Meeting No 16 Wednesday 28th September 2005 Minutes
At Old Hall Heckmondwike
Present Les Woodcock (Chair) Alan Naylor
Virginia Stokeley Joe Lee
Jim Birch Lesley Birch
Stuart Martin John McMillan
Apologies Kath Conway Jennifer Graham
Stephen Bartle
(i)Welcome to new members and guests
The chairman welcomed John McMillan to the meeting and introduced him to all members; John is a member of the Physics Department at the University of Sheffield.
(ii) Discussion of minutes of Meeting of 31st August 2005
Minutes signed off, with no amendments
(iii) Matters Arising
None
(iv) Website Update:
We have now transferred to our new provider
Due to lack of funds the site is being fully funded by our chairman.
Again due to lack of funds, and with the Webmaster going to Loughborough University, we can only retain his services for a limited period, we will have to find some alternative arrangement.
This site gives us 250 e-mail addresses, any member who wants one please request via Webmaster or Contact us, the address would read
*********@priestleysociety.net
We have still to set up a members password facility, this will give access to the members lists.
(v) Charitable Trust Status: Company Registration
The chairman has been in contact with the Charity Commission in Wales and they have indicated that we do not need any trustees; all subscribers on our company status application will be directors of the charity, additional directors can be added later if required.
Forms for the charity status are still being prepared.
(vi)Bicentennial Book progress, JPC 50th booklet.
BCC book, we still have no reply from BOC, they have a CD of the contents and hopefully this is under review. We shall obtain an ISBN number for this publication. Prices for publication still to be obtained from local printers.
3rd Publication; Joseph Priestley College 50th anniversary and July 4th lecture booklet still to pursue, we will arrange a meeting with Joseph Priestley College to discuss, we also need a willing editor.
(vii)2006 Events, AGM and July 4th PS Annual Lecture
July 4th lecture, negotiations are ongoing for a speaker.
2006 is the year of Franklin, so some electrical theme would be appropriate.
2006 AGM this will coincide with the National Science week, we will combine with Woodkirk High Specialist Science School, at Woodkirk.
It is intended to re-enact some of Priestley’s experiments, these will probably be carried out by the Woodkirk students, parents and friends will be invited to attend, the event will be open to all.
(viii)Kirklees matters, Bagshaw Museum.
Kirklees have been in touch with Mary Ellen Bowden of the Chemical Heritage Foundation in Philadelphia re available material, we need to arrange a meeting with Brian Haigh for further updates and to lay plans to push forward with a permanent exhibition at Bagshaw.
We need to set up an action committee to pursue this more vigorously.
SM to contact local councillor Andrew Palfreeman for his support.
(ix) Any other business.
Woodkirk High Specialist Science School, have applied for a further licence to run their radio station from the 13th to 24th December, it is proposed to link this to the internet, so it should be available world wide, further details will be posted as they become available. Following this they intend applying for a 5-year licence.
SM visited the Dr Williams Library in Gordon Square London, this is a library set up by Dr Williams a Presbyterian Minister, it was for use by all non-conformist religions. Manuscripts and books are available by arrangement, books from 1850 onwards can be photocopied, it is possible for the Priestley Society to join as a group, and an extensive amount of Priestley material is available. Society membership to be put on agenda for next meeting.
Leeds City Council, Legal and Democratic Services have been in touch with us to obtain information on Priestley, they have a meeting room named after him, and would like some information to display, we have responded and will probably hold a meeting with them.
VS to contact them re Woodkirk involvement with Priestley.
(x) Date of next meeting
Old Hall Heckmondwike 7.30 pm Wednesday 26th October 2005.
Note if anyone wants removing from this mailing list please contact
Company Number 5499206
.