Extracts from the minute book during 1908-09. [Showing considerations for acquiring a new building]
Transcription Brannon Cope
Committee meeting held on Jan 3rd 1908.
Mr W H Cotton in the chair.
Members present:- Messrs T J Bellamy, J Newton, H Abbott, Henson, C Chesshire, M Lucas, J Moreton & A Hampson.
Minutes of previous meeting were passed.
Resolved that the Sec get 4 of the 8/6 cues at 7/6 from members.
The letter from Mr Moss was read & discussed & the following resolution was carried.
That we accept the proposition of the Landlord to take the premises on a 7 year lease subject to option of purchase during the 7 years, at £550,
rent to be not more than £30 a year, to include alterations as suggested the building of a skittle alley & as per suggestion 4 from Mr Moss.
Resolved that the best thanks of the Committee be given to Messrs C Chester & J Morson for adjusting Billiard table cloth.
Resolved that the Sec see Mr Ecclessall re this matter first Monday in Feb.
Res that the Sec write Mr Moss.
Resolved that the next Committee be held next Friday at 8-30.
Committee meeting held Jan 10th 1908.
The minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed with the addition that the Sub-committee are empowered to deal with the
question
re alterations, skittle alley etc.
Members present. The President in the chair. Messrs A V Hopcroft, W A Abbott, T J Bellamy, C Chesher, A Abbott, J Henson, A Cobley, J Newton,
A Hampson, W Whitmore, A Lucas.
Resolved that there be a minimum of 6 Trustees re lease.
Res that the Sec write Mr Argyle re his subscription.
Res that the Sec write re cue for prize as previous years.
Res that the fire be laid ready for lighting in the little room & any member to light the fire who would like a read.
Res that the Sec be M C for Whist drive, Mr Bellamy for games.
Res that Mrs Bellamy & Mrs I Abbott be asked to make the refreshments.
Next Whist Drive Feb 5.
[signed] W H Cotton.
Committee meeting Jan 24th 08.
The President in the chair. Members present.
Messrs T J Bellamy, A Abbott, J Henson, T Moreton, C Chessher, W Whitmore.
The Sec read a letter from Mr Moss re the lease of the property & alterations. Stating that he would not accept less than £32 a year rent.
Resolved that a Sub-committee be formed from this meeting to meet the Landlord & conclude the business on the best terms they can make.
Messrs W H Cotton, T J Bellamy, W Whitmore & the Secretary.
The Sec to write Mr Moss to arrange a meeting.
Resolved that the 3d in the 1/- as per the resolution in the old minute book be adhered to &
that the Finance Sec pay it over to Mr W Whitmore re Billiard table.
[signed] W H Cotton.
General Meeting Feb 20th 08.
The following resolution was carried unanimously that we try to obtain a suitable peice of land & build a new institute.
[signed] W H Cotton. Chairman.
Committee meeting March 13th 08.
The president in the chair & the members present.
Messrs T Whitmore, T J Bellamy, W Whitmore, Geo & A Abbott, Les Henson, J Newton, H Cobley.
Res unan that the minute Jan 24th re the arrangement with Mr Moss be
rescinded. It was discussed re a building site & the way to raise
funds re the new institute.
Resolved that we arrange to hold a bazzar [sic] sometime about the feast time to raise funds re the new institute.
Resolved that the whole Committee be the Bazzar [sic] Committee.
Balance 1.13.2 from last Whist Drive to be devoted towards paying off debt on Billiard table.
Letter was read from the Barwell Co-op Committee allowing us 7/6 off the rent of the room for last drive.
The Secretary promised to write & thank the Society.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday next, March 19th at 8.30
[The next meeting to discuss matters relating to the new institute is as follows]
Committee meeting May 14th 08.
The President in the chair, other members present: Messrs T J Bellamy, A Abbott, J Newton, Les Henson, Alb Coley, J Whitmore, T Moreton,
H Lucas, H Cobley.
The minutes of the previous meeting were read & passed.
A resolution was passed that we ask the President to let us have the option of purchasing the lots of land 5, 6 & 7 till the end of August.
To cost £110 over a ¼ of an acre in extent. Carried unanimously.
[In 2007 £110 was equivalent to £8,235][More Committee meetings were held, dealing with various management matters and in particular making arrangements for a major fund
raising campaign. The main effort was to be in the form of a Bazaar. (see here)]
Committee meeting Aug 13th 08.
The President in the chair. Members present.
Messrs T Whitmore, J Whitmore, Saml Whitmore, T J Bellamy, W A Abbott, A Abbott, Alb Cobley, J Newton.
Mr Saml Whitmore was appointed Sec to Bazaar if he would accept. Will give an answer in a week.
The following men were suggested that they should be written to asking them if they would open Bazaar: Mr Hartley, Hickley Hall,
Major Worswick, Normanton, Mr Goode, Barwell.
Purchase of coal to be left with Sec & Manager.
The question of garden Fete was discussed, decided not to have one.
Suggested that the Committee meet & survey the plots for new institute on Monday night next at 7 O'clock prompt & lay their proposal at
next Committee.
The question of winter evenings to be decided next Committee.
Resolved that 2 new sets of Bezique cards be purchased.
The next Committee meeting to be held Aug 27th 8.0 prompt.
[signed] W H Cotton. Chairman.
[The next series of meetings dealt mainly with arrangements for the fund raising bazaar and general management matters, until
late September 1908:-]
Sep 24th 08.
Special meeting.
