CHAIRMAN
Two significant flagship policies have recently come to fruition: our new website is up and running and the Society is now a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). I’m sure you will all join me in congratulating Bill Visick and Chris Williams for their Herculean labours. Together these go along way to making the Society fit for purpose in the modern world and better able to meet our charitable object – educating the public in the science and art of gnomonics.
We have put an initial selection of dials recorded by the Society on the website – again I’m sure you will all join me in congratulating John Foad. We plan to put further dials on the website along with our older Bulletins and other educational material recently donated by Tony Moss.
I would love to say more about these important extensions to our charitable educational activities: alas I must devote my allotted space to Chris Daniel’s request for the return of certain library books on the grounds that they were a loan.
You will recall much of the background was circulated with the June Bulletin. Since then we have heard from some thirty members. Few wish to see books returned on the basis requested, and some do not wish to see any books returned in any circumstances. Two thirds want an amicable solution that takes into account the trustees’ duties and responsibilities. I take that, combined with the fact that over 90% of members chose not to comment, as an endorsement of the trustees’ position.
There is no doubt both that the books were donated and that this was a very generous donation. Documentary evidence of donation, created by Chris Daniel and Graham Aldred at the time of the 2000/01 donation, was listed in June. The books have also been included as assets in the Society’s accounts since 2003. Much of the evidence is in the public domain – the Librarian’s report of June 2000 in Newsletter 17; the Reference Library Catalogue by Graham Aldred in 2006 (page 2); the Society’s 2003 Accounts (in the September 2004 Bulletin); and all subsequent accounts. Annual accounts are submitted to the Charity Commission and have been accepted, each year, by all (then serving) trustees.
Under our constitution and charity law, property and assets can only be used in pursuit of the Society’s objects, and donations cannot be returned. As a publicly registered charity in receipt of tax payers’ money, it is entirely correct that the trustees be guided primarily by their fiduciary duty and responsibilities in the light of the factual evidence. We are not a private club and trustees cannot pursue any legally unsound course, no matter how well-intentioned it might be.
Although no books can be returned to Chris Daniel on the basis requested (because they were not a loan), the trustees have, from the outset, desired an amicable solution. That was not (previously) possible following Chris Daniel’s instruction of solicitors (Furley Page) last November and the trustees, collectively and individually, becoming subject to legal threat and deplorable tactics (see June material).
Recently (16 July) Furley Page sent a letter to the Secretary announcing that they were ‘in abeyance’, while asserting that the books were not donated, and stating that they would ‘continue to closely monitor the matter’. Although a less than wholesome, or gentlemanly, withdrawal by Chris Daniel’s solicitors, the trustees have used the window to seek an amicable solution.
The trustees have proposed the exchange of certain library books for the Society’s logo. The logo, and variants thereon, are owned by Chris Daniel and registered by him as trade marks in his name. Chris Daniel has expressed interest in this as a possibility but has yet (as of 15 August) to engage substantively. We continue to hear assertions at variance with the facts and reference to his solicitors. I’m sure members share the trustees’ hope that this offer be enthusiastically embraced by Chris Daniel and brought to an amicable solution.
The trustees are appalled by the way this request has been made and pursued. All seven trustees have been unanimous throughout this sorry saga. We hope the matter will be amicably and quickly resolved on the basis proposed. If this offer is not taken up, the trustees will have no alternative but to consider the matter closed.
Frank King
PRESIDENT
I should like to thank all those members of the British Sundial Society who have supported me in my unpleasant dispute with the trustees and council of this organisation, especially those who have written letters or sent e-mails on my behalf. As members should know, this dispute concerns my request for the return of a number of my library books, particularly antiquarian works, which were lodged (on indefinite loan) in the BSS Library at Bromley House in Nottingham.
In June 2013, I wrote to Nick Orders, the present Librarian of the BSS, requesting the return of two of my favourite dialling works. He referred my request to the Secretary, Chris Williams, who evidently sought the views of the trustees and Council before replying. Months went by before I received a negative response. Consequently, I decided to seek the recovery of all my antiquarian dialling works and, by and by, my entire library, being some 177 items. However, the Council decided that my library was the property of the Society and could not be returned to me. As time went by, their continuing intransigence reached a stage such that I even found it necessary to seek the advice of my solicitors.
Thus, with considerable reluctance, I felt obliged to make a statement to the membership present at the AGM at the Annual Conference at Greenwich, marking the 25th Anniversary of the British Sundial Society. As it happened, several senior members of the Society took it upon themselves to take up my cause, to whom I am much indebted and most grateful. At least there is now some hope of a solution on the horizon!
However, I am saddened that this dispute has occurred, since it is entirely inappropriate in a distinguished learned scientific Society, of which I was one of the four âFounding Fathersâ and to which I have freely given so much of my time and energy. And who is at fault in this matter? Well, as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is credited with saying: âHereinafter, we shall be the past and better judged than we have judged ourselves.â
Christopher St J.H. Daniel.
