Among highlights of this year’s Annual General Meeting were two special presentations, one from the Society to a member and the second to the Society from a member.
Silver tribute for Anne’s 20 years’ devoted service…
The first presentation was to Anne Born, for 20 years Chair of the Society, who has now been elected the first President for life. She received an inscribed solid silver brooch and a framed testimonial, presented by the current Chairman, John Fairweather-Tall, on behalf of all members to express their appreciation for her years of dedicated service. The brooch was inscribed: “Anne Born, President, Kingsbridge History Society”. The Chairman told Anne, “We hope you will do us the honour of wearing it when you are at our meetings, and we also hope there may be other occasions when you feel it suitable to wear.” The testimonial, framed in silver plate, reads: “The members of Kingsbridge History Society express heartfelt gratitude to Anne Born for twenty years’ devoted service from 1988 to 2008 as Chairwoman. As a mark of esteem and in recognition of her many attributes they have appointed her President for Life and presented her with a silver brooch suitably engraved as a memento of the occasion.” Anne responded by expressing her deep appreciation for the gifts, saying how overwhelmed she felt by such tributes and how greatly she had enjoyed her years of service to the Society. She added that she hoped to be present at as many meetings in the future as her health permitted.
Above (l to r): John Fairweather-Tall, Chairman; Joan Mackenzie; Ann Lidstone Hon Secretary; Anne Born, President (Picture, courtesy South Hams Newspapers)
Close-up of the silver-plated framed testimonial presented to Anne Born during the 2008 AGM
President for Life Anne Born arriving for the 2008 AGM
The Chairman presents the framed testimonial to Anne Born, KHS President for Life
Joan Mackenzie chats with the Chairman before the 2008 AGM
The second presentation was of the latest top-of-the-range multimedia LCD projector, given by Joan Mackenzie in memory of her late husband, Dr Fergus Mackenzie. In presenting it to the Chairman, Joan said she was glad to give something practical and useful to the Society in memory of her husband, who had himself been a keen photographer with a collection of several thousand pictures of his holidays abroad. A keen member of KHS since its earliest years, he had relished the stimulation it provided him. The Chairman expressed the sincere thanks of all members. He said, “The projector will add a new dimension to our meetings and will be well used, providing us on each occasion with a tangible memento of a distinguished member.”
The projector was successfully put to immediate use later in the AGM to feature the illustrated part of the programme. The Kingsbridge and Salcombe Gazette reported the presentations, with a picture (see image, courtesy South Hams Newspapers), and Ann Lidstone took other pictures (see images).
Michael Wright, one of only two remaining active members who were at the inaugural meeting in 1988 renews his subscription with Joint Treasurers Maureen Hayward and Betty Warne
Silver tribute for Anne's devoted service
… and Joan’s practical gift in memory of Fergus