MINUTES OF OCTOBER MEETING - AGM
MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF AYNHO HISTORY SOCIETY HELD AT AYNHO VILLAGE HALL ON WEDNESDAY 28TH OCTOBER 2009
Present: – Brian Reynolds - Chairman
Peter Cole – Secretary. Altogether 35 members attended.
1. Apologies
Apologies had been received from Jon and Clare Blok, James Perkins, Gill Phillips, Ron & Pet Sawbridge and William Usher.
2. Election of Officers
Brian Reynolds was proposed as Chairman by Brian Croft, and seconded by Anne Usher.
Peter Cole was proposed as Secretary by Edward Rainsberry, and seconded by Mrs Phillips.
Ian Parkes was proposed as Treasurer by Brian Reynolds and seconded by Peter Jackson. .
3. Chair and Finance report 2009
Brian said that James Perkins and his GL50 team have been short-listed for an award by the Georgian Society for the work done in restoring Aynhoe Park. This will be presented on 4th November.
The membership of the History Society has increased to 61, a 40% increase since last year.
Peter Brookfield won joint first prize for the best piece of local historical research submitted to Banbury Historical Society for his research into the history of ironstone mining at Sydenham Quarry between Aynho and Adderbury. He kindly donated his prize to our Society.
Presentations made during the year included St. Michael’s Church clock and carillon, the history of Rainsborough Camp, the Mediaeval wall paintings of Croughton Church, followed by a visit to the Church, the Civil War in Aynho from 1642 to 1645, artefacts found in and around Aynho, the latest information from the archivists about the Cartwright Papers, a talk on Lark Rise to Candleford, a visit to and a talk on the Quaker House at Adderbury, and finally the history of England’s canals, past and present. There was a second well–supported visit to Mrs Cartwright-Hignett’s home and garden at Ifold Manor.
We had a stall at Aynho Church Fete, which went down very well and had a lot of visitors.
Finally there has been much continuing activity regarding Aynho’s tunnels. A resident of the Square has recently been in touch with Brian to say that there appears to be a tunnel leading from his house towards the ice house in Aynho Park.
A Nicola Reeve had contacted Brian for information about activity in Ryelands Wood during the war.
Brian said that there was £1060 in the Accounts. Income during the year was £2,603, made up of £601 membership fees, £327 subscriptions, and donations of £535 (including £450 from John Fulcher for a seat in memory of the work done by him and his companions in Aynho during the war and the residents of Aynho at that difficult time) and income from the trip to Iford Manor. There were expenses of £1,540.
On reflection it had been felt that there was nowhere in Aynho where a seat could be placed with a lovely view of other than traffic, so with John’s agreement it had been decided that unless anyone came up with a better idea, it should be put towards the cost of a piano, which the Village Hall Committee was proposing to buy. This would be inscribed with a suitable plaque.
Brian said that the programme for next year is almost complete. A visit to Rousham House is proposed, and possibly another one to the Adderbury Quaker House, hopefully in better weather than last time. He would welcome any ideas for the remaining two months.
4. Correspondence
The Secretary reported that he had received an email from someone who had obtained a postcard dated 26/8/14 depicting Anyho Church, with a delivery boy standing by a gate. It had been sent by an A Thomson to a relative near Stroud in Gloucestershire announcing a new family arrival. The sender was asking if there were any descendants still living in Anyho. Peter had checked local directories, and the Society’s census records of 1901, but had found no trace. It was suggested that something should be put in the Newsletter, and if there was no response he was authorised to see if he could buy the postcard for our archives.
Peter was thanked for producing and circulating detailed minutes every month.
5. A. O. B.
None.
6. Display & Drinks
Brian had collected together all the 25 books associated with Aynho, plus virtually all the maps, postcards, tokens and other artefacts that we have accumulated over the last two years. He had arranged these on large tables in the centre of the room for everyone to examine after drinks and nibbles had been provided. In particular he drew everyone’s attention to five enormous volumes of American research into the history of families descended from the Haines family from Aynho. These had been given to St. Michael's Church by the author Robert Leland Johnson an attorney in Denver, Colorado. They were given in honour of Richard Haines, resident of Aynhoe, Northamptonshire, England in 1682; died 1682 on the ship "Amity" on the way to Burlington, New Jersey. His son Richard Haines was baptized on August 6, 1665 at St. Michael's Church and another son in 1666 and one in 1672.
Later a Quaker, he worshipped at Banbury Monthly Meeting, Oxfordshire, England.
At the end of a successful evening Rupert Clark called for a vote of thanks to Brian, both for the evening and also for all that he had done for the Society over the last year. This was warmly agreed.
6. Forthcoming Meetings
November 27th The History of Middleton Cheney Church Bob Hunter
December No meeting
2010 7 of 10 meetings have now been arranged; details by the end of 2009
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