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1 The Society's Study Day was held in the very hospitable surroundings of St Columba's with New Lendal, York on 8 September 2001. The Annual Lecture was given by Professor Edward Royle from the University of York. His topic was 'J P Pritchett, Congregational Deacon and Architect'. Not only had Professor Royle brought excellent slides to illustrate his lecture, but he also led an afternoon walk round the city so that members could visit some of the buildings he had mentioned. 2 The Library welcomed visitors from as far afield as Taiwan and the USA, besides those from the UK engaged on family history. A query from France about a Free Church of Scotland minister based in Naples proved to be the beginning of a trail that led to a family reunion. Our collection is unique and valuable and deserves to be better known. Information can be found on the internet - details are via 'Links' on this website. The Administrator, Mrs Margaret Thompson, can be contacted at Westminster College, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0AA mt212@cam.ac.uk every day except Wednesdays. Correspondence for the Honorary Secretary, The Revd Elizabeth Brown, should also be sent to the College. 3 The distribution of the archives continued with the help of Mr and Mrs Richard Potts. London, Derby, Leicester and Nottingham received presbytery records and architectural plans from a variety of congregations were also sent to the localities of origin. The Chairman of the Council, Professor Stephen Orchard, undertook the cataloguing of the Communion tokens as a vacation task. Communion plate was offered to successor congregations and what was not claimed was auctioned with the agreement of the General Secretary. The sum realised will contribute towards the costs of conserving the Society's holdings. 4 The Editor of the Journal, Professor Clyde Binfield, was able to make use of articles linking ministry, personality, politics and varieties of churchmanship to provide varied and stimulating reading. A former Society President, Dr Geoffrey Nuttall, who celebrated his ninetieth birthday in 2001, contributed an article on the Speldhurst Church Book. 5 During the General Assembly meeting in York a number of members met over lunch to hear Dr David Thompson talk about Campbell Morgan and Congregationalism. 6 Membership of the Society remains good value at £12.00 a year, which includes two issues of the Journal. The Administrator is always glad to hear from local congregations who have questions about the most appropriate way to deal with their own records, and welcomes copies of church histories as additions to the Society's collection. |
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