Annual General Meeting 2005
The Annual General Meeting of the Old Tauntonians' Association, Southampton was held on Thursday 24 November 2005 at 7pm at The Sporting View, Southampton Sports Centre.
Minutes of this meeting will be presented for approval at the next AGM and so cannot be reproduced here.
Given below for your information are the Meeting Agenda, list of Elected Officers and Honorary General Secretary's Annual Report (Period 2004–2005).
- Apologies for absence
- Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting (held on 25 November 2004)
- Matters arising from the Minutes
- Correspondence
- Reports 2004–2005
- Honorary Secretary
- Honorary Membership Secretary
- Honorary Website Manager
- Honorary Editor News & Views
- Honorary Treasurer's Report 2004–2005; subscription for the ensuing financial year
- Election of Vice President(s) and Honorary Members
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- Election of Officers for 2005–2006 (each is an honorary post):
President; Chairman of the Association; General Secretary; Membership Secretary; Treasurer; Editor, News & Views; Website Manager
- Election of three Ordinary Members for 2005–2006
- Election of Honorary Examiner of Accounts
- Amendments to the Constitution that have received the prior approval of the Executive Council
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The Officers for the year 2005–2006 are:
| President: |
Jonathan Prest |
| Chairman: |
John Martin |
| General Secretary: |
John Bathurst |
| Treasurer: |
David Bryett |
| Membership Secretary: |
Jeff White |
| News & Views Editor: |
Mike Gould |
| Website Manager: |
Jeff White |
The three Ordinary Members of Council are:
Mike Bull, David Defty and Gordon Jefferies
Ex-Officio Members of Council:
Principal (Mr Jonathan Prest)
Immediate Past President (Mrs Jenny Fitton)
Immediate Past Chairman of Council (Mr Roy Stephens)
Vice Presidents: Messrs Caffrey, Carmichael, Colenutt, Hodgkinson, Humby and Wainwright
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The report covers the period from November 2004 to October 2005. It includes activities involving Old Tauntonians whether or not promoted by the Executive Council.
The Southampton Reunion Dinner, November 2004
The Chairman of the Dinner was John Martin (also the current Chairman of the Association). There were 110 Old Tauntonians and guests in attendance. Ian Carnaby welcomed the guests and proposed the health of the College. Jenny Fitton, Principal of Taunton's College and President of the Association, made the response, reporting yet another successful year for the College. The highlight of the dinner was the superb speech given by John Martin which, deservedly, brought a standing ovation. Among the guests were almost the complete Student Committee attending as a result of the liaison work of the Executive Council during the year. More details
The London Dinner
For the first time in almost 60 years, the event failed to attract sufficient support and had to be cancelled. Numbers had been on the decrease for several years due, probably, to increased travel and meal costs, and the advancing ages of the usual supporters. Peter Jones, the organiser, is considering alternative plans for next year.
College Celebration Evening
In December 2004, at this modern equivalent of the old Speech Day, the OTA sponsored the cup and prize for the College Musician of the Year. John Martin presented the cup to its winner, Greg Felton. More details
Golf:
- The Old Tauntonian/Old Bournemouthian Golf Day
The Old Bournemouthians again joined us for an afternoon of friendly golf competition, the event this year encompassing the John Rush Trophy for Old Tauntonians and the Old Bournemouthian Seniors Trophy. The overall winner of the friendly competition was John Colley (OB), with Eric Morgan and Richard Knight (OTs) second and third. The John Rush Trophy was won by Eric Morgan. Richard Knight was second and Ralph Turner third. There was another record field this year, the event attracting 40 players. More details
- The Triangular Golf Match
The annual triangular golf match between Old Tauntonians, Old Symondians and Old Edwardians was played at Hockley on 14 June. The result was a win for the OTs with 10 points, with the OEs on 9 points and the OSs on 5 points. More details
Football
Playing in the Veterans 'A' League, the OT Football team finished in 4th position. Of the 18 matches played, the team won 10, drew 1 and lost 7. In the three Veterans cup competitions, they were knocked out in the first round.
Evacuees' Lunch
In July on the middle day of the New Forest Show when, of course, it poured with rain, 35 OTs accompanied by 25 wives visited Maurice Ashley's Riding Establishment for a buffet lunch – organised by him. The weather literally put a damper on the day, but it was nevertheless another successful reunion with several travelling from miles away. More details
Mrs Jenny Fitton
Jenny Fitton, the Principal of the College and President of the Association, retired in August. She and her husband were entertained to lunch by a combined representation of the Dinner Committee and the Executive Council. At the lunch Mrs Fitton was presented with a Taunton's plaque mounted on an oak base and engraved with appropriate words of thanks. More details
The New Trafalgar Dispatch
In August the anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar was celebrated at Portland by a re-enactment of the Trafalgar Dispatch. The event included a short memorial to all those sailors who gave their lives during conflicts. On behalf of the Association, Ted Colenutt read the citation from the London Gazette of September 1940 announcing the award of the Victoria Cross to Jack Mantle, and Pat Shepherd laid a spray of flowers at the grave. More details.
Inter Association
In September eight OTs attended the annual dinner of the Old Bournemouthians' Association. Alan Cairns was the OBA's guest. It was the OBA's 100th anniversary. To mark the occasion Jeff White presented a gavel, beautifully crafted by OT member Tony Herding and mounted on an engraved plaque. More details
Executive Council
The Executive Council met four times during the year. As is well known, almost all Tauntonian events are organised by independent groups of OTs, the Council being mainly involved with secretarial, financial, membership, website and editorial matters. During the year:
- We have successfully traced and, in some cases, welcomed back to membership a number of "lost" members.
- Meetings were held with the College Students Committee with main aim of establishing ways in which the Association might assist the students and interest them in becoming members. Continuity is hampered by the short time for which the same committee is in place. This causes the necessity of re-establishing a working relationship each year.
- A "100 Club" was launched in order to raise additional funds for the Association. (Almost all subscriptions received are used to publish and mail the twice-yearly issues of the newsletter.) Members have responded very well to the appeal for support and the minimum target membership has been achieved. To date four £20 prizes have been distributed. The major annual prize of £250 is to be drawn at the Reunion Dinner. More details
Obituaries
During the year we published the obituaries of a number of Old Tauntonians. They included:
Donald Gray (Staff, 1947–81); John R. Ball (1946–51); "Ken" Birch (1927–33); Ron Brook (1935–41); Roger Burges (1953–61); Norman Crisp (1934–39); Jack Cullingford (1929–32); Ray Divett (1946–50); Alan E. Edwards (1944–48); Richard Ellery (College 2000–02); David G. Frost (1942–49); Robert Gatherer (1931–37); "Elmer" Griggs (1933–38); Geoffrey R. Hayes (1936–40); "Ron" Hooper (1930–36); David Howlett (1948–55); "Les" King (1938–43); Trevor Pope (1944–59); Ken Ridley (1933–36); Tony Wareham (1951–58); and Charles Williams (1934–39).
New Members
We have maintained the recruitment of ex-pupils and students to the Association. The start-year at Taunton's of those who joined during the year ranged from 1940 to 1972. Perhaps inevitably those who attended the School make up the majority of joiners.
100th Birthday
Howard Barker (1919–23) celebrated his centenary on 6 September. He is the oldest known OT!!
I thank the Chairman and my fellow members of the Executive Council for their support and help during the year.
I am sure that all members will want to wish Jenny Fitton a happy, healthy and long retirement and to thank her for her interest and support of the Association during her years at Taunton's College.
John Bathurst, October 2005 |
