History Meeting Minutes - December 2008

Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 16th December 2008 at 5.15pm,
Members’ Room, Société Jersiaise

Present:
Frank Falle (Chairman), Marie-Louise Backhurst, Mary Billot, Mervyn Billot, Bertram Brée, Francis & Anne Corbet, Anita Fell, Mary Gibb, Sue Groves, Elizabeth Horne, Nicolas Jouault, Peter King, George Langlois, Suzanne Le Feuvre, Bob Le Sueur, Mike Lees, Elinor McFadden, Ina Machin, Pat Maindonald, Ian Ronayne, Wendy Tipping, Adrian Walton, Danny White.

1. Apologies for absence:
Sally Knight, Frank Le Blancq, David Le Maistre, Georgia Le Maistre, David Levitt, Alec Podger, Doreen Schofield-Fost.

2. Minutes of the meeting of 18th November 2008, and amendments
 There were no amendments. The minutes were approved as a correct record 

3. Matters arising from the minutes not covered by the agenda
 There were no matters arising from the minutes.

4. Chairman’s communications
4.1 Frank Falle thanked Georgia Le Maistre for taking the chair at the November 2008 meeting. He also thanked all the lecturers at the Section’s series of Autumn lunch time lectures which were very successful once again. Mary Billot said that attendance at all five lectures topped four hundred people. She thanked all those who helped with the teas and coffees.
4.2 2009 lectures – four speakers are needed. Suzanne Le Feuvre volunteered.
4.3 The Section congratulated Danny White on winning a gold medal in French at the Eisteddfod.
4.4  Brittany study tour 2009 – Frank Falle thanked Marie-Louise Backhurst and Bob Le Sueur for their helpful suggestions about the route and length of stay. Frank went to Go France today and obtained the following details -
• Wednesday 2nd to Sunday 6th September 2009
• Four nights based on 30 people staying at the Westotel Hotel at La Chapelle sur Erdre (20 minutes north of Nantes) will cost £481 (half board) with single room supplement. Three nights will cost £380 (half board) plus single room supplement
• Note that Go France does not do refunds. Note also that the pound has almost reached parity with the euro
• If the party numbers less than 30 the cost per person will rise as the hire of the coach is based on 30 people
• Optional river trip : possibly better for lunch rather than for dinner.

The itinerary will be based on Marie-Louise’s suggestions as given in the minutes of the November 2008 meeting. [Note that this was based on three nights, which has now been extended to four nights, so some additions/alterations are necessary.]

 Wednesday 2nd September 2009.   Depart Jersey.  Arrive St Malo. Lunch probably at Hedé with visit to local manor. Drive to Hotel
Thursday 3rd September. Guided visit around Nantes to include the cathedral, the chateau and other sites.   Lunch at Guérande and guided visit there; drive to St Lyphard - village de Kerhinet and perhaps Isle of Fedrun, Saint Joachim (this is an ornithological reserve, La Brière Parc National) and then return to hotel.
Friday.4th September.   Visit to Bourgneuf sur Retz-Musée du Pays de  (or/and possible visit to Noirmoutier) and Abbaye of St Philbert. Visit Clisson (Italianate buildings and chateau)-lunch. Drive to Chateau Goulaine. Dinner trip on river Erdre (or Thurs)
Saurday.5th September.  Drive via Ancenis, and Vitré (lunch and guided tour)
Sunday 6th September 2009. Return to Jersey via St Malo.

Frank asked the Section to support Go France’s choice of hotel and that the tour is for four nights rather than three nights.  This was agreed. Frank will report back to Go France.
4.5 Captain Henry Pitcher – the SJ bulletin for 1904 gives the main Le Geyt line (the ‘A’ line) from which Capt. Pitcher is descended through his mother. There is also a link with Admiral Philippe d’Auvergne and Philippe Le Geyt, the law commentator. Capt. Pitcher was at the Siege of Lucknow  (1857) with which there are other Jersey links as explained in the SJ bulletin for 2007.
4.6 The annual Variety Club Three Bells walk takes place on Christmas Eve, starting at St Ouen’s Church. It is about six miles long and finishes at the Moulin de Lecq Inn.
4.7 The Section’s AGM for 2009 takes place on January 20th. If anyone wishes to be Chairman, please contact Frank Falle.

5. The Section’s study tour of Normandy, September 2008
 Frank Falle introduced his photographs of Normandy. Other participants on the tour joined members and stayed for the Christmas refreshments.  Sheila Billot, Sue Groves, Elinor McFadden, Pat Maindonald and Wendy Tipping were thanked for all their assistance.

6. Date of next meeting
 Tuesday 20th January 2009 in the Members’ Room if available, otherwise in the Arthur Mourant Room.
This is the Annual General Meeting of the Section.