AGM Minutes - 20th April 2013

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held at City Library, Deansgate, Manchester, on the 20th April 2013

The President, Thomas Woodcock Esq CVO DL FSA, Garter King of Arms, took the chair to commence the meeting at 1 p.m.

Present: Council members Alan Kenwright (Hon General Editor), Tom O’Brien, Jackie Roberts (Hon Treasurer and Membership Secretary), Neil Hudson (Secretary), Douglas Wilson, Simon Oliver, Kevin Bolton, John Dalton, Dr John Perkins, Phil Stringer, Ken Taylor and other members Pat Parr, Malcolm Parr, Jennifer Holt & Ben Alexander.

The President opened the Meeting by warmly welcoming all to the meeting.

1. Apologies: Jill Drabble, Colin Rogers, Rev Thomas Steel, Jacquie Crosby, Tony Foster.

2. The Minutes of the AGM held 21 April 2012 were approved after the correction of the typographical error in item 12 of the Minutes.

3. Matters arising:
Item 3: Kevin Bolton suggested writing to Find my Past to establish their interest in partnering the Society regarding on-line publication of registers. Alan Kenright stated that the problem FmP had was that our digital registers were not in a format that was easily useful to them without a lot of reformatting or re-modeling, confirming that the only volumes of use to them were the ten or so which were retained with indexing characters. After further discussion, it was suggested that a short summary, with attached examples, illustrating those registers which were available and helpful to FmP be prepared and sent to test the waters. After further debate, the question was shelved for the moment.

4. Honorary Treasurer and Membership Secretary’s report: Membership. The end of year membership was 392 members (310 private, 82 institutional /Libraries) with 10 new members being welcomed during the year. Of the 310 private members, 110 live in Lancashire. Three deaths and eight resignations were received. Since the end of 2012, membership has fallen further to 370 with the loss of 23 private members. During the year to date, eleven new members have been welcomed into membership largely as a result of the initiative of Malcolm Parr who sends out membership details with all orders. Treasurer’s report: The accounts for the year to 31 December 2012 were presented which had after internal audit been crutinized by the Independent Examiner. Income was down by £3252 (Subscriptions £933, Sales £2319) but donations increased from £330.50 to £3845 and our investments by £8960, leaving our total income for the year almost identical. Expenditure, however, was up sharply from £9638 to £22 589, skewed both by the delay in producing Volume 174 (Salford, a 2011 volume) and an error in CD NC07, which was re-issued. In addition, a new CD-writer was badly needed to replace our rather decrepit machine. Despite swingeing increases in postal charges during 2012, subscriptions will remain at current levels.

Although an Independent Examiner is no longer a requirement by the Charity Commission, it was agreed to ask David Smethurst to continue in this capacity, after Douglas Wilson (Auditor) had completed his work.

Jackie reported that the free copies of 2012 volumes sent to Lancashire Libraries had not been put onto shelves because of a backlog in cataloguing new books, which can only be done centrally. After discussion, it was agreed to extend the gift of seven copies of new volumes to Lancashire Libraries but to send them directly to the individual Libraries.
Action: Jackie Roberts/Malcolm Parr. [Secretary’s Note: Subsequent investigation suggests that the cataloguing of new books was now upto date that the normal procedure may be followed]

Regarding future investments and re-investments, Council unanimously agreed that the Hon. Treasurer should continue to investigate potential options and take appropriate action after due consultation.
Action: Jackie Roberts.

The Society will attend the Family History Fair on the 14th September 2013 at Blackburn. The accounts were unanimously accepted and the thanks of the meeting were expressed by the President for the Hon. Treasurer’s hard work and the careful exposition.

5. Honorary General Editor’s Report: Alan Kenwright presented his report in writing

The first 2013 volume 177 (Dalton in Furness 1692-1812) was at the printers, and would be published during May. Two CD publications (Hindley 1813-41; Haigh 1833-41; Abram 1838-41 [combined] Preston (Holy Trinity) 1815-41) were ready to be released, along with a further volume of Wigan (1741-76). Alan Kenwright also speculated that a further volume of Manchester Collegiate (1666-1700) may be a further possible 2013 volume. The Hon. General Editor was unable to update the meeting on progress regarding the Aughton, Shaw Prescott registers, but felt that one of these may also present a further publishing opportunity.

In response to a question from Ben Alexander, the Society’s policy of publishing the earliest available registers reflected the need to preserve the original manuscripts & was one of the Society’s Aims.

The report was accepted and the thanks of the meeting were expressed by the President for the Hon. General Editor’s hard work and the careful exposition.

6. Genuki Website changes: Phil Stringer reported that he had revised & extended the Parish & Church areas of the Genuki Lancashire website to include details of published parish records along with direct links to the LPRS website. He enquired if the Society wished to create a recruitment opportunity through this process. After discussion, it was agreed to pursue this matter.
Action: Phil Stringer/Malcolm Parr.

7. Election of Officers: It was proposed by Ben Alexander, seconded by Jennifer Holt, and agreed unanimously that the present Officers be re-elected en bloc.

8. Election of Council Members: Neil Hudson confirmed that the present Council Members were prepared to put themselves forward for re-election. He also proposed, seconded by Jackie Roberts, that Malcolm Parr, the Society’s Publications Officer, be elected to Council to fill the vacancy created with the departure of Marnie Mason. Carried unanimously. It was agreed unanimously that the existing Council Members be re-elected en bloc.

9. Nomination of Independent Examiner: The Hon. Treasurer reported that the appointment of an Independent Examiner was not strictly necessary. Nevertheless, it was agreed unanimously that David Smethurst be asked to continue, along with Douglas Wilson as Auditor. Both had previously agreed to do so.

10. Any other business:
Ben Alexander reported that he had spent twenty years compiling a demography of Manchester in the 16th & 17th Centuries having transcribed 20,000 records onto a database, which enabled, amongst other things, an almost house to house census of occupants for 1642. He would like to explore the opportunity of linking his database with the LPRS website and thus widen the opportunity for researchers, and was prepared to give a talk on the subject of his research if asked to do so. It was agreed to explore these opportunities. Action: Phil Stringer/ Alan Kenwright.

Tom O’Brien suggested that the content of all CDs should be extended to include details of both LPRS Publications & LPRS Membership details, including a Standing Order form.
Agreed. Action: Malcolm Parr.

Malcolm Parr reported that there had been an increase in the number of volumes sold during the past twelve months, and that sales of volumes to CDs remained 15:85. There was discussion as to whether or not members preferred a CD rather than a volume, which appeared to be a general trend elsewhere. It was agreed that members be polled in the next Newsletter.
Action: Neil Hudson.

11. The meeting gave a warm vote of thanks to the City Library for the use of their premises, and to Kevin Bolton for his help in organizing the venue.

12. Date and time of the next meeting was agreed as Saturday 5 April 2014 at 1pm, venue to be confirmed.

Neil Hudson

Minute Secretary