AGM Minutes - 14th April 2018

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Council and ordinary members of the Society held in the Lecture Room of Lancashire Archives, Bow Lane, Preston on 14^th April 2018

The President, Thomas Woodcock CVO, DL, BA, LLB, FSA, Garter Principal King of Arms, took the chair to commence the meeting at 1pm

Present: Council Members Alan Kenwright, Jackie Roberts, Jacquie Crosby, Jennifer Holt, Tom O’Brien, Dr John Perkins, Dr Colin Rogers, Simon Oliver, Ken Taylor, Douglas Wilson and members Jill Drabble, Alan Chesters and Roy Ainscough

1. Apologies for absence were received, Neil Hudson, John Dalton, Malcolm and Pat Parr, Rev Tom Steel
2. The minutes of the AGM held 7^th April 2017 were approved
3. Matter arising: Douglas Wilson reports that Diana Holden has searched but does not have the missing Burnley Transcripts (Item 9)
4. Honorary Treasurer and Membership Secretary’s Reports: During 2017 eight members resigned, three died, leaving 304 members at 31 December 2017. At April we have 304 members paid up, 19 are unpaid, including 8 institutions and they will be pursued as far as practicable. Agree that they continue to receive volumes this year. As Treasurer Jackie Roberts reports in 2017 excess of expenditure over income £11,984.26, arising from a complete lack of legacies/ institutional grants and from our extensive publications list, including the necessary republication of Church Kirk. At 31 December our balances total £31,094.28, plus investments valued at 30 September 2017 at £37,065, making total assets £68,159.28. Reports accepted, agreed no action be taken at present on any further investment or reinvestment. The Treasurer/ Membership Secretary thanked for her painstaking work and presentations.
5. Honorary General Editor’s Report (as circulated): In 2017 we issued Aughton, Church Kirk to 1812 and Ringley as Vols 81a, 187 and 188. Manchester St George Vol NC 11 was intended as the last publication of 2017 but became the first of 2018, the second, Samlesbury Vol 189, ready for dispatch. Almost ready for publication in the following order are a combined Lancaster, Ashton under Lyne and a combined Billinge Upholland and Pemberton. Preston Holy Trinity CD ready to issue once permission in place, after discussion between Jacquie Crosby and Alan agreed the permission has been granted. Other volumes are proceeding well, including Rochdale Marriages 1802-1837 (Collin Rogers confessed to drowsiness whilst transcribing multiple examples of the same officials as witnesses) and Church Kirk from 1813 ( Jackie Roberts). Simon Oliver will persevere with Liverpool St Nicholas and John Perkins with Accrington. Wigan will be completed to 1841 in three extensive CDs
6. Sales and Publications Report: Full listing from Malcolm circulated in his absence, reports reasonably stable sales via Genfair and Parish Chest, latter now decreasing as also website sales. Sales of old volumes virtually ended. Report accepted with thanks. Jackie reports she has logged us on to a mailing list site Mail chimp which may encourage sales
7. Election of Officers: All willing to stand, Colin Rogers proposes re-election en bloc, seconded John Perkins, agreed unanimously
8. Election of Council Members: Jill Drabble proposes re-election en bloc, seconder Alan Chesters, agreed unanimously
9. Subscriptions/ Gift Aid : After much discussion agreed that with effect from 1 Janaury 2019 the subscription for institutions increase to £45; private members to remain at modest £25, set in 2007, but all private members be encouraged to make an extra voluntary payment, as some already do, on which Gift Aid can be claimed; Jackie reports that she expects shortly to recover Gift Aid on a private donation of £1000
10. EU General Data Protection Regulation: report received from Malcolm and Neil, agreed we must comply. We will delete our existing email address list and complete a new one on specific request and consent from members in form as circulated. It has been and remains our policy that we hold information on members purely for the use of the Society and it will never be shared with any other organisation for marketing or otherwise. Agreed membership information will remain with the Membership Secretary and that a privacy statement will now be added to our website
11. Supply of microfilm copies to transcribers: Jacquie Crosby regrets due to long administrative procedures and reduction in staffing at the Record Office it will no longer be possible to provide material to transcribers. This was accepted by the meeting , Jacquie thanked for offering to make original material available for transcribers own filming at Bow Lane or at other Record Offices
12. Independent Examiner : proposed by Jackie Roberts that David Smethurst, retired accountant, be again appointed as Independent Examiner of the accounts, seconded by Douglas Wilson who has done the internal appraisal to 31 December 2017; the appointment agreed unanimously
13. Any Other Business:

a Colin invited us to consider the eventual demise of our Society, be it for lack of transcribers or lack of funds or other cause. He will reflect on how much essential work remains for us to do. Suggestions he makes are first that we cease to devote resources to comparing registers with BTs, marriages after 1754, and baptisms and burials after 1812, since the few discrepancies uncovered are almost always mistakes in the BTs. Secondly, that publication of the larger parishes eg Rochdale be electronic only; thirdly that we restrict our boundaries to those of present day Lancashire; fourthly that we might offer Honorary Membership, our constitution permitting, to universities with Local Studies courses with a view to enrolling transcribers/potential editors. After discussion agreed that we remain committed to historic Lancashire, no decisions on the other points. Discussion also on long Introductions, Jackie considers they can be of great interest, and on reducing scope of indexing of our electronic publications.

b Alan points out that as members of FFFS we can claim discount on Find My Past.

c Jacquie points us to the possibility of applying to FFHS for grants towards volumes.

d Finally Jackie has received 84 pence from Find My Past, she will make enquiry as to how this sum arises

14. The President expressed our thanks to Jacquie Crosby and staff for the use of the Record Office for our meeting, and for providing refreshments
15. Date and time of next meeting: Jacquie extended an invitation, gladly taken up, to host us at the Record Office, Saturday 13^th April 2019, the meeting to commence at 1pm

Douglas Wilson

Acting Minuting Secretary