AGM Monday 22nd January 2024
7.30pm at Great Broughton Village Hall
MINUTES
Apologies: Approximately 40 members attended. Apologies were received from Sue Swales, Alan Swales, Sarah Grierson, Jayne McGurk, Martin McGurk, Mary Frew, Wayne Barnacal, Kathy Marshall.
Minutes of AGM 16th January 2023: Geoff Taylorproposed andJackie Cove- Smith seconded that the Minutes be accepted as a true record. The Minutes were accepted as a true record.
Chair’s Annual report: Janice reported on the variety of events during the year, as follows:
We ended 2023 with 87 members. During the year we continued to have a varied programme. In January Peter Morgan gave us a talk on our local mills. We enjoyed a presentation on the Medieval Chapel in Kildale which was followed up by an interesting visit to the excavations in July and lunch at the Dudley Arms. The Kirby Social History group gave us an interesting evening in March on their research. This was followed in April by a very different local focus– those from Teesside who fought in the Spanish Civil War. The North York Moors Association was our presentation in May. We all enjoyed the visit by the North Yorkshire County Record Office in June sharing their research from the North Riding Quarter Session Records. One of our popular speakers Chris Lloyd returned in September with “Secret Darlington” which was very entertaining. In October the Bilsdale Local History group came along and shared their recent research with us. At the last meeting in November John Davies gave us another fascinating presentation of his photographs of our villages “Then and Now”.
Alongside our regular talks there are two study groups whose reports are included below:
Kirby Social History Group – Grant Frew
Whereas the focus of our workshops in 2022 was on researching life in Kirkby in the 1950s and 1960s – culminating in a booklet on that topic: plus painstaking work on linking residents to properties, 1911 to the early 1950s – the workshops in 2023 concentrated on two other main areas. Firstly, how we might bring our work to the attention of History Group members and local Kirkby residents. Secondly, on a renewed emphasis on our own personal research. The first resulted in a Friday evening presentation in St. Augustine’s Church Hall, with a deliberate social element. The evening was well received. The second has included subjects as varied as the proposed aerial-ropeway for ironstone mining; St. Augustine’s 14th century “mini-minster”; and local railway history. Going into 2024, in addition to pursuing individuals’ research we will as a group be analysing the recently published 1921 census. We are always happy to welcome new members to our workshops. If you are interested, please contact Grant Frew 01642 712264 .
Great Broughton House History Group – Arline Ashton
In late 2022 it was decided to consider buildings and families which were no longer extant in Great Broughton. After much elimination and brow beating we decided to focus mainly on the girls’ school, shops and post office, Roseworth and Dorkings farms, Methodist chapel, the mill in Little Broughton plus the Police presence in the village. The families under consideration are the Grenside, Moore and Jackson families. We were delighted to be joined by two new members – Margaret Wright and Brian Barker, but we were deeply saddened by the loss of David Milner who was an excellent researcher and a dedicated and very valued member of our small group. We have made slow but steady progress over 2023 in our research into the “Gone but not Forgotten” – buildings and families – and hopefully we will be able to bring it all to a conclusion – and publication – in 2024. If you are interested in joining this group contact Arline 01642 712647
Other activities in addition to our talks include:
In September we had a tent at Stokesley Show where we were joined by the North Yorkshire County Record Office. It was a very successful day and visitors enjoyed looking at the displays and our books.
Our December Social was a very enjoyable “Victorian Christmas” evening with traditional food and music.
I would like to thank Jan Snowden for her help providing refreshments at our meetings and to those who have helped in any way during the last year washing up, putting out chairs and on the rota in the show tent. I would like to thank the committee for their help and support over the last four years.
Treasurer’s report: Lizzie reported, as follows:
In my new role I would like to present the accounts on behalf of the society for the year ended 31st December 2023. There are copies available should any questions arise and please contact my email at any time.
The accounts that have been reconciled to both the bank account and the petty cash tin, are showing assets of £908.91. However, the overall results over the last three years are that we have shown a trading deficit of nearly £1800 which has destroyed any reserves. This has come from the increase in costs that we have all have to deal with and we hope you understand. With the support of some members we have survived and the committee have decided to raise the membership to a realistic £15 per annum and are now sharing the wi-fi subscription with GBVH which should enable us to continue to offer the 10 lectures a year and all the positive research opportunities that go with membership of the society.
We will be re enlisting you all enthusiastically and hope you will continue to support us….. without you we are not a viable entity.
Election of Committee: All committee members are willing to continue. Arline Ashton, Vicky Robertson, Jackie Cove-Smith, Lizzie Johnston, Janice Ronsano, John Davies, Grant Frew, Geoff Taylor, Brian Barker and John Covell are standing for re-election.
Margaret Wright proposed and Jean Gallant seconded re-election of the committee. Committee re-elected.
Election of Officers:
Janice Ronsanoproposed and Grant Frew seconded re-election of John Covell as Secretary. There were no other nominations. John Covell re-elected.
Jackie Cove-Smith proposed and Arline Ashton seconded election of Lizzie Johnston as Treasurer. There were no other nominations. Lizzie elected.
Lizzie Johnston proposed and Janice Ronsano seconded election of Jackie Cove-Smith as Chair. There were no other nominations. Jackie elected as Chair.
As the new Chair, Jackie thanked Janice for all her hard work during 4 years of being Chair which was made particularly challenging by the Covid years in which she organized Zoom talks and meetings and we are all very grateful.
A.O.B.: No other business.
Meeting closed at 19. 45.