The Society for Nautical Research Annual General
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE SOCIETY FOR NAUTICAL RESEARCH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING NOTICE OF MEETING Notice is hereby given that the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING, 2019, of the Society for Nautical Research is to be held at the Princess Royal Gallery, The National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth, at 3.00 p.m. on Saturday 15 June 2019 (Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available from 2.30 p.m.) AGENDA The business to be transacted at the meeting will be: 8 To elect the officers of the Society for the year commencing 1 July 2019. The following nominations 1 Apologies for absence. have been received: 2 Chairman’s Report. For Chairman Admiral Sir Kenneth Eaton, GBE, KCB, BA, 3 To adopt the report of the 2018 Annual General FREng, FSNR Meeting.1 For Honorary Secretary 4 To consider, and if thought fit, adopt the Annual Alistair Roach, MA, MPhil, ACIfA, FRSA, Report and Accounts of the Society, and of the Save FRHistS the Victory Fund and the Macpherson Collection Endowment Fund for the year ending 31 December For Honorary Treasurer 2018.22 Peter Nash, MA PhD, FRSA, FSNR 5 Members will be brought up to date with the 9 To re-elect Vice-Presidents whose elections are work of the: reviewed in 2019: • Publications and Membership Committee Professor Richard Harding, PhD, FRHistS, FSNR • Research and Programmes Committee Dr Pieter van der Merwe, MBE, DL, Dip.Drama, • Heritage and Historic Craft Committee PhD, FSNR 6 Report by the editor of The Mariner’s Mirror. To re-elect Council Members whose elections are reviewed in 2019: 7 To determine the annual subscription rates from 1 January 2020. Dr James Davey, MA, PhD On 6 December 2018 Council approved the Dr Christopher Holt, MSc, PhD proposal that there be a change in subscription rates Nick Hewitt, MA and recommended that there be an increase of £5.00, Paul Bugden, LLB, FCIArb making the rate £45 per annum (half price for students). It was emphasized that there is a continuing The following nominations have been received: rise in the cost of distribution for The Mariner’s Mirror and, in recent years, there has also been a huge Christopher Brandon in place of Lorna Campbell improvement in services provided, e.g. new website who resigned June 2019. with access to over a century’s articles, Topmasts online magazine, etc. Christopher Brandon graduated in Architecture at Bristol University, where he also took his Diploma in 1 As circulated previously in The Mariner’s Mirror, No- Architecture in 1975. After founding Brandon Pringle vember 2018, 104:4, 496–509. 2 As circulated electronically. in 1986 he developed an extensive practice with 1 projects in the UK and Europe, and is currently statement signed by the person so nominated that he Managing Principle of Perkins+Will, the global or she is willing to serve if elected. multidisciplinary architecture and design firm. Elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and 10 Re-appointment of Auditors the Society of Antiquaries of London he was and is a (to re-appoint Kingston-Smith) contributor to research in maritime archaeology. In 1991 he became a committee member of the Nautical 11 Presentation by the National Museum of the Archaeological Society and was made chairman in Royal Navy 1998. A special interest has been the history and technology of Roman concrete on which he has 12 Any other business published extensively, and from 2002 to 2014 was a research associate of the Leon Ricanati Institute for (NOTE: After the business of the Annual General Maritime Studies, University of Haifa. Since 2012 a Meeting has concluded those present are invited to go member of the Mary Rose Archaeological Trust, 2013 across to HMS Victory. Members and their guests a Trustee Director of the Mary Rose Trust, and since who do not have places at the dinner may tour HMS 2014 Chairman of the Mary Rose Archaeological Victory at will until 6.45 p.m. Those members and Services. their guests who have places for dinner obviously stay on board and will sit down to dinner on the lower gun NOTE: Other nominations must be received by the deck at 7.00 p.m.) Honorary Secretary not less than seven days before the date fixed for the Annual General Meeting, always Alistair Roach providing that such notice is signed by at least two Honorary Secretary members of the society and is accompanied by a April 2019 2 THE SOCIETY FOR NAUTICAL RESEARCH CHAIRMAN’S ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR 2018 The Society continues in good health and to be active President of the Society and a notable authority and and successful in an operational sense illustrated by a extremely well-respected maritime historian. David is