SECRETARY
The background and rationale for becoming a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) was fully explained in the material sent to all members last March. Following the AGMâs overwhelming approval of Councilâs resolution that the Society becomes a CIO, implementation was put in hand.
The Society is now a CIO, and members have been transferred into the ânewâ Society.
All assets and liabilities have been transferred out of the âoldâ Society (registered charity number 1032530) which is now an empty shell. Closing accounts are being prepared: when received by the Charity Commission, it will remove the âoldâ Society from the Register of charities.
Should you have cause to quote our registered charity number please note that we now have, as the new CIO Society, a different number â 1155688. Please do not use our previous number. If you also mention we were founded in 1989, it is best to state we were incorporated in 2014 as well â as our charity number, if checked, relates to 2014.
Being a CIO will have no effect on the Societyâs raison dâĂȘtre and esprit de corps â we remain the same Society! Similarly, our day to day management and dramatis personae remain the same. That said, being a CIO helps make the Society fit for purpose in the modern world: in particular trustees and members are no longer exposed to unlimited liability.
Members should also please note that the Society is now subject to the Constitution circulated to members last March. A by-product of becoming a CIO is that we are required to adopt the Charity Commissionâs current view of best practice governance.
Chris Williams
BULLETIN
My self-imposed schedule for the Bulletin production targets its dispatch to members in the first week of the month on the cover, though this isnât guaranteed. I missed by a week or so last time and the problem was compounded by a small number of copies to European members being slow to arrive or going astray. I do try to announce the dispatch on the Sundial Mailing List but for those of you that donât see this, please can you wait until towards the end of the month before letting me know of non-arrival. We will, of course, send replacement copies where they have got lost in transit.
John Davis
TREASURER
This is mainly for information, but the Society has now closed its accounts with Santander Bank. There are a few obsolete standing orders that people have left in place, but the funds should bounce back directly.
Thanks to the many of you who patiently completed the gift aid form, Jackie Jones’ collating, and bidders at the Conference auction: a respectable cheque will be arriving from H.M.R.C. very shortly as a result.
Graham Stapleton
EDUCATION
A few enquiries have been answered in the past few months and Iâd like to bring notice of two of them to readers. One comes from Cathy Haines who wanted to know, to the nearest second, when local solar time coincided with GMT as she is involved in a project in London. She has been in contact with Piers Nicholson and myself and writes: âThese are entries in the fictional campaign blog for Stereochron Island’s attempt to become officially recognised as a State Without Mechanical Clocks. In the real world, Stereochron Island is Victoria Park in East London, where we’ve been making field studies exploring how to tell time without machines. Solar time, of course, is key to this.
The first blog is “Our Time Is Not Clock Time” in which I quote your evocative words directly:
http://stereochron.org/post/93133836088/our-time-is-not-clock-time-during-our-midsummer
The second is âMaking the Stereochron Shadow Clockâ, showing how we’d make a horizontal sundial from a tree (that I’ve fictionally represented as slightly more northward-pointing than it really is):
http://stereochron.org/post/93585781698/making-the-stereochron-shadow-clock-some-time-hasâ
The other conversation came from David Payne who has produced a sundial trail as one of the Burlingham Woodlands Walks near Great Yarmouth. You can find more details at:-
http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/Leisure_and_culture/Norfolk_Trails/Circular_walks/walks/NCC130009
He has just finished designing a cube dial and has done an analemmatic one. There are six dials on nearby churches, one of which is redundant and is being used as an Arts Centre where trustees are happy to have a picture gallery of sundials and how they work. If anyone would like to contribute, please contact me and I will pass details on.
David Scott has passed on his research files, BSS Bulletins and some other sundial related books. I will be bringing these to the Newbury meeting in September so, after Tony Wood has collected the research papers, the rest can be distributed to those present.
Peter Ranson
WEBSITE
The new version of the website went live at the beginning of July and the feedback has been very positive. The most popular section has undoubtedly been Bridol, the list and maps of dials with access to pictures and descriptions. If you have not already tried it, please give it a go – it offers a good way of losing track of time!
Visitor traffic continues to grow, as it has for the last couple of years, and there was a considerable spike around the launch of the new version.
Besides Bridol and the start of Tony Moss’ dialling archive (more to come very soon), the new software is significantly easier to administer and maintain. Accordingly, if you have been holding back on providing material in consideration of my workload – for which many thanks – please delay no longer! I hope to provide regular updates over the next weeks and months but items of dialling news or more substantial contributions are always welcome. Many thanks.
Bill Visick
REGISTRAR
The Fixed Sundial Register was published in 2000, 2005 and 2010. I am considering a new edition in 2015, and would welcome your views. In 2010 we had the DVD, the Full Register (A4, 2 volumes), and the single-volumed Abridged Register, in A5.
