The much delayed 2020 Annual General Meeting was held, along with the slightly less delayed 2021 Annual General Meeting, on Thursday 9th September 2021 by Zoom. The agenda for the meeting was similar to that of previous AGMs with the main items being the President's report, the presentation of the audited accounts, and the election of office bearers and committee members.
Since a new committee was elected in 2016 following the adoption of the new constitution, many of its members had either come to the end of their periods of office or had decided to retire. In the latter category were Mrs Rita Bennie (Treasurer 2017-21) and Mr Les Jenkins (Press Officer 2016-19). Rita took over as Treasurer from the President, who was the acting Treasurer for a year following the sudden death of David Brown in 2016, and kept very accurate records of the many varied monies arising from subscriptions, visitor donations and outing tickets - frequently all having to be collected at the same time. Les revived the role of Press Officer by having advance notices and reports on meetings of the Society published in the Kirkintilloch Herald. With the meetings being normally held on Thursday evenings, he had to draft his report that evening or first thing next morning to meet the newspaper’s deadline for its next issue.
The AGM also marked the retirement as Secretary of Mr Don Martin, after an unprecedented forty-ones years in the post, following a spell as Vice-President during 1978-80 and before that as a committee member. While Secretary, Don took responsibility for assembling the programme of meetings in which he usually participated each year – sometimes accompanying himself on guitar – and kept the Society informed of issues and projects that it should be aware of or involved in. In addition to the normal duties of Secretary, he organised the Society’s participation in East Dunbartonshire’s Local History Week and Doors Open events, frequently leading walks, including around Kirkintilloch, Waterside or the Auld Aisle Cemetery. Don has also written histories of Kirkintilloch and Lenzie, the Forth & Clyde canal, and the development and decline of the local railway network. However, his retirement does not end his involvement with the Antiquaries as he has been created an Honorary Member of the Society, and as such will still be an active member of the committee.
All three retiring committee members were warmly thanked by the President for their contributions over the years, as were the other members of the committee, and the general membership who helped with the running of the Society.
Dr Ivan Ruddock was re-elected President but he indicated that he did not wish to serve a full four year term and that it would be for one year only in the first instance. Dr David Graham was re-elected Vice-President, Dr Murray Reid was elected as the new Secretary and Mrs Caroline Brooks was elected to one of the vacancies on the committee. Those committee members – Mrs Elizabeth Corroon, Mrs Ianthe McAlpine and Mrs Valerie McClure - who were willing to stand again for the committee were confirmed as members although Elizabeth and Ianthe only intend to serve for one year each.
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Don leading a walk in Kirkintilloch's Auld Aisle Cemetery during Doors Open, September 2019. (© I S Ruddock) |
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Don with some of his scrapbooks at the February 2018 Members' Night on 'Collections'. In 1986, he started Members' Night as an extra event in the programme. (© I S Ruddock) |
