A.G.M. Elects New President

Christopher Poult, MA, was elected President of the Society following the retirement of Paul Oldham after seven years in that office and thirty years on the Council.

Chris, 62, is a British professional and biologist whose career with BP in which he moved from research into management. When he retired early he was able to devote time to his interest in history and was awarded a first class honors degree in archaeology by the University of Kent. He joined the Society in 1998 and became an active member when he took part in its excavation of the Roman villa at Minster in Thanet. He later became a member, and then chairman, of the Fieldwork Committee. He is also Treasurer of the Trust for Thanet Archaeology and director and trustee of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust Ltd.

The meeting took place on the 21st May in Maidstone Town Hall and was attended by 80 members. The officers, other than the President, were re-elected and Dr. Frank Parfitt was also elected as Vice-President, following the retirement of Lawrence Iby. Dr. James Gibson and Andrew Richardson were elected to the Council for the first time and Ted Connell, Ron Hogg and Alan Ward were re-elected.

Following the formal business, Philip Lawrence described the work of the Churches Committee. Lyn Palmer spoke about her approach to editing the Society’s Newsletter and how its design might be improved and John Coulson spoke on education and archaeology including the Society’s involvement through its Education Committee and the dual task service of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust.

In the afternoon members had an opportunity to visit the Society’s library in Hollingbourne where they were shown some of the collections housed there and Paul Oldham conducted some members on a tour of the Town Hall.