AGM minutes 2003
MINUTES OF THE
SYDNEY MEDIÆVAL & RENAISSANCE GROUP INC. (ABN 22 002 861 583)
THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
HELD AT 23, KENSINGTON St, SUMMER HILL
ON WEDNESDAY 16th April, 2003 AT 8.00PM
Apologies
Sharon Davidson, Robyn Priestley, Sybil Jack, Helen Kaye-Watts and Diane Speed.
Present
Rosemary Huisman, Tony Blackshield, John Rosauer, Kendall St. Clair-Kendall (Chair) Luke Kendall, Barbara Munday, Catherine Walton, Maria Karlton-Lilass, Michael Nelson, Helen Fulton, John O. Ward, Sharon Davidson, Lynn Olson, Louise Marshall, Gail Ward, Matthew Glozier (Minutes)
Confirmation of Minutes of Previous Meeting.
The President said: These Minutes were sent round to you (together with the Agenda for this meeting), as an e-mail attachment or a print-out when the Notice of the Meeting was given. Not having heard to the contrary I assume that you all received and read them and that I can propose the following . . .
Motion: That the minutes of the last SMRG AGM be confirmed and accepted as a true record.
Proposed: Kendall St. Clair
Seconded: Luke Kendall.
Passed: Nem. con.
Presidents Report.
As President I present the following Report:
Introduction
1.This meeting will contain no agenda items beyond the Office Holders Reports and the formal election of a new Committee.
Events Since the Last AGM
May Dr. Adam Lucas spoke to us on Mediaeval Mills: there appear to have been rather more different sorts with a rather better technology than we had supposed we found this very interesting.
June Jan Scott spoke on the Zodiac and Mediaeval Astrology. She pointed out many examples of zodiacal references in various art forms, which we could all plainly see once they had been shown to us.
July We went to the State Library to see their mediaeval manuscripts. We had to wear white gloves and, so garbed, the exhortation Dont Touch was in abeyance and we could turn pages and pick up items that interested us.
August Never backwards in coming forwards when we find something that interests us, we went to the State Library again: this time to look at maps.. If you havent got any deeper into maps than Gregorys, you mightnt think they could be fascinating: youd be wrong!
September Associate Professor Margaret Sankey told us that `They never imagined the platypus and went on to discuss ideas of Terra Australis in 16th century France.
October Dr. John Ward took `A New look at the Popular Crusades. It made us very glad that we arent obliged to go on them.
November Helen Kaye-Watts presented us with a talk illustrated by extracts from films made of Jane Austens works such as versions of Pride and Prejudice. We all wished she could have gone on longer as some of us had missed seeing the originals.
December The SMRG Inc. Christmas dinner at The Peasants Feast in Newtown (which, by the way, was reviewed in The Sydney Morning Heralds Good Living last week). All but two Members came. We think we might make this an Annual Event.
January In a state of Post Christmas exhaustion, we took the month off and did nothing and did it very well.
February Dr. Tony Howe presented Elizabeth I in Film. Luke and I were away so we missed it. Dammit! It was illustrated by numerous film clips from productions showing the diverse treatment of characters. I have been told that it was really something and maybe we should get him to do it again.
March Professor Tony Blackshield talked to us about Law in Mediaeval England Through the Year Books. These books were verbatim records of the legal arguments of various cases. The items Tony had chosen for us were remarkably interesting but also rather frustrating because they hardly ever said what the outcome of the case was. I have only just finished reading the handouts: you may think this took me a long time but they were in the original Old French or Mediaeval Latin with a convenient crib if one got stuck, but well worth the effort.
Other Events
Sybil and Matthew organised and (with others) spoke at an Admirals, Pirates and Privateers: The High Seas in Early Modern Europe session for the WEA under the aegis of SMRG, and also a 6 lecture series called Miracles, Marvels and Medicine and an evening on The Low Countries which featured the Dutch War of Independence the 80 Years War against the Spanish Habsburgs.
Future Events
We have booked speakers, one a month, until the end if the year, with the exception of June and August when the listed speakers have cancelled but your Committeell think of something.. These events are listed on the SMRG Web Site..
Alteration to the Rules (Pt.V.32i, ii and footnote)
The Department of Fair Trading has informed us that the Rules on Insurance are no longer operative because of the public liability insurance chaos. In short no Incorporated body is now legally required to have public indemnity insurance. This has been noted.
Motion: That the Presidents Report be accepted.
