Annual Report and Accounts for the Year 1931

ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR 1931. Jent 􀀗 11rhrenlngiral inritfJ!. REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31ST DEC., 1931. THE Council herewith presents its seventy-third Report and Statement of Accounts for 1931. The expansion in the membership which has been such a satisfactory feature for several years past has unfortunately not continued in 1931, as the names on the list at 31st December amount to 954 against 974 a year ago. This total is made up of five affiliated Societies, four Honorary, ninety-six Life, and 849 Otdina1·y members. While the reduction is to be regretted, in view of the generally difficult financial conditions during the year it is not a matter for surprise and might well have been worse. The number of new members proposed for election shows a decrease, while the losses by death and resignation were much larger. It is essential for the well-being of the Society that members should interest their friends in the historical features and antiquities of the county, which may be done by lending them their copies of Arch,a?,Ologia Cantiana or in other ways, with a view to their joining the Society ; for the carrying out of its objects depends more on the co-operation of the members than the efforts of a few officials. As a result of the increased size and cost of Vol. XLIII of Arch(J!,()logia Oantiana the balance of income over expenditure for the year shows a large reduction, and it is manifest that if the membership continues to shrink in 1932, there must be some curtailment in the size of Vol. XLIV. In recent years comment. has been made on the reduced size of the volumes of Archreolog·ia Oantiana, but it should be remembered that a volume is now regularly issued annually instead of every two or three years, so the printed matter is probably well in excess of that contained in the thicker volumes of former years. xliv REPORT, 1931. The deaths of nearly forty members were notified during 1931, no fewer than nine being Life Compounders. The Society has to deplore the death of Dr. Philip Norman, F.S.A., so well known for his investigations into the history and remains of Old London. His father was one of the original members when the Society was founded. Through the death of William Whiting, F.S.A., the Society has sustained a great loss. Besides being a member of the Council and Local Secretary for Faversham, Mr. Whiting identified himself with and was largely responsible for the excavation of the Roman Cemetery at Ospringe, which gave such fruitful results and led to the establishment of the fine collection of pottery in the old Maison Dieu at Ospringe. Other losses by death include Major F. H. Howe who acted as the Society's local Secretary for Malling and Mr. Hubert Elgar, the Society's Curator at the Museum, Maidstone, who devoted himself to the supervision of the Society's collections for a very long period and was always ready to place himself and his extensive lmowledge of antiquities freely at the disposal of enquirers whether members or other. The Annual General Meeting was held in the Museum, Maidstone by kind permission of the Library Committee on April 9th at noon and was attended by a fair number of members. The Chair was taken by the President, Sir Martin Conway, M.A., F.S.A. The minutes of the last Annual General Meeting were read by the Secretary and confirmed. The Chairman then moved the adoption of the Report and Accounts £or 1930, and referred to the satisfactory growth in the membership, the totn,l at the moment being just over 1,000. He thought it still capable of increase. He regarded the last volume of Archr:eologia Oantiana as very satisfactory, and the Hon. Editor, Mr. Alec Macdonald, was to be congratulated on his first volume. He spoke with approval of the arrangement made by which the Records Brn,nch of the Society had taken over the handling of Kentish documents coming into the hands of the Society; and complimented Mr. Walter Ruck on the work he had done in the Library. It only remained for more members and their friends to use it. The death of Mr. Elgar, their Curator, was much to be regretted and was a great loss to them, for behind his quiet and grave manner there was a wealth of learning. The Hon. Treasurer then explained the Accounts and said that the financial condition of the Society was sound. He, REPORT, 1931. xlv however, regarded the fact that a considerable proportion of new members resigned after a comparatively short time as an unsatisfactory feature. The motion was seconded by Dr. Cotton after a short discussion, the Report and Accounts were adopted. The six retiring members of the Council were re-elected, as follows :-Miss Churchill, D.Phil., Dr. A. G. Little, D.Litt., F.B.A., Dr. F. W. Cock, F.S.A., Dr. A. Randall Davis, M.R.C.S., :Mr. Boys Richardson, and Miss Conway, M.A. ; and the Hon. Auditors,· Mr. F. C. Allwork, F.C.A., and Mr. Mark Green were re-elected and thanked for their services. Eight new members were elected to the Society. Major T. M. Usborne, Hon. Excursion Secretary then explained his proposals for the summer excursion, to be held on June 23rd and 24th, in the neighbourhood of Tenterden and Hythe; and Dr. Gordon Ward said that he and some friends at Sevenoaks would arrange a day's excursion in West Kent in September. The meeting terminated with expressions of congratulation to the President on his recovery from illness. At the afternoon meeting more than one hundred members assembled to hear lectures. The first was delivered by Dr. Harold Wacher, B.A., M.D., F.S.A. on "Some points on the Medical History of Canterbury ; with special reference to the Hospitals, the Pl¾,oUe, Ethics, Fees and notable Personalities," and was illustrated by lantern slides. Dr. Cock, in