Annual Report of the Council for 1996

KENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COUNCIL FOR 1996 The Council of the Society presents its one hundred and thirty-eighth report and statement of accounts for the year ending the 31st December 1996. AIMS AND ORGANIZATION The Society is established to promote the study and publication of archaeology and history in all their branches, especially within the ancient county of Kent. The Society's activities are carried out throughout the ancient county of Kent. It has no staff and its officers are only paid out of pocket expenses. It co-operates with its affiliated societies and the organizations to which it is affiliated or of which it is a member. In particular it co-operates with the Canterbuty Archaeological Trust in promotion of education and the Council for the Protection of Rural Eng-land (Kent Branch) in the protection of historic buildings through a joint committee. Its activities are carried out by the committees of the Council, its officers and its branches. REVIEW OF THE YEAR Annual General Meeting The Society's annual general meeting was held at Faversham on Saturday the 18th May 1996 when the Council's annual report and the accounts for 1995 were accepted. Messrs. Reeves and Neylan were reappointed auditors. The officers and members of the Council were elected; details are set out below under Legal and Administrative Information. The Council is grateful to Mr B. T. Cousins for continuing to act as Hon. Treasurer (although he wished to retire) after no nominations were received for a new Hon. Treasurer. liii ANNUAL REPORT Fieldwork A training excavation took place at Minster-in-Thanet for two weeks in September. Twenty-two trainees gained valuable knowledge and experience and volunteers from the Thanet Archaeological Society and Dover Archaeological Group had the opportunity to help with a research excavation which revealed a substantial part of a large Roman villa. Further encouragement and assistance were given to those involved in fieldwork by provision of practical training exercises and a day conference (which was oversubscribed) on the Anglo Saxons in Kent. Grants totaling £1,500 were offered to others to assist their fieldwork and research. Publications Work on preparing three books for publication was completed. Two (The Bishops and Monks of Rochester, 1076-1214, by Colin Flight and Kent Heresy Proceedings, 1511-12, edited by Dr N. P. Tanner) were scheduled for publication in early 1997. No publication date was fixed for the third, Kent Church and Chapel 1851, edited by Miss M. Roake. Volume CXV of Archaeologia Cantiana (edited by Dr A. P. Detsicas) was published in July with 575 pages. It maintained its usual high standard and its contents covered a wide field of archaeology and local history. Publication of the New Records Series continued with more of Dr M. Zell's Kent Feet of Fines (Henry VIII). New arrangements were made for Sutton Publishing Ltd to sell the Society's publications. Historic Buildings The Kent Historic Buildings Committee (sponsored jointly by the Society and the C. P. R. E.) continued to consider, and make representations, on proposals affecting listed buildings and buildings in conservation areas. The effect of the channel tunnel rail link on historic buildings also concerned the committee and the President's report on buildings likely to be affected was published. The President's work also resulted in publication of the Dover, Greenwich and Lewisham sections of the Kent Historic Buildings Index. The annual Conference of Building Recorders heard talks on a medieval building in West Malling, witch charms and similar objects hidden in buildings and some eighteenthcentury painted panels in the Bull Hotel at Dartford. The Churches Committee considered proposals for work at a number of historic churches, making representations and offering help and guidance where appropriate. It was particularlysad that after a long period opposing proposals for demolition of Christ Church, Tunbridge Wells, the work was approved and carried out. Modest grants were offered to liv ANNUAL REPORT assist with work at some churches and the Chairman was particularly involved with encouraging conservation of the Darrel family monuments at Little Chart. Library and collections The Society's Library at Maidstone Museum was visited by members and others undertaking research and members of the Society were present on one day a week to assist these visitors. Purchases of topographical and other books and the programme of rebinding books continued. A group of members made good progress with the task of entering details of the Society's 35,000 photographs, slides and other visual records in a computer database. Education The Society continued to support education and interest in archaeology among young people, including those in schools and at university. This work included visiting schools and arranging visits by students to excavations at Christ Church College, Canterbury Cathedral stained glass and stonemasons' workshops and other places. There was also contact with others outside the County involved in similar work. Other projects were considered, in particular the production of a resource book for secondary school children on Medieval Canterbury. Much of this work was carried out for the Society by the education service of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust. Membership The Society had 1,758 members at the end of the year. Despite 93 new members (9 less than in 1995), the deaths of 15, resignation of 30 and lapse through non-payment of subscriptions of 57 resulted in a net reduction of 9 members. The covenanted subscriptions of 333 members allowed the Society to recover tax of £1,545. Activities for members The Society continues to try to provide activities for as many of its members as it can. During the year these ranged from the series of public lectures organised by Mr T. Lawson to the Barbecue at Brattles Farm Museum and the Christmas buffet lunch at Hadlow organised by the Hon. Membership Secretary. A successful series of excursions was organised by the Hon. Excursions Secretary, including one of eight days to the Dordogne. Three editions of the Newsletter were published and lv ANNUAL REPORT they provided an excellent and interesting channel of communication with members. Branches The Society is fortunate to have three excellent branches. The Medway and Gillingham Branch held several meetings, open to all members of the Society. These included talks on such subjects as tunnels in the Medway area and the Guildhall and markets of Rochester and a visit to St Werburgh's Church at Hoo. The Kent Defence Research Group produced its own journal Ravelin and continued recording 20th century defences as part of the C. B. A.'s Defence of Britain