Minutes of a Meeting of Council Held at the Archives Office, County House, Nottingham

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THOROTON COUNCIL HELD AT LENTON GROVE, UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM, ON FRIDAY, 27 th MAY 2011, from 5pm to 6.15pm

PRESENT

D Bagley J Beckett B Cast D Crook H Fisher A Henstock D Hoskins D Johnston P Jones A Langton P Messenger P Miller P Reddish P Smith M Trueman J Wilson

1 APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS a) Chairman – Professor John Beckett b) Vice-Chairman – none appointed: should the Chairman not be present, the Hon Sec would chair. c) Co-options – there were none – currently there were 13 members out of a possible 15. d) No further nominations for Vice-Chair were made. e) It was noted that John Wilson was currently carrying out two jobs, having taken on the role of Membership Secretary until a permanent officer could be recruited.

2 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies were received from Ken Brand, Richard Gaunt and Trevor Foulds. Members of Council expressed their wishes for Trevor’s speedy recovery from his current illness.

3 MINUTES The minutes of the last meeting held on 4th March 2011, copies of which had been circulated, were confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

4 MATTERS ARISING a) From the minutes - there were none b) From the Spring Meeting and AGM – there were none, excepting to reflect on the success of the event and to thank those who had made the arrangements.

5 APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES AND REPRESENTATIVES FOR 2009-10 a) Standing Committee – this comprises officers of Council and any other as deemed necessary: appointed were John Beckett, Barbara Cast, David Bagley, Howard Fisher, David Hoskins, Alan Langton and John Wilson b) Publications Committee – as existing c) Archaeology Representative – Keith Challis d) East Midland CBA Rapporteur – Ann Hope e) City Planning – Ken Brand f) County and CBA Planning – Howard Fisher g) Thoroton Response Group – Barbara Cast, Ken Brand, Howard Fisher, Peter Smith h) Nottinghamshire Building Preservation Trust – Barbara Cast i) Nottinghamshire Local History Association – Philip Jones

6 STANDING COMMITTEE REPORT Professor Beckett reported on the following matters:- a) Local History Education and Research in Nottinghamshire – work was still underway with Sue Clayton and Derek Walker on this project and attempts were being made to engage with the WEA. John Wilson is promoting the research side. b) The September Kew visit will be held as the coach firm has agreed to drop the cost of hire but still retain the luxury coach as it was one of the few which has the right emissions to go into the exclusion zone. They will also advertise this trip to their other customers. The November visit would depend on the success of this trip. c) Professor Beckett had received an invitation to join a working group on Nottingham Castle with the stated purpose of maximising the benefits of Robin Hood. JB would attend the first meeting and then it would be reconsidered.

7 PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE REPORT a) Transactions – the editors were again to be congratulated on the latest edition of the Transactions which was available at the spring meeting.  Editorship – Richard Gaunt had relinquished the editorship of the Transactions and Prof Beckett was pleased to inform Council that Professor Martyn Bennett of Nottingham Trent University had agreed to take over. He would also be joining Council. b) Record series – an update on the Senior maps project was given by Steph Mastoris at the spring meeting. It was hoped that Trevor Foulds would be able to make progress on the Newcastle accounts in due course. There was no progress on the Joseph Woolley diary. The volume on churches and chapels was due in 2013. Howard Fisher was undertaking a volume on Archbishop Drummond’s visitation in 1764. It was noted that Stephen Glynne’s notes on his visits to Nottinghamshire churches would make a good volume. c) Newsletter – the most recent edition had been received that day and contained some very interesting items.

8 HONORARY SECRETARY’S REPORT a) Luncheon and Spring Meeting and AGM – Council was reminded of the luncheon at Hemsleys in November and that the venue for 2012 SM and AGM was likely to be Oxton. b) Reviews - a book had been received entitled ‘Ideas and Images in 12th Century Sculpture’ and a reviewer was to be sought – Jenny Alexander was suggested and would be approached. Peter Smith confirmed that he would be reviewing ‘The Smythson Circle’. c) Correspondence – a number of items were circulated around the table.

9 HONORARY TREASURER’S REPORT a) Financial matters John Wilson reported that the subscription receipts were up, partly because of new members and partly due to the increase in subscriptions. The costs due for Transactions had been received. The cost of the coach for the Spring Meeting was very high and consideration would be given to an alternative means of providing transport for those who need it. b) Membership Three new members were agreed.

10 HONORARY PROGRAMME SECRETARIES’ REPORTS a) Lectures – next year’s programme was in hand apart from December.  Appointment of Chairs of lectures – 8th October – Barbara Cast: 12th November – John Beckett: 10th December – David Hoskins. b) Excursions – the excursion to Ashbourne had been very successful and the Beauvale visit was booking well. Next year’s programme was booked or in process of being organised. c) Prestige lecture – Michael Wood had agreed to give a lecture and it was suggested that this be in 2013 due to Jubilee Year being in 2012. Newark Town Hall was proposed for the venue and a small working group consisting of David Hoskins, Barbara Cast and John Wilson would arrange this event. John Beckett would be the link with Michael Wood.

11 REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES a) Archaeology – Keith Challis was not present. b) City Planning – Ken Brand was not present. It was noted that there were proposals to enlarge both Victoria Centre and Broad Marsh shopping precincts. The plans for the Tesco Superstore on the Eastside had been withdrawn. The application for the Odeon site had yet to be decided: English Heritage was strongly opposing the proposals. c) County and CBA Planning – Howard Fisher reported that there had been no applications on listed buildings in the county needing comment. d) East Midlands CBA – Ann Hope was not present. e) Nottinghamshire Building Preservation Trust – there was a meeting the next week. f) Nottinghamshire Local History Association – Philip Jones reported on the day school to be held on 29th October at Ravenshead on Village and Town Communities. Robert Howard was to hold local history fora at Angel Row library; on 16th May it would be ‘Promoting History in the Community’. A competition for children entitled ‘On the Trail’ was to be held jointly by Notts Archives and NHLA. g) Response Group – matters still ongoing were the Roman site at Southwell and the Odeon site.

12 DATES OF REMAINING COUNCIL MEETINGS IN 2011/12 AND SPRING MEETING AND AGM IN 2012 a) 21st October 2011 and 10th February 2012 b) AGM 2012 - 28th April with the venue likely to be Oxton or Hoveringham. Ravenshead and Newstead would be considered for 2013.

13 OTHER MATTERS David Crook informed Council that a Time Team programme had been recorded at Clipstone Palace and would be broadcast in 2012, probably in March.