Extracts from The Minute Books transcribed by Mick Jane
1879
January 4th 1879
At a Public Meeting held in the Mission Room, Mealsgate, convened by public notice, January 4th, 1879. Mr. Joseph Barnes being unanimously called to the Chair and Mr. J. Penn Secretary pro tem Mr. Jos. Banks explained the object of the meeting as follows:-
In view of a strong and growing feeling of the urgent necessity for a Public Building in which to hold Religious and other educational meetings, and also to keep fresh the memory of the late George Moore steps be taken to obtain, by means of Public Subscriptions, a building "In Memoriam" in his native place.
Resolved. That a Committee be formed for carrying out the above, consisting of:-
Messrs. Joseph Barnes, Thomas Moore, Tom P. Martin, Joseph Banks, Daniel Penrice, John Penn, George Hall, Thomas Monkhouse, John Crickett?, J. Lancaster, George Morton, William Shadwick, David Johnstone, Andrew Foster and William Parkin with power to add to their number.
Resolved. That an In Memoriam Hall to be called "The George Moore Memorial" be built.
Proposed by Mr. T.P. Martin seconded by Mr. Jos. Banks carried.
Resolved. That the next Meeting be held on the 9th January.
Meeting held 9th January 1879.
Present Messrs. T.P. Martin, D. Penrice, J. Banks, G. Hall, J. Penn, T. Monkhouse, A. Foster.
In the absence of Mr. Barnes, Mr. T.P. Martin was called to the Chair.
The Minutes of the last Meeting read & confirmed. Mr. Lattimer who was present, his name was also added to the Committee.
Resolved. That three members be considered a quorum.
Resolved. That the Building combine the following features, viz. Reading Room, Board Room, Lecture Room, which may be used for Religious Meetings, Sunday School, and for Sacred Concerts.
The sole management of of each department to be in the hands of a Committee, a clause to this effect to be inserted in the Trust Deed.
The following appointments being made Mr. Joseph Barnes, Chairman, Mr. T.P. Martin, Vice-Chairman, Mr. J. Penn, Secretary, and Mr. William Parkin, Treasurer. It was agreed that the next meeting be held on Monday the 13th January.
Meeting held on Monday 13th January 1879.
Present Messrs. Martin, Banks, Hall, Penn, Penrice, and Potter.
Minutes of last meeting read and confirmed.
The following names were added to the Committee: Messrs. Potter, Geering and Newbold.
A Resolution setting forth the uses for which the Lecture Room might be applied having been discussed at considerable length. The Meeting was adjourned till the 18th Inst.
Meeting held 18th January.
Present Messrs. Martin, Banks, Lancaster, Lattimer, Penn, Penrice, and Monkhouse.
It was unanimously agreed that the suggestion of Mrs. Moore to submit the Resolution considered at the last meeting to Mr. J.H. Fordham Esq.
Resolved. That the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Secretary be requested to draw up a circular soliciting subscriptions and submit the same to the next meeting.
Meeting held 25th January 1879
Present, Messrs. Potter, Penrice, Geering, Lattimer, Penn, Newbold, Foster, Monkhouse.
Resolved. That the Circular submitted be left in the hands of the Vice-Chairman and Secretary for revision and printing.
Resolved. That the Memoranda received from J.H. Fordham, Esq, be accepted in its entirety and adopted as follows:-
That the Memorial Hall be under the direction of a Committee consisting of Members with powers to fill up vacancies and that a majority of the Committee present at any Meeting shall determine all questions as to the use of the Hall.
That the Members of the Committee shall be persons holding Evangelical principles.
That the Hall be used under the direction of the Committee for all or any of the following purposes:-
For Religious Services, Meetings, Bible Classes, Sunday or Evening Schools to be conducted only by persons of Evangelical Principals.
For popular lectures of a character not inconsistent with the said principles.
For Temperance Meetings.
For Concerts of Sacred Music.
For the Working Mans Club or Reading Room or such other Educational purposes as the Committee may determine, provided the education given be of Scriptural and Evangelical character.
Meeting held 22nd March, 1879, In the Mission Room, Mealsgate.
Present, Messrs, J. Barnes, W. Parkin, G. Potter, D. Penrice, T.P. Martin, and W. Lattimer.
Mr. Barnes having expressed a desire to exchange offices with Mr. Parkin. The Committee approved of the same.
Resolved. That the permission of Sir Wilfred Lawson, Bart. M.P. and W. Fletcher, Esq. M.P. be asked to receive a deputation for the purpose of explaining more fully the wishes of the Committee. Carried.