continuing healthy income stream, which has held up best known by maritime historians for his well despite the slight decline in investment income. exceptionally well researched books of the The publication of The Mariner’s Mirror and Restoration period. Kings of the Sea: Charles II, Topmasts, as well as the important mandate to provide James II and the Royal Navy discusses how the two research grants and conference sponsorship has monarchs developed the navy but also provides new continued to be strongly supported, whether funded information about Charles II. As in recent years the by the Society itself or from its various Funds. presentation was made after a Council Meeting at the Over the last year membership of the Society has National Maritime Museum. The event provided an again risen slightly to 1,279 members of whom 150 occasion at which members had an opportunity to are students; in addition we have 653 ‘Free Forum meet the prize-winning author and listen to a lecture Members’. During 2018, a further 2,543 copies of The arising from the winning book; after the lecture there Mariners Mirror are distributed to institutions by our was a reception. It would be splendid if more publishers, Taylor & Francis. members took advantage of this wonderful setting; The Society as a whole however has recorded a the annual event also cements our special relationship deficit for 2018 amounting to £193,304 but this is after with the National Maritime Museum. The director, we have had to take into account the net losses of Kevin Frewster, was once again most welcoming; £277,373 on investments compared to a healthy net Kevin is retiring later in the year. gain of £350,785 in 2017. The majority of the Following last year’s AGM and on the occasion of investment losses, some £182,000 were incurred by the Victory Dinner, The Centenary Medal was the STVF. Investments for both unrestricted and awarded to Dr Susan Rose, for more than 50 years restricted funds decreased in market value by 5.9 per exceptional service to the Society. The Victory Medal cent from £4,677,435 to £4,399,889. As a result when was presented to Captain George Hogg RN Rtd, taking everything into account the balance sheet who, subsequent to his naval career, has had a showed at year end a 3.7 per cent decline of net assets distinguished second career in the study and from £5,140,353 to £4,946,449. In 2018 we had a restoration of small heritage craft. George became the relative dearth of donations from members of the Honorary Curator of the Cornwall Maritime public which is one way we should try to increase our Museum from 1993 until the creation of the National ability to fund more researchers; I therefore hope Maritime Museum Cornwall in 1998 where he was members might be encouraged to consider whether one of the first trustees. With a wealth of knowledge the possibility of leaving a bequest to the Society in about the UK’s smaller historic craft, he founded the their legacy could be of value and interest. Although National Small Boat Register and sat on the National the Society’s finances are currently considered Historic Ships UK Registration Working Group for healthy, costs continue to rise and consequently a number of years. Council has agreed that Member’s annual In conclusion I would like to take this opportunity subscriptions should be increased by £5.00 per. to thank the Chairmen and members of the annum. In 2005 the subscription was increased from committees that make the Society function smoothly. £32 to £37 per annum. Seven years later, in 2012, there The Publications Committee is Chaired by Lorna were again increased by £3, from £37 to £40. Inflation Campbell, the Research and Programmes Committee means that £37 in 2005 would equate to £50+ in by David Davies and the Heritage and Craft today’s money. Council is therefore recommending at Committee by Richard Bateman. The Society would this AGM that the annual subscription fee be also not run so smoothly without the considerable increased to £45 p.a. and £22.50 for students with an efforts and dedication of our Honorary Officers; equivalent increase for overseas members e.g. $80 for Honorary Secretary Alistair Roach and Honorary US and Canada and €50 for Europe. Treasurer Peter Nash. At last year’s AGM, I The 2018 the Anderson Medal was presented to Dr mentioned the intention that Martin Bellamy would J. David Davies for his book Kings of the Sea: Charles stand down from his Honorary Editor position. II, James II and the Royal Navy. David is a Vice- Martin remains as Editor of The Mariner’s Mirror and 3 given the increase in work involved, he is now course it is the Society’s Council that controls the receiving an honorarium as recompense for the time running of the business and I am grateful to all he spends on work associated with the journal.