Proposed: John Rosauer
Seconded: Catherine Walton
Passed Unanimously.
The next report is from our Vice-President and Public relations Officer: Helen Kaye-Watts. As she is unable to be here, I ask her fellow Committee Member Catherine Walton to read it.
Vice-Presidents Report
As Vice President I present the following report.
Since the last AGM, I have been involved in approaching possible speakers who may be willing to donate their time to give us the benefit of their unique historical perspective. These include internationally renowned author and TV presenter, James Cowan, whom we hope to see very soon.
I have also been exploring the idea of introducing new-format excursions to the SMRG agenda, not only to give our existing Members the opportunity to participate in something a little different, but also to broaden our appeal in order to attract new members. These can include group outings to new release films of historical interest with discussions over drinks afterwards as to the productions historical accuracy.
The on-going initiatives such as approaching other historical societies and maximising any PR opportunities from SMRG events continue to be in place.
This concludes my report.
Helen Kaye-Watts
Motion: That the Vice-Presidents Report be accepted.
Proposed: Barbara Munday
Seconded: John Rosauer
Passed Unanimously.
The next Report should be that of our Treasurer, however since she is not available, I shall call upon our Secretary to deliver it.
Treasurers Report.
Treasurers Report for 1st January 2002 to 31st December, 2002
First I must thank our President Stella St Clair Kendall and our secretary Matthew Glozier for keeping the accounts going for the nearly five months when I was in UK.
We have had a quiet but satisfactory year with 57 full and three concessionary members paid up.
The costs of insurance nearly doubled, but otherwise we had no substantial costs.
The accounts are before you (see Attachment) and I recommend them to you as a full and fair statement of our financial position.
Sybil M Jack
Motion: That the Treasurer's Report be accepted.
Proposed: .Barbara Munday
Seconded: Lyn Olson
Passed Unanimously.
Secretarys Report.
Much has happened in the twelve months that have elapsed since my previous report. In my opinion, by far the most important thing that has occurred is SMRG's offering of several Adult Education courses through the WEA and CCE. as mentioned in the Presidents Report.
I have had only a small role in this, but I continue to act as SMRG's Public Officer. As such it is my job to obtain a Corporate Seal stamp for SMRG Inc. the Corporate Seal is a statutory requirement of all incorporated bodies. This has run into several problems over the last few months, with debates over the design, lettering and the incorporation of our logo all lengthening the process. However, I am happy to report that a final design has been decided upon and is now awaiting production in the form of a stamp that will bear the legend Common Seal of the Sydney Mediaeval and Renaissance Group Inc.
We will also acquire a name and address stamp for use on the backs of envelopes and general Group correspondence. The production of both items will greatly add to a sense of corporate pride for all our members.
Throughout the year I have been responsible for contacting those of our members who do not possess e-mail, and I am happy to report that this has, generally, been successful and appreciated. I must however apologise to those of the postal members who have not received their mail as promptly as I would have hoped. This has been due to the very slow mail systems at the University of Western Sydney, through which normal surface mail is posted in order to avoid postage charges for SMRG Inc. Our President very kindly agreed to contact those of our members who have e-mail, and I wish to thank her for performing this not inconsiderable task.
On a personal level, I would like to thank my fellow Committee and Executive members for making this a very pleasant and interesting year, and one in which I have had the privilege to attend a number of very interesting and worthwhile papers.
Motion: That the Secretarys Report be accepted.
Proposed: Luke Kendall
Seconded: Catherine Walton
Passed: Nem. Con
I.T. Officers Report
John Rosauer said that he had generally done what he was asked to do and the Web Site was in order and up to date.
Motion: That the IT Officers Report be accepted.
Proposed: Sharon Davidson
Seconded: John O. Ward
Passed Nem. Con.
Election of Committee.
Since the entire Committee, with the exception of Jan Scott, has agreed to stand again, and we have received a proper Agreement to be Nominated, Nomination, , Proposer and Seconder for Dr. Rosemary Huisman to fill the vacancy, and since the President and Secretary have received no further nominations, the nominees are equal to the vacant positions. According to the Rules, the persons nominated are therefore taken to be elected.
Vote of Thanks to Outgoing Committee Members
It is customary to propose a vote of thanks to outgoing Committee Members and this I now do as Jan Scott is leaving the Committee. She turned up at every monthly Committee Meeting and put in some sterling work for which we all thank her most heartily.
Thank you.
I declare this meeting closed.
End 8.45 p.m.
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