For 2015, I would repeat the DVD and the Abridged Register, both of which have been very popular. Alternatives for the Full Register include:
1) Publish as before, though it would now stretch to three volumes;
2) Publish an A4 âUpdateâ, probably a single volume. This would show all dials entered since 2010 (over 400 to date), and all dials where the description or photographs have changed since 2010 (nearly 2,500 so far).
3) Do not print at all, but publish the full Register in the âMembers Onlyâ section of the website. The format could be as on the DVD, or as in Bridol.
If you have a clear preference, or other ideas, please let me know.
Meanwhile … some interesting dials needing a recorder:
There is a good slate vertical on a Devon farmhouse, dated 1851 and with two names, the engraver: M. Bowdon and T. Willing, probably the designer. It is near Chagford, on the east side of Dartmoor. If you are going to be in the area, please contact me for more details.
Preston Farm B&B in Harberton, not far away, has (or possibly had!) an old and damaged vertical on the chimney.
Also not far away, in the south-east tip of Cornwall, is Pentillie Castle where there are two dials: an unusual vertical with âQuotidie Moriorâ, 1693 (pinch of salt needed, but a better than average dial), and a potentially very good horizontal in the American Garden. The castle does B&B, weddings etc, so it may be possible to get access outside their occasional open days.
And further north, there is an 18th century horizontal beside the old stocks in the village of Thornton, Merseyside.
John Foad
MASS DIALS
New dials keep appearing. I made a trip out to Kilpeck in Herefordshire to look at the famous carvings and check out the reported mass dials – all present and correct. There is another church nearby at the village of St Devereux which had a previously unreported mass dial in the porch. Although the church is on the O.S. map no village is indicated; the church booklet however names the village as Devereux or St Devereux and the dedication of the church is the same St Dubricius.
A report and picture of a ‘full-circle’ dial from Calstone Wellington in Wiltshire. Whilst in Wiltshire I must mention that John Ingram has contacted me about the short article in the Edinburgh ‘Recorder’ in which I managed to miss him out of the history of mass dial recording. John was my immediate predecessor looking after the Mass Dial Group and had recorded the whole of Wliltshire’s mass dials (about 400+), and deposited the records with Edward Martin. I have agreed with John Foad that the next edition of ‘The Recorder’ will give a full picture of John’s involvement with mass dials. John Ingram subsequently became involved with the Bassett-Lowke Society and the history of their model railways.
Ian Butson is exploring north Lincolnshire and turning up the odd sundial as well as checking out Bob Adams’ mass dial records. Maureen Harmer is still investigating the Sussex churches and reporting back.
Tony Wood
NEWBURY
It’s that magical time of the year again – Farmers are gathering in the Harvest – and we gather at Sutton Hall, Stockcross nr Newbury RG20 8LN for our ever popular Annual Newbury One Day BSS meeting. Berkshire.
The date is the 27th September 2014 which is the 4th Saturday in September. All are warmly welcome including guests and visitors. Sutton Hall open 9am to 5pm for all your displays – indoors or out in the Sunshine! Talks start at 10am. Offers of short talks and demos to David Pawley please.
Another good day is planned. We are pleased to welcome back Peter Ransom who will be our MC for the day. We are also looking forward to an excellent display of your sundials and other interesting objects.
All communications regarding the meeting, including offers of talks etc., to be sent to David Pawley. info@towertime.co.uk
All are welcome – Members and Visitors – No booking required – just turn up.
ÂŁ10 donation per person thank you. Bring a lunch with you, hot and soft drinks provided.
Phone – text please rather than voice – 07880 802 912 or Landline 01635 33519.
Looking forward to seeing you all there.
David Pawley
PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION
The results of the 2013-14 Jubilee Photographic Competition are now published in the latest edition of the Bulletin, including a large selection of photos from the entries.
Looking to the future: Subject to confirmation from the committee, it is proposed that the next competition will take place in the 2015-16 year, with the results being announced at the 2016 Conference.
Reminders about the forthcoming competition will be included in the September and December 2015 editions of the Newsletter, with entry forms and a copy of the rules also being included with the Bulletin at the same time.
Thanks to all who have supported the photo competitions in the past and I will once again look forward to receiving your support and entries in 2 years time.
Ian Butson
CONFERENCE
Next year we plan to hold our Annual Conference and AGM on the weekend after Easter – 10th to 12th April – in Nottingham. As per the pattern of most previous years, the conference will run from the Friday afternoon to the Sunday lunchtime. The venues being shortlisted are purpose-built conference centres, so there should be less walking than in the previous two years..
The nearest airport is East Midlands.
For more details as and when they are finalised, please see the Conference pages on the Web site
Chris Lusby Taylor