TDLHS Annual Report 2024/25
Dear Fellow Member,
I take pleasure in presenting this Annual Report for the TDLHS 24/25 Season.
As usual, your committee had endeavoured to develop a varied programme which sought to be interesting, informative and, where possible, entertaining. On that note [if you will excuse the pun] whilst it is perhaps invidious to highlight individual speakers it would be remiss of me not to remind members of our two very different, but equally captivating, musical interludes. Dr.Mowbray's Musicke transported us on an unexpected and immersive journey to times gone by and, in May, Melodye Flyte proved an exceptional raconteur aand vocalist evoking so many wartime memories for a nostalgic audience. Our January Zoom meeting proved particularly chilling as we welcomed back Nick Barratt, the noted academic and TV and Radio presenter, who threw some alarming light on the potential of A1 not simply for "Fake News" but more alarmingly, the ease with which entirely believable "Fake History " can be generated.
Inevitably the past year has thrown up a few challenges not least when two of your committee had to rescue our "missing " guest speaker from his broken down vehicle in the notorious Spital roadworks of the time leaving his poor wife to wait for the breakdown service ! Unsurprisingly he seemed somewhat distracted in his presentation.
On the 31st May Tickhill Community Library was the venue for displays of selected items from our Tickhill Archives. At this well attended event, the exhibits were carefully guarded by your committee under the expert supervision of Lesley Nicholson and will provide a template for future occasions.
This year would not have been possible without the endeavour and support I received from the committee to whom I am so very grateful and which has also been enhanced by the contribution of our new secretary, Nigel Dearnley.That said we are always on the lookout for new members both for the committee and the Society. Volunteers are most welcome!! Whilst the 25/26 programme has already been finalised we are always eager to recieve positive recommendations for new speakers as provisional planning is already under way for the following year.
Our membership numbers and attendances continue to hold up well and we are grateful for all the support you give us.
Finally my, and our, thanks to the idefatigable Hazel Moffat for the excellence of her newsletters and occasional papers without which no meeting would be complete.
With best wishes for the coming year,
John C. Bergin
Chairman
2022
Tickhill and District Local History Society
A.G.M. 2021 /2022
Thursday 17th November 2022
Chair’s Report
After a couple of difficult years due to Covid, 2022 has seen the Society gradually return to normal, resuming meetings in the Methodist Schoolroom. We had a most enjoyable evening in May in spite of the speaker not tuning up! An impromptu discussion of members’ recollections of where they were on
Coronation Day 1953 proved a fascinating insight into our own past.
As always Dorothy has compiled a varied programme for the forthcoming season and we can look forward to a variety of entertaining talks to sustain us over the winter months. Zoom quizzes have proved popular over the last few years and in January there will be a first, a Zoom Meeting; the speaker will be Nick Barrett from “Who do you think you are?” - Please look out for an email in the New Year which will provide a link to participate in this event.
The Society continues to flourish, with over 100 members. It aims to explore all avenues in which to share a love of history and achieves this through a variety of different mediums, the spoken and written word, (newsletters, occasional papers, speakers), online (the website and quizzes), thereby endeavouring to make history accessible to as many folk as possible, in all formats.
Many thanks to Hazel Moffat who writes the Society's excellent Newsletters, giving glimpses into unknown aspects of local history. These can be found on the Society’s website www.tickhillhistorysociety.org.uk and are also available in printed format. Hazel also produces the Society’s Occasional Papers and History Profile Papers. Recent publications include “Anna Maria Alderson 1813 – 1906” These may be purchased at Castlegate cards, where earlier editions are also available.
Many thanks too to Steve Payne, who is responsible for the Society's website. If you haven't done so already, why not take a look? There is so much there to discover, with many photos of Tickhill and its residents, past and present.
Did you know the Society has a small Archive in Tickhill Community Library? It is available for members to view by prior appointment with the Library.
Dorothy Bradley (Secretary), Graham Rolph (Treasurer), Chris Pearce and Imelda Dewar have resigned from the committee this year. I would like to thank them for their commitment and hard work, in particular Dorothy and Graham who have been on the committee since time immemorial and have contributed so much. Thank you too to the remaining members of the committee without whom the Society would not be possible. The invaluable input and contributions of all committee members has created and maintained a thriving popular Society for our community to enjoy.
Last year the committee agreed to be elected for a further year; this year we are asking to be elected for a period of two years to bring the committee once again in line with the Society's constitution. The committee comprises the following:-
Lesley Nicholson - Chair
John Bergin - Vice Chair
Rod Buck - Treasurer
Rosemary Lea - Secretary
Patrick Andrews
Roger Ranson
Sally Tyas
Christine Wright
There is at least one vacancy on the committee, please consider joining!
2021
Tickhill and District Local History Society
Chair’s Report A.G.M.
Thursday 18th November 2021
TDLHS continues to be a popular, thriving Society, the large membership of 160 reflects this, with six new members having joined since September this year. 2019/2020 Memberships were carried over to 2021/2022 in view of the curtailment of the earlier season. In May 2021 over forty members took part in a Zoom quiz on Tickhill. This was so successful there will be another Zoom quiz in January 2022, (anticipating dark nights and inclement weather), look out for an email in the New Year containing the link to participate.
Hazel Moffat continues to produce the Society’s excellent newsletters, containing fascinating insights into unknown aspects of local history, together with Occasional Papers and History Profile Papers. Recent publications include “Around St Mary’s Churchyard 2” and “Tom William Beastall”. These are available to purchase at Castlegate Cards, where back copies of Occasional Papers are also available. The newsletters can be found on the Society’s website www.tickhillhistorysociety.org.uk
Thanks to Steve Payne, the updating of the Society’s website is now complete, why not take a look? There is so much there to discover. Do you have any local photos that could be posted onto the website or indeed do you have any memories to share of bygone Tickhill?
As always, we are indebted to the Society’s Secretary, Dorothy Bradley, who has created a varied and entertaining programme for 2022, it really has something for everyone. I am particularly looking forward to the return of Lesley Smith, the curator of Tutbury Castle, appearing this time in the guise of Elizabeth I.
The Committee has taken the Society from strength to strength, exploring all avenues in which to share a love of history. It does this through a variety of different mediums, the spoken and written word, (newsletters, occasional papers, speakers), online (the website and quizzes) and also through members nights, visits and demonstrations, thereby endeavouring to make history accessible to as many folk as possible, in all formats.
The current Committee comprises Lesley Nicholson (Chair), Dorothy Bradley (Secretary), Graham Rolph (Treasurer), Rosemary Lea, Chris Pearce, Roger Ranson, Sally Tyas and Patrick Andrews, all are standing for re-election at this evening’s A.G.M. however, this is only until May 2022. The majority of the committee members have been committee members for well over a decade and feel now is the time to step down and hand over the reins. On your behalf I would like to thank them for their commitment and invaluable contribution. Personally speaking, it has been a delight to work with such a great team and in addition I would like to thank them for their friendship and support.
So, could you take the Society forward? Joining the committee would be fun, it is all very straightforward, quite simply, the Society runs like clockwork. Our suggestion is that new members work alongside the existing committee members for the next few months, to facilitate a smooth transition from one group to another.
The future of the Society really does depend on you!
Lesley Nicholson