thanking the lecturer, added a few notes on the subject. The second lecture was contributed by Mr. V. J. B. Torr, who described in chronological order the Sedilia in Kentish Churches. These were well illustrated by numerous slides. At the conclusion hearty votes of thanks were passed to both lecturers. Through the kindness of a member of Council tea was served to members and their friends in the Library. The issue of Vol. XLIII of Arckceologia Oantiana was unavoidably delayed and did not take place until January of the present year. The volume consists of lvi. + 343 pages compared with Iv. + 287 pages in the previous volume, and C\ontains no fewer than twenty-four articles besides Notes and Reviews of Kent books. The volume does immense credit both to Editor, Mr. Macdonald, and contributors, and will be acceptable to the general body of members ; but the cost ·has been very great, as will be seen by reference to the accounts for 1931. The increased size xlvi REPORT, 1931. of the book has unfortunately entailed a higher rate of postage which has added £12 to the cost. On the other hand it will be seen that the sum of £12 17s. 2d. has been subscribed during the year towards illustrations ; and in some cases contributors of articles generously paid for their blocks. Requests have been made of lat-e to the Council to undertake the compilation of a general Index to ArchaJOlogia Gantiana from Vol. XX onward, an object which is manifestly very desirable. The matter has been discussed by the Council and a decision come to that the Index shall be taken in hand as soon as the finances of the Society allow. The estimated cost of making and printing the Index as a separate volume is not less than £350, and it was agreed that this should be met partly by the sale of the Society's investment of 4½ per cent. Conversion Loan estimated to produce about £200 and partly from revenue. Meetings of the Council were held on March 12th, June 11th, September 10th and December 7th, 1931. Three vacancies occurred during the year. The Rev. Arthur H. Collins resigned in consequence of removal to Buckinghamshire, Mr. William Whiting died, and Miss Conway resigned as she was about to reside in Palestine, having taken up exploration work there. To fill the vacancies Surgeon-Capta.in K. H. Jones of Canterbury, Mrs. Dorothy Gardiner of Canterbury and Dr. Gordon Ward of Sevenoaks were elected. New Local Secretaries have been appointed: Mr. Sydney Wilson for Faversham in pla..ce of Mr. William Whiting and Miss Joan Nisbett in place of Major Howe. The Local Secretaryship for Sittingbourne is at present vacant. In consequence of the death of Mr. Hubert Elgar, Curator of the Society's collections, a new appointment had to be made and Mr. Norman Cook, who had worked as his assistant in the Museum for some years was so appointed. The Hon. Librarian reports that the number of visitors to the Library has been about the same as last year. The Society's stock of Engravings, of which there are about seven hundred, has been sorted and listed. They consist of views of churches and various places of interest in the county, many having been published during the early part of last century. The stock of half-tone and other blocks has similarly been dealt with. The question of additional shelving is once more pressing owing to the constant influx of volumes from the corresponding Societies, REPORT, 1931. xlvii and the Librarian has drawn up a scheme by which space can be provided and the difficulty met for some time to come. Sundry books and maps have been presented, including "A Short Account of London Bridge, 1736," given by Mr. W. T. Hill; "Rowell's Kentish Note Book," two volumes, by Mr. Vv. Ruck; and William Whiting's" Report of the Excavations of the Roman Cemetery at Ospringe," by Mr. G. C. Druce. Reproductions of maps of Demesne Lands of the Manor of Thurnham and N ewenden and of Aldington Farm in the Parish of Thornham have been sent by Sir George Hampson, Bart .. and of Roque's map of Surrey in nine sheets, by the Surrey Archreological Society. Books purchased include Stookdale's " Etchings and Antiquities of Kent," Wilde's "Views of Canterbury Cathedral,etc., 1808-15," and sundry recently published books on Kentish matters. A copy of the Burlington Fine Arts Club publication on " Art in the Dark Ages," in which are illustrated the Society's early gold ornaments, has been obtained by subscriptions from members of the Council. A Report from the R􀃈cords Branch states that its work has been going on steadily during the year. A part of Mr. Hussey's volume on Kent Chantries is in the press and should shortly be in the hands of subscribers. The other work undertaken by the Records Branch, that of helping in the preservation and storage of docu. ments, has made satisfactory progress. It will however, not be possible to continue the room in London after March and it is hoped that before the end of that month negotiations which are at present being pursued will result in a satisfactory arrange. ment being made for the use of a room within the county. This change has in part been necessitated by the decision of the Hon. Secretary to move into the country. It is hoped that he may be able to retain the Secretaryship, at any rate for a time, but nothing can be settled just yet. The Secretaryship of the Place Names Sub-committee has been taken over by Mr. Frank W. Jessup of Gravesend from Mr. E. C. Matthews who has moved out of Kent. In July Miss Churchill attended on behalf of the Kent Archreo. logical Society the Anglo-American Historical Congress which was held in London, and the Hon. Secretary similarly represented the Society at the annual meeting of the Congress of Archreological Societies in November. The summer excursion was held on June 23rd and 24th in the neighbourhood of 