The One Hundred and Forty-second Annual Report 2020

Seal

The Council of the Society has pleasure in presenting its Annual Report for the year ended 31 May 2020.

Annual General Meeting

The AGM took place at the Bradford Club on Wednesday 9th October 2019 with the President, Ian Watson, in the chair. He welcomed those present and thanked officers and members of the Council for their work during the year. The meeting confirmed the Council’s recommendation of the appointment of officers for the year and the reappointment of Maurice Smithies FCA as honorary auditor. Following the formal meeting Ian Watson presented an illustrated talk entitled “Bradford in Three Novels

Lectures

The Council is once again grateful to our Lectures Secretary, Betty Woodrow, for arranging an entertaining and varied programme of lectures, and to Peter Townsend and his staff of the Bradford Club, for their continuing hospitality.

The programme for the year 2019/2020 was as follows:
2019
11th September   Two Knights, Some Pigs, and a Duchess David Glover
9th October         Bradford in Three Novels Ian Watson
13th November   Bradford’s Albert Memorial Dr David Pendleton
11th December    Famous people I have met in Bradford Chris Binns
2020
8th January          Saxon, Danes, and Normans Dr Peter Palmer
12th February     Edward Leedes – a life in documents Mary Twentyman
11th March          In the Footsteps of St Wilfrid Professor Joyce Hill

In mid-March, owing to the Covid 19 situation, all lectures and other activities were cancelled until further notice.

Walks

Informative walks were led in July and August 2019 respectively by Mary and Twentyman in Low Moor, and Janet Senior in East Bowling.

Excursions

Twenty-two people enjoyed a visit to Raby Castle in Co. Durham.

Membership

The Society currently has 65 individual members plus 8 joint members giving a total of 81 people. Each meeting also attracted several visitors, and attendances were encouraging. The average attendance was 46.

We are grateful to David Glass, our membership secretary, who has continued to keep members up to date with information and deal with general queries.

Steve Gaunt, our webmaster, has once again obliged us with prompt updates.

Library

We are grateful to Christine Farmer, the society’s librarian, who deals with our book collection and displays a selection of them at each meeting. Thanks also to Bob Duckett for his assistance.

Finance

The Society’s bank balance remains healthy. At the end of our year (31st May 2020) we had a surplus of £317.53 (subject to audit) Another round of thanks to David Glass, in his other role as treasurer.  

The Bradford Antiquary

Edition number 80 was published in the autumn of 2019 and contains articles on a wide range of locally related topics, written by members and non-members of the Society.  David Pendleton continues to do a good job in his role of editor.

Thanks to all concerned

The Council would like to thank all those who have helped towards the running of the Society during the year and especially to the members for their continued support.

Geoff Twentyman
Honorary Secretary
On behalf of the council of the BHAS.