Minutes from the AGM
Easter Monday – 7th
April 2006
by
Anne Waddelow-Barker
It was a typical
sunshine and showers day. We enjoyed a buffet lunch prior to the
meeting. There were 31 members and friends present. Mr. Stanley
Langley reluctantly took the chair in the absence of our
chairman Mr. Jonathan Calvert. He welcomed everyone to the
meeting. He said The Society were indebted to the Littleport
Society for their support and for bringing their books and
leaflets.
Apologies were
received from:
Ian Snowden
Mike Picken
Roger Parsons
Janet Ormesher
Jonathan &
Sharon Calvert Mr. & Mrs. David Lofts
Sylvia Calvert
Mike Wadlow
Tony Beaden
Brian Wadlow
Colin Wadlow
The Minutes
The minutes of the 2005
AGM was read.
Adoption of the
minutes
Proposer:
Lloyd Johnson Seconder: Mary Cooke
Financial Report
Dora
presented the financial report. Our bank balance for the year
ending 2005 is £400.85, which included 2p interest. Dora thanked
Roger Parsons for auditing the accounts for another year.
Dora would be available to take membership fees after the meeting
and members could inspect the accounts if they wished to.
Adoption of the
Financial Report
Proposer: Ann Waddelow-Barker Seconder:
Richard Wadlow
Secretary’s
Remarks
Sue
said Family History is a funny old game. She went on to explain the
difficulties searching to find our relatives ploughing through old
registers and finding little – or finding so much, only to dismiss a
lot of the information because it doesn’t match anyone on our family
tree. Parish entries and census returns are not always accurate.
There were differences in names, which were sometimes shortened or
spelt differently. In addition, in the 1841 census all the ages
over fifteen were rounded down, for example if you were 43 years old
your age would be written down as 40 years. Mistakes often occurred
in Parish registers, often with misspent names etc.
Susan has spent the
last 20 years trying to trace the parents of her great, great grand
father William. She came to the conclusion that Williams marriage
certificate was incorrect and that his father’s name was really
Joseph. Sometimes letters and cards, which our ancestors wrote to
each other, give vital clues.
Appointment of
Officers
Stan asked firstly if
anyone would like to replace him. He underestimated himself and did
a wonderful job. Were members satisfied with the existing officers
and were the officers willing to keep their positions. Yes! They
were. Members agreed they should be re-elected en-bloc.
Proposer:
David Barker Seconder: Mary Cooke
Any other
Business
Susan
had her laptop computer with her and had the 1881 census with her
if anyone would like to speak to her. She had the National Burial
Index too.
Stan
asked if we knew which members had computers and did we know who
they are. He suggested a record should be kept of such members with
PCs and their email addresses.
Dora
said she had
sweatshirts and key rings for sale.
Ann
announced she
had found three more postcards addressed to her great great
grandfather – William Waddelow at Family History Day.
There being no other
business – Stan introduced our speaker – Mr. Roger Martin
who was
Church Warden at St Leonard’s Church, Little Downham. Mr. Martin
reported that the Archive group now had a website. Unfortunately
their computer had been stolen. It had been recovered by the police
and was still “in custody” as evidence. Until it was returned to
the group, it wasn’t known if all the info was still intact. The
buildings of St Leonard’s were of Norman origin; it was the patron
saint of Prisoners.
In 1868, the pews were
installed. In 1895 the chantry roof was painted and was said to
remind you of Heaven. In 1896, the top of the Tower was built. The
church clock was installed by Smiths of Derby at a cost of £180 and
is still serviced by them today. There were underground vaults and
Mr. Martin had been down to them.
In 1850, the organ was
installed, but it is no longer at the church. A more modern system
is now in situ. Mr. Martin told us about the stained glass windows
and who had funded them. There had been no burials in the
churchyard since 1889 with the exception of Canon Atkinson who was
buried illegally. His wife now 104 had asked permission to be
buried in the churchyard, but was refused because it was not
consecrated ground. The figures on the rood screen had been
presented by the Stockdale family. We were told about some
of the rectors of the Church. Their names were on a plaque on the
walls of the Church. The village Hall and the old Rectory was
built in 1700.
The Bishop of Ely is
still Lord of the Manor of Little Downham and was presented with the
gifts of wine, bread and salt when visiting the church. The Coat of
Arms was reputed to be the largest in England and was of particular
interest to the Waddelow Society because William Waddelow had been
a churchwarden, and his name appears on the coat of arms. Mr.
Martin announced that the church would be open that day until 6pm.
Stan thanked Mr. Martin
for the most interesting talk and praised him for all the research
he had undertaken. Stan told Claud it was time for him to get
cracking again in the Kitchen where he had spent most of the
afternoon, with the help of Valerie. We all enjoyed his cup of tea
and biscuits. There was a great deal of chatting between members
before wending our way home. It had been a very enjoyable meeting
with some members travelling great distances to attend.
Taken from The Waddelow Society's Magazine Spring 2006