'l'enterden and Hythe and was successfully xlviii REPORT, 1931. organised by Major Usborne, who was assisted by Major Parmiter. The Autumn Meeting took place on September 19th in West Kent when Otford and Cowden were visited, the ancient ironworks at Scarletts being the principal objective. The arrangements were in the hands of :M:r. Frank Godwin, with the co-operation of other Sevenoaks members. The attendance at both meetings was very large. Particulars will be printed in the next volume of A rchreologia Gantiana. Communications from Local Secretaries are few. Mr. R. F. Jessup (Gravesend) reports that pieces of wattle and daub, together with fragments of pottery which seem to be of Early Iron Age date, have been found by Mr. W. Cobbett Barker between Luddesdown Court and the Church. An account of his finds appeared in The Times of September 29th, 1931. A Roman grave group containing three pots was found in November in a gravel pit at Longfield, 300 yards east of the Parish Church and on the north side of the main road. The site has been visited by several members of the Kent Archreological Society besides Mr. Jessup, including the Rev. G. W. Bancks, and Mr. N. C. Cook and a description of the finds will appear later in Archa3ologia Gantiana. Two skeletons have since been found at Longfield, which have been examined by Mr. Jessup. They are in all probability RomanoBritish and their "find-spot" indicates that they are connected with the Roman burial group found in the quarry already mentioned. Mr. Frank Godwin (Sevenoaks) reports that the persistent wet weather during the summer prevented any further exploration of the Otford Roman sites, but it is hoped that week-ends in 1932 will be more favourable for excavation. An aerial survey should be very helpful, if it could be financed. A burial urn was found with other pottery when excavating for a pylon near Lower Austin Lodge, Eynsford, and was reported to Dr. Gordon Ward of Sevenoaks by Mr. F. C. Hynard. Nearby was an interment, the bones being probably those of a female about fifteen years of age. The urn contained the bones of an adult male. The report includes a description of the pottery, which is of sufficient importance to warrant a more detailed account being included in Vol. XLIV of Archreologia Oantiana. The Society has given its support, at the request of Mr. Elliston Erwood, F.S.A., to the efforts made for the preservation of Well Hall, Eltham with its moat and walled gardens. The estate has been purchased by the Woolwich Borough Council and the Tudor REPORT, 1931. xlix buildings, the former home of the Roper family, are destined for a Borough Museum. Mention may also be made here of the purchase by the Central Board of Finance of the Church of England of Da vington Priory and Church near Faversham, a description of which appeared in The Times of November 16th, 1931. The Priory was visited by the Society a few years ago, and it is a matter of congratulation to all Kentish people that its fortunes are now in good hands. The acquisition will ensure the preservation of the historic buildings and remove the anxiety of many who feared that the property might pass into unsympathetic hands and even suffer mutilation in the quest for panelling or old oak. Those who feel disposed to assist in the carrying out of pressing repairs should send subscriptions to Canon F. Partridge, Secretary, Central Board of Finance, 12 Dean's Yard, Westminster, S.'\V.l. Of the Local Societies affiliated to the Kent Archreological Society, one of the most active is the Dartford District Antiquarian Society which has marked the attainment of its majority by the issue of an attractive little volume of Transactions instead of a Report only. From its foundation in 1910 with a membership of twelve it has continually grown until at present it numbers over 140 members, and affords an example of a well managed and progressive local antiquarian society. Four lectures were delivered during last season in Dartford, and four outings were arranged to visit various churches in the neighbourhood. The Transactions, which runs to over 100 pages, gives the Rules, List of Members and all particulars of meetings and papers read over a series of years and provides a model which may well be followed by other Local Societies. The only mystery is that there is no indication in its pages as to how the cost of this excellent little book has been met. Another flourishing Society is the Canterbury Archreologioal Society, which has had a successful year. With a large membership 0£ 240 much has been done. Many excursions were made to inspect churches and other buildings of interest in East Kent in the summer and a full programme of lectures is now being proceeded with at the Royal Museum. A favourable feature in the Report is the practical interest taken .and efforts · made by the Society or individual members for the preservation and repair of old property in Canterbury. Particulars are given of · cottages reconditioned and rebuilding in important positions 1 REPORT, 1931. effected in good taste. There is no doubt that the more the ancient features in country towns are preserved, the more visitors are attracted, with benefit to the citizens. The Hon. Secretary, .Mrs. Dorothy Gardiner, has recently been elected a member of the Council of the Kent Archreological Society. Membersare reminded that, whatever the date of their election, the annual subscription of IOs. becomes due on the 1st of January and those who do not pay by Bankers' order are earnestly requested to remit that sum to the collector, Mr. Lancaster, 13 Oaten Hill, Ca nterbury, early in the year. This course assists the Society financially, by saving labour and expense in collecting. By order of the Council, Maidstone, Kent. 17th March, 1932. GEORGE c. DRUOE, Hon. Secretary.