration.
The Secretary reported that Joyce Croft would not be seeking re-election as Public Relations Officer next year. Mr Smith pointed out that all the officers retire at the 1992 AGM but are eligible to seek re-election.
The Winchester District open day had raised £700 for the BRF and thanks were expressed to Roy LeMarechal and the Winchester District.
Relevant correspondence
A letter of thanks had been received from Wickham for the BRF grant enclosing a donation of £60 for the BRF.
R Cater had donated £25 to the BRF, being excess proceeds from a raffle held at the Sparsholt Ringing Course.
Letters of thanks had been received from Shedfield for a grant from the BRF and from Mottisfont for the loan agreed at last year's meeting.
The Essex Trophy striking competition was to be held in September and Roy LeMarechal had agreed to organize a band.
A letter had been received in March from Peter Hill, the convenor of the Education committee, confirming that he had stood down as convenor, although remaining a member of the committee.
Honorary Life Members
On behalf of the Alton and Petersfield District, the Executive Committee proposed the election to Life Membership of Walter Sherfield of Bentley. This proposal was carried nem con.
Treasurer's Report and Accounts
Adoption of the report and accounts, printed in the Annual Report, was proposed by John Croft, seconded by Andrew Craddock and carried nem con. The Secretary advised that he had raised at the Executive Committee the possibility of obtaining word processing facilities for use by the Report Editor and Secretary. There was a discussion as to the savings which might result in respect of the production of the Report and also as to the potential users and uses of computing facilities. Andrew Craddock indicated that he would be prepared to lend Derek and Ruth Jackson a personal computer and proposed that this should be used for a year so that the potential benefits which might accrue to the Guild could be established and a report brought before the AGM in 1992. This was seconded by John Foot and carried nem con, Andrew Craddock being thanked for his generous offer.
Guild Report for 1990
Ruth Jackson reported on the production of the Report mentioning that there had been some printing errors which would be corrected in errata slips to be sent to District Secretaries for general distribution.
Guild Officers Reports
Peter Hill queried whether the Guild Report should include an obituaries section. Ruth Jackson reminded members that there was an "In Memoriam" section, but that it was always difficult to decide when to include names there because of dates and timings. The Master suggested that members should submit obituaries for publication and they could appear in either the Report or the Guild Newsletter. Harold Milford proposed that the reports be accepted en bloc. This was seconded by Bob Cater and carried nem con.
The Master expressed thanks to all the Officers for the work they did on behalf of the Guild.
Bell Restoration Fund
The Report and accounts of the Bell Restoration Fund were accepted on a proposition from Mick Thomas, seconded by Peter Smith. On behalf of the Trustees, Martin Waldron outlined the requests for grants received and the recommended grants as follows:
Bishopstoke. New ring of 10, tenor 11cwt. Frame to be strengthened and altered (Taylors or Whitechapel). Cost £45774, proposed grant £3600.
Christchurch. Rehang nos 5 - 12 by Whitechapel. Cost £13856, proposed grant £1120.
Compton. 3 bells tuned and rehung for full circle ringing by Whitechapel. Cost £7845, proposed grant £630.
Freshwater. New galvanized steel girders to provide foundation for existing frame by local builder. Cost £5500, proposed grant £440.
Mottisfont. Cracked bells welded, 5 bells retuned and rehung by Whitechapel. Cost £26022, proposed grant £2080.
Rotherwick. 2nd recast, strengthen frame and rehang all bells by Whites of Appleton. Cost £19493, proposed grant £1600.
Shanklin. Survey of structure of tower. Cost £380, the trustees recommended that no grant should be made.
St Michael, Southampton. All clappers rebushed and new pulleys fitted. Cost £585, proposed grant £50.
Upton Grey. New internal staircase to replace derelict and dangerous external ladder, re-roping of 2 bells by local builder. Cost £20377, of this £377 being for the re-roping. Proposed grant £500.
The total cost of the work proposed was £139452 and the total of proposed grants at approximately 8% of this total was £10020, the income to the BRF in 1990 being £5071.08.