That the Secretary be requested to see Mr. H.A. Clarke, Esq. respecting a site. Carried.
Meeting held 26th April, 1879, in the Mission Room, Mealsgate.
Full attendance of the Committee.
Mr. Eaglesfield, Architect, submitted a pencil drawing of the plans to the Committee. It being the general opinion that the Building shown was larger than requested. It was unanimously agreed that the plans be submitted to Mrs. Moore by Mr. Barnes and when reduced submitted to Sir Wilfred Lawson, and William Fletcher Esq. for their approval, and when finally submitted to Mrs. Moore, Whitehall.
After a short delay the Plans in an amended form were finally submitted to the Committee and tenders for the several kinds of work were received by the Architect and Mr. Lattimer’s tender for the whole work was accepted by the Committee. In the meantime the site was selected by Mr. Joseph Barnes and approved by the Committee.
On the of July 1879 Mrs. George Moore, Whitehall laid the Foundation Stone, the Rev. W.M. Gunson and the Rev. W. Moore, Nottingham taking part in the Ceremony.
10th September 1879
In August through the death of Mr. Joseph Barnes the Committee sustained a great loss.
A Meeting of Subscribers was held at Whitehall on Wednesday Evening the 10th September 1879.
Sir Wilfred Lawson, Bart. M.P. was called to the Chair.
Touching reference was made to the death of Mr. Joseph Barnes and to his services in the committee.
A series of Resolutions were passed, and amended at a Meeting of the Committee appointed out of the Subscribers, whose names appear in one of the Resolutions, held in the Mission Room, Mealsgate on Tuesday evening the 16th. Sept. 1879. The Rev. W.M. Gunson in the Chair.
20th Sept. 1879
On Saturday 20th Sept. 1879 at a Meeting held at Whitehall, Sir Wilfred Lawson in the Chair the following Resolutions in the amended form were submitted for confirmation.
1 That the Trustees who hold the legal estate shall not necessarily be the Managing Committee".
Moved by the Rev. W.M. Gunson, seconded by Mr. T.P. Martin and carried unanimously.
That the number of Trustees be five".
Moved by Mr. T.P. Martin, seconded by Mr. T. Horn and carried unanimously.
"That when the original Trustees are reduced to two, these two shall then appoint five entirely new Trustees and themselves resign: and that this plan be adopted as often as the Trustees are reduced to two."
Proposed by the Rev. W.M. Gunson, seconded by Mr. T. Horn and carried unanimously.
The following Trustees were proposed:-
Sir Wilfred Lawson, Bart. M.P.; Rev. W.M. Gunson; Proposed by Mr.J.P. Martin
William Parkin Esq.; seconded by Mr. T. Horn, Thomas Moore Esq; and carried unanimously.
That there be a President of the Institution who shall preside at all Meetings of the Trustees and the Managing Committee.
On all questions relating to the Management of the Institution he shall have a casting vote in case of the Trustees or Committee being equally divided in opinion and in all elections of the Committee he shall also have a casting vote in case of equality.
That the appointment of President be made by the Trustees.
Proposed by Mr. T.P. Martin, seconded by Mr. T. Horn and carried unanimously.
"That the Institution be managed by the President and a Committee of Nine of whom three shall be a quorum."
Proposed by Rev. W.M. Gunson, seconded by Mr. W. Lattimer & carried unanimously.
7 That the first Committee be appointed by the Subscribers and hold office for two years, three Members of the Committee to retire annually in rotation but be re- eligible; and that thenceforward the Members of the Committee hold office for three years each one third of the body retiring every year in rotation.
In case of a casual vacancy in the Committee caused by death or otherwise, the remaining Members of the Committee shall co-opt into the vacant place a new Member, who shall hold the office for the same period and on the same condition of retiring in rotation, as the Member whose place he shall fill ‘held it’.
In order to introduce the scheme of rotation, the three Members of the original Committee whose names stand first in alphabetical order shall retire on September 29th 1881; the three whose names who stand 4th, 5th, and 6th in alphabetical order shall retire in 1882; and the remaining three Members of the original Committee shall retire in 1883."
Proposed by Rev. W.M. Gunson, seconded by Mr. T. Horn and carried unanimously.
8 A- "The Committee shall be elected by Members of the Reading Room, who pay one shilling per quarter, and by other supporters of the Institution who Subscribe not less than four shillings a year to its funds."
B- "Youths under 18 years of age shall be admitted to the use of the Reading Room and Library at the rate of sixpence per quarter, but shall have no vote in the election of the Committee."
