Church Monuments Society

The 2024 Annual General  Meeting will be held on Saturday 7 September at St George the Martyr, Borough High Street, London SE1 1JA.

The church is roughly halfway between London Bridge and the Elephant and Castle, with numerous transport links by train, tube and bus. There are many ‘eateries’ in the area from traditional pubs to world cuisines.

A church has stood on the site from the early 12^th century and there were several rebuilding programmes up to 1736 when the Georgian church was opened. The church suffered significant damage during World War II and underwent restoration from 1945-1952.

The church is said to be haunted by Edward Bonner, Bishop of London who was imprisoned, and died, in the nearby Marshalsea Prison as an opponent of the Act of Supremacy. Another guest of the Marshalsea was Charles Dickens’ father, imprisoned there for debt. Dickens would later immortalise the prison in Little Dorrit. More about the church, and a list of the monuments, in the Survey of London, https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol25/pp26-38 . The church is also near to Southwark Cathedral and the Crossbones graveyard, burial place of the poor and outcast https://crossbones.org.uk/ .

A copy of the Minutes of the 2023 Annual General Meeting is available HERE on the Society’s web site and a printed copy may be requested from the Hon Secretary, Hilary Wheeler (address on back cover). The accounts and other reports will be available, on the web site, nearer the date or from the Secretary – please include your email address if possible. In order to cut down on waste and expense, printed copies will only be available on request, from the Hon Secretary.

It is anticipated that the AGM will be part of a study day, so make a note of the date and look out for further details, or contact the Secretary in August.

Agenda

1. Apologies for absence
2. Approval of the Minutes of the 2023 Annual General Meeting
3. Matters Arising
4. Presidential Address
5. Hon Treasurer’s Report
6. Thanks to the Independent Examiner and the Appointment of the Independent Examiner
7. Hon Membership Secretary’s Report
8. Hon Publicity Officer’s Report
9. Hon Archivist’s Report
10. Hon Event’s Co-ordinator’s Report
11. Reports on the Society’s Publications
12. Hon Conservations Cases Recorder’s Report
13. Election of the President
14. Election of Officers and two Ordinary Members of Council
15. Any Other Business
16. Announcement of the date and venue of the 2025 Annual General Meeting

Item 14: Election of Two Ordinary Members of Council

Nominations are invited for two Ordinary Members of Council, whose subscriptions are not in arrears, to be elected for a three-year term. Nominations should be made in writing, proposed and seconded by two members of the Society, whose membership is also current, they should confirm the willingness of the nominees to stand. Nominations should reach the Hon Secretary, from whom nomination forms may be obtained, no later than Monday, 5^th August 2024.

Council members attend three Council meetings per year in March, July and November and the AGM in September. Meetings are held on Saturdays, you will receive reports and up-dates on on-going matters, in addition to planning future activities. Business is conducted in accordance with the Society’s Constitution and in-line with the Charity Commission guidelines. Please contact the Secretary if you have questions or would like further information.

Finally – remember this is your meeting, your opportunity to meet Council members, fellow members of the Society and ask questions, so note the date in your new diary!