In supporting the Trustees recommendations, Tony Smith commented that the work proposed was indicative of the encouraging state of bell restoration within the Guild. The Trustees proposals were proposed by Martin Waldron, seconded by Mark Esbester and carried nem con.
Proposed Change of BRF Rule 7(a)
On behalf of the Trustees, the Master proposed that the period of notice for an application for a BRF grant be reduced from two months to one month. This was carried nem con.
Election of Education Sub Committee 1991-1994
The following were proposed :-
| Nick Allingham | P Karen Moore | S Terry Tarrant |
| Brian Woodruffe | P Nick Allingham | S Andrew Palk |
| Andrew Palk | P Nick Allingham | S B Woodruffe |
| Gail Cater | P Mrs E Johnson | S A Craddock |
Peter Hill briefly explained the work of the Education Committee. On a proposition of the Master the above were elected en bloc, nem con.
Election of Striking Competitions Sub Committee 1991-1994
The following were proposed:-
| Martin Hough | P Stephen Noyes | S Derek Jackson |
| Stephen Noyes | P Barry Downer | S Peter Smith |
| John Colliss | P Barry Fry |
Malcolm Powell advised the meeting that he was not seeking re-election. On a proposition of the Master, the above were elected en bloc, nem con.
The Master expressed thanks to all members of the Guild's Committees for all their work on behalf of the Guild.
Items relevant to the Guild arising from the 1991 Central Council Meeting
Terry Collins reported that 8 possible sites had been identified for the National Ringing Centre and it was hoped that a recommendation would be put to the Council next year. A report of the committee on representation of Associations was considered and reactions are sought by the end of September. Copies of the report were circulated so that a straw poll could be taken on the views of those present.
Discussions had been held with the Council for the Care of Churches and a draft of the resulting Code of Practice for the Conservation, Installation and Repair of Bells and Bellframes was to be published for comments.
The Central Council Librarian had again made a request for copies of all Guild reports and newsletters to be forwarded for the use of future researchers. The Computer Co-ordination Committee had asked for its existence to be brought to ringers attention.
Following a discussion on the report regarding representation of Societies, the Master called for a show of hands. There were no votes for preserving the status quo, and 21 votes in favour of the Administrative Committee's proposals. One of those members abstaining indicated that he would have voted for abolition of the Central Council if that had been an option!
1992 Annual General Meeting
The meeting would be held on Saturday 4 July 1992 in the Winchester District. In response to a request for assistance with travel from ferries for Isle of Wight ringers, the Master asked that anyone needing transport or even overnight accommodation should contact the Secretary who would no doubt be able to assist with arrangements.
Any Other Business
Bob Cater reported the latest position with regard to restoration work at Winchester Cathedral. Work had started on the tower, but the contractor had gone into liquidation and following some delay, a new company had recently started work.
Malcolm Powell advised that at Portsmouth Cathedral it had been decided that the bells would not be augmented but money would be spent on improving the ringing chamber.
Mark Esbester advised that he would be borrowing a Central Council ringing simulator for use at Hambledon for a month from about mid July. If anyone wished to try out the equipment they were invited to contact him.
Bob Cater thanked all who had assisted at the Sparsholt ringing course. The 1992 course was to be held in September.
Michael Church asked what changes were to be made to the arrangements for the AGM following the recent consideration of the matter by District meetings. The Master advised that although various suggestions had been made, the consensus of opinion appeared to be that there should be no change to the date or format of the meeting.
Tony Smith advised that there was to be a local peal attempt at Hursley on 13 July for Grandsire Caters and one rope was still available.
Peter Hill queried whether peal 8049 had the requisite number of resident members. The Master replied that the peal conformed with the Guild rules.
John Foot advised members present that the Portsmouth District was holding a barbecue at his house on Saturday 4 August from noon and anyone was welcome to attend. John Foot asked merely that he be advised of names in advance so that catering arrangements could be made.
There being no further business the Master closed the meeting with a prayer at 4.06 pm.