project. It also continued its involvement in the interpretation of the Western Heights at Dover and the Cinque Ports Training Area Conservation Group. The other specialist branch, the Kent Underground Research Group, maintained its programme of recording sites. An example of its links with other fields of research was fitting steel grilles to sites used by hibernating bats to prevent disturbance. The group continued work on several projects involving excavation and documentary research. Relations with other bodies The Society appoints members or representatives to a number of other organisations. In particular, it has received regular reports from C. B. A. South East and the Standing Conference on London Archaeology. A new venture was a meeting of representatives of the county archaeological societies in southern England. It provided a useful forum to discuss matters of common interest and learn about what other societies are doing. It is planned to hold further meetings. The Society has regularly been represented at meetings of the Kent History Federation and received reports from representatives on the County Archives Advisory Committee and Canterbury Archaeological Trust. During the year it accepted an invitation to nominate a trustee of the new Wye Rural Museum Trust following its encouragement of the formation of this trust to acquire the agricultural museum at Brook. REVIEW OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES AND AFFAIRS The accompanying financial statements show the current state of the Society's finances which its Council considers to be sound. They comply with the Council's understanding of the current statutory requirements and the requirements of the Society's rules. The Society instructed solicitors to recover money on three occasions. Judgment was obtained against a former member for money collected on lvi ANNUAL REPORT behalf of the Society but no steps were taken to enforce the judgment as the prospects of recovery were very small. In another case a sum of money was recovered in full from a former distributor of the Society's publications. After books belonging to the Society were sold by a nonmember, solicitors were instructed to recover their value. An admission of liability and a part payment were received after the end of the year. The Society relies on its officers and other members giving their time freely to organise its activities.W ithout those contributions it would have to spend a substantial sum in salaries. The Society administers the Allen Grove Local History Fund which was given in the will of the late Allen Grove. Its objects are to promote research, preservation and enjoyment of local history. These objects are consistent with those of the Society. It is a restricted fund and is invested separately from the Society's other investments. In accordance with the terms of the legacy, decisions on how the income from the fund is spent are taken by the officers of the Society who meet annually to make grants. LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION The Society is a charity registered with the Charity Commission under number 223382. It is an unincorporated association governed by its rules which are published in Archaeologia Cantiana from time to time and copies of which can be obtained from the Hon. General Secretary. It is also registered as a charity with the Inland Revenue which has made a direction under section 201 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 which permits certain members (generally those whose employment is related to the Society's activities) to obtain income tax relief on their subscriptions to the Society; further details can be obtained from the Hon. General Secretary. The principal address of the Society is The Museum, St Faith's Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 lLH. However, correspondence should be addressed to the relevant officer. The governing body of the Society is the Council whose members are its charity trustees and are elected by the members of the Society at its annual general meeting in May each year. During the period covered by this report they were: K. W. E. Gravett A. I. Moffat B. T. Cousins* M. Lawrence P.H. G. Draper A. P. Detsicas President Hon. General Secretary Hon. Treasurer Hon. Membership Secretary Hon. Librarian Hon. Editor and Vice President lvii J. Saynor P. E. Leach** C. W. Chalklin A. C. Harrison R. H. Hiscock D. Ingram Hill L. D. Lyle E. Melling N. Nicolson J. Whyman N. R. Aldridge D. G. Anstey D. Bacchus S. Broomfield M. Burden N. V. Caiger D. A. H. Cleggett E. P. Connell A. J. Daniels P.A. Harlow D. W. Harrington L.E.Ilott R. F. Le Gear A. Miles M.A. Ocock P. E. Oldham F. H. Panton R. N. Rolinson V. T. C. Smith* R. J. Spain M. C. W. Still S. J. Stringer A. Ward C. Ward P. Winzar ANNUAL REPORT Hon. Excursions Secretary Hon. Curator Vice President Vice President Vice President Vice President Vice President Vice President Vice President Vice President * denotes ceased to hold office at the annual general meeting on the 18th May, 1996, and ** denotes first elected at that meeting. B. T. C. Cousins was appointed Hon. Treasurer by the Council on the 8th June, 1996. M. Burden resigned on the 30th August, 1996. The officers (other than the Vice Presidents) hold office for one year, the Vice Presidents for seven years and the other members for four years. The Society's main agents and advisers are: lviii ANNUAL REPORT Bankers: National Westminster Bank plc, 91 High Street, Maidstone, Kent. Auditors: Reeves and Neylan, 37 St Margaret's Street, Canterbury, Kent, CTl 2TU. Solicitors: Martin Tolhurst Partnership, 7 Wrotham Road, Gravesend, Kent, DAl 1 OPD. Stockbrokers: Laing and Cruickshank Investment Management Ltd, 5 Appold Street, London, WC2A 2DA. Stockbrokers' nominee company holding the Society's investments: Productive Nominees Ltd, 5 Appold Street, London, WC2A 2DA. The Society's activities are restricted by the terms of its objects set out elsewhere in this report. In particular its area of benefit is mainly (but not exclusively) the ancient county of Kent which is considered to be the administrative County of Kent and the London Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and part of Lewisham. The Society's investment powers are those contained in the Trustee Investment Act 1961 as amended. Its rules do not give it any special investment powers. The Council has delegated some of its investment powers to Laing and Cruickshank Investment Management Ltd in accordance with a scheme made by the Charity Commissioners on the 18th April 1994. 22nd February, 1997 A. I. Moffat, Hon. General Secretary on behalf of the Council Note: The annual accounts for the year ending 31st December, 1996, referred to in this report will be published in the next volume of Archaeologia Cantiana. lix