Proposed by Rev. W.M. Gunson, seconded by Mr. W. Lattimer and carried unanimously.
"That the Hall shall never be used for dancing, of theatrical entertainments, and no intoxicating shall be sold or consumed on the premises."
Proposed by Rev. W.M. Gunson, seconded by Mr. T. Horn and carried unanimously.
10 "That it be the duty of the Committee to choose or order newspapers and other public publications for the Reading Room and Books for the Library: to grant the use of the Hall for such Religious, Educational, Instructive and other similar purposes as to them seem suitable; to prevent gambling for money, betting and other improper conduct on the premises; and generally to manage the Institution for the comfort and convenience of those who use it."
Proposed by Rev. W.M. Gunson, seconded by Mr. W. Lattimer and carried unanimously.
That the Committee have power to make and alter Bye Laws from time to time for regulating the use of the Reading Room, Library, Chess Room, and Hall generally; provided however that no Bye Law shall contravene the general provisions of the Trust Deed’
Proposed by Rev. W.M. Gunson, seconded by Mr. T. Horn and carried unanimously.
"That the following Committee be appointed :-
Mr. Joseph Banks Mr. T.P. Martin
Mr. Robert Coulthard Mr. George Newbold
Mr. Thomas Horn Mr. John Penn
Mr. William Lattimer Mr. Daniel Penrice
And Mr. George Potter.
Proposed by Rev. W.M. Gunson, seconded by Mr. W. Parkin and carried unanimously.
13 "That Mrs. George Moore be appointed to sign, if necessary, the Trust Deed as Representative of the Subscribers."
Proposed by Rev. W.M. Gunson, seconded by Mr. T. Horn and carried unanimously.
14 "That Mr. William Parkin, Esq. be appointed the President of the Institution."
Proposed by Sir Wilfred Lawson, seconded by Rev. W.M. Gunson and carried unanimously.
15 The following appointments were then made by the Committee:-
Mr. T.P. Martin Chairman of the Committee.
Mr. Joseph Banks Vice Chairman
Mr. Thos. Horn Treasurer
Mr. John Penn Secretary
"That the Committee hold their ordinary Meetings on the first Monday in the month in the Mission Room at Mealsgate."
6th Oct. 1879
Committee Meeting held in the Mission Room, Mealsgate, on Monday 6th October, 1879. Present Messrs. Martin, Penrice, Potter, Newbold, Lattimer, Banks and Penn.
After a lengthy consideration on the best mode of seating the Lecture Room etc. it was agreed to produce 5doz. Chairs, and that in the mean time a price list be obtained. Mr. Lattimer was requested to submit a proposal for supplying the Committee with Forms, and that he conifer with Mr. Fisher, Cockermouth respecting lamps and report at the next meeting.
Resolved "That the Meetings of the Committee begin at 6.30p.m.
3rd Nov. 1879
Ordinary Meeting of the Committee held on Monday 3rd. November 1879.
Present Messrs. Horn, Potter, Penrice, Penn, and Coulthard.
Resolved that in the absence of the Chairman, Mr. Horn take the Chair.
Catalogues for Chairs. After the several catalogues submitted to the Committee had been examined the Sec. was requested to ask the several firms to allow the privileges offered to those in the trade. Also that Mr. Hough be asked to examine 137 and 139 in Inoeder’s? Catalogue.
The Sec. read a letter from Mr. Ladyman, Keswick referring to an a/c for advertising the Subscribers list. No action taken.
Resolved. That Mr. Parkin be requested to purchase a grate for the kitchen.
1st. Dec. 1879
Ordinary Meeting held on Monday 1st December, 1879.
Present, Messrs. Martin, Parkin, Potter, Penn, Penrice, Banks, Lattimer and Coulthard.
Several communications referring to the Chairs were read. The selection left over till a reply be obtained from Mr. Hough to know whether those referred to in his letter of the 29th Nov. can be delivered carriage free.
Resolved. That Mr. Wharton, Maryport supply a Grate and Boiler for the kitchen. Further consideration having been given to the Forms for the Lecture Room it was agreed that the Committee meet at the Hall on Friday the 5th. Inst. At Two o’clock.
5th. Dec. 1879
Special Meeting held at the Memorial Hall at Two o’clock, Friday 5th Dec. 4879.
Present Messrs. Parkin, Lattimer, Penrice, Banks, Penn and Newbold.
The following items were agreed to:-
That there be 20 backed forms 10 feet long.
That Mr. Lattimer be instructed to fix a rail around the several walls Chairback high.