The president in the chair. Members present. Messrs W H Abbott, T J Bellamy, J Henson, H Abbott, T Moreton, T W Whitmore.
The business considered was as to how the land for the new institute should be conveyed & vested.
Pro by Mr T Whitmore sec by Mr Bellamy that the property be conveyed to 7 Trustees to hold on behalf of The Earl Shilton Social Institute,
carried unanimously.
Resolved that a General Meeting be called to appoint the 7 Trustees, on Friday night 8 O'clock.
Resolved that the next Committee meeting be held on Friday night next at 7.30
Res that Messrs J Whitmore, T J Bellamy, J Abbott, A V Hopcroft, W H Abbott, W H Cotton sign the bond re purchase of land.
[signed] W H Cotton. Chairman.
Committee meeting Oct 2nd 08.
The President in the chair. Members present. Messrs T Whitmore, W Whitmore, A V Hopcroft, H Coley, John Newton, C Chesshir, H Abbott, J Henson.
Mr Cotton gave a report re his interview with Mr Fowler re the wording of Trust Deeds.
The following resolution was proposed embodying the suggestions of Mr Fowler.
That the Trustees hold the property on behalf of the members of the Social Institute with the following conditions:-
First that no intoxicating drinks shall be sold on the premises.
Second that it shall not be a party political institute.
Thirdly that it shall not be a sectarian institute.
Carried unanimously.
The General Meeting was then held when the resolution was submitted & thoroughly explained & discussed & the General Meeting unanimously agreed with
the resolution of the Committee.
The General Meeting elected the following men to be the Trustees:-
W H Cotton, Messrs T W Whitmore, T J Bellamy, A V Hopcroft, W H Abbott, E H Gilbert, J Colver, Isaac Abbott.
[signed] W H Cotton Chairman. Oct 15 1908.
[More detail of the Trustees can be found
here]
Committee meeting Jan 7th 1909.
The President in the chair. Members present. Messrs T W Whitmore, Sam "do", W H Abbott, T J Bellamy, T Hopkins, W Cobley, H Cobley, H Abbott,
T Moreton, James Br??, Leo Henson.
Minutes of previous meeting were passed.
Mr Bellamy raised the question re concert for Feb, it was discussed & resolved that Messrs T J Bellamy & A V Hopcroft make arrangements for concert
for Feb 8th.
Resolved that Mr Bellamy buy 2 doz packs of playing cards.
Resolved that C Chesshir recover cushions on Billiard table.
Mr Sam Whitmore gave report on Bazaar showing a balance of £105 or near.
Resolved that the best thanks of the Committee be given to all who had helped with the Bazaar especially to Mr Sam Whitmore to whose energy the
success of the Bazaar was very much due.
Mr S Whitmore replied saying that it had been a pleasure to him.
Resolved that the Committee meet every Thur until further notice.
[signed] W H Cotton. Chairman. Jan 21 - 1909.
[The next series of meetings contain various arrangements to continue raising funds for the new institute and other general management matters.
At the meeting held on 4th February 1909 it was decided to ask the architect to show the committee plans for the new institute and it was resolved
that 'the building of the new institute price not exceed £800']
[In purchasing power £800 equates to £59,760 in 2007 values but property indexes indicate that it would require £506,700 to build to the same
specification in 2007]
[These figures do not include the present Snooker Hall; that was added later in 1934 at a cost of £1,250 equating to £63,600 and £250,000
respectively]
[At subsequent committee meetings many fund raising arrangements were made, now
concentrating on a building fund]
Committee meeting May 24th 09.
[During this committee meeting it was proposed that from a list of 12 tenders for the building contract, varying from £1,150 to £1,400, 'the
lowest tender be accepted conditionally upon Mr Harper (Architect) & the Committee being able to reduce the price & the tender is No.2' (lowest in list).
During the next series of meetings discussions were held regarding fund raising, arrangements for a stone laying
ceremony to include all major fund contributors, various minor adjustments to the building contract - how many water closets, position of the
building line etc...
At the meeting held on 24th June 1909 it was resolved 'that we arrange with the bank for an overdraft to the amount of £900', and 'that
Major Worswick be asked to lay the foundation stone'.
Discussions and resolutions continued over adjustments to the building contract - lay in of drinking water - heating and lighting - supervising
the floor laying for the billiard table...
And on the 19th of August 1909 it was decided 'that the opening of the new institute should be on the last Sat in October, namely the 30th &
that we ask Sir Chas Maclaren to perform the opening ceremony'
Refinements to the new institute were discussed over the following meetings - the location of hat pegs - front of the institute be fenced with
unclimable iron hurdles 4 feet 6 high - gates opposite the entrance to the institute & opposite the road to the house door - seating all round the
billiard room - causeway by side of house & round by the closets be paved with blue bricks at 3/6 per yd etc...
At the meeting held on 9th December 1909 it was resolved that 'the insurance be £1,025 on building
£100 on billiard tables £75 on gas fittings,
piano & furniture'.]
[There is no specific reference to the opening of the new institute in the minute book covering this period up to the last entry of
30th December 1909 except a resolution made at the meeting of that date - Opening
Ceremony. Sir Chas MaClaren to perform ceremony at 3 O'clock.
A public tea at 4.30]
[The following minutes are now lost; the next surviving book dates from Jan 15th 1914 and covers the period of the first World War
up to Dec 6th 1918. This last minute was signed by F Shorland and dated 20/12/18]
These old and fragile minute books are currently (2008) being transcribed. The transcripts will be available for study by interested parties in due course.
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