From the President - Spring 2008

As I come to the end of my first year as President, I am learning how long it takes for things to change! I should have been well prepared for that from my experience as Chairman of the Environment Section but it still feels a bit frustrating at times, as I am sure my predecessors must have felt. However, one important change that I wrote about in the Spring has come much closer. This is the long-agreed access by the Société to the Old Library/Lillie Langtry room at No. 9 Pier Road.

Questions over Security and Fire Precautions have been resolved both with the agreement of the Jersey Heritage Trust and the appropriate authorities. As a result we will have to move on to the question of re-decoration and furnishing. In particular, furnishing is likely to be expensive. So far we have only been able to dream about how we may be able to afford to furnish the room. Ideally, we would like to have a sizeable 'board room' table and matching chairs, appropriate to both the character of the room, the Merchant's House of which it is a part and to hosting the type of events from which we hope to obtain an income. However, unless someone knows of something suitable, it looks as if we may have to settle for something more prosaic but perhaps more practical and versatile in the form of a number of matching modern tables and simple chairs.

By the time you read this, the archway onto the Weighbridge should be standing where it used to be years ago. Although it was safe and steady both in its original position and where it has stood for quite some time, modern building regulations require that the stones should be pinned together. It will in future bring a touch of authority to the entrance to the Museum and attract attention to the Société from a busier pedestrian area than Pier Road.

Those of you who attend the forthcoming Annual General Meeting will be able to view the large selection of the works of Philip John Ouless we were able to purchase with funds from the Basil George bequest. These had already been conserved and have now been processed through our digitisation equipment. This means that, once they have been handed over to the Heritage Trust for future care and management, we will be able to obtain an income from the sale of the highest quality reproductions – and that brings me back to the question of funds which has been occupying the minds of the Executive and will continue to do so.

Rowland ‘Chick’ Anthony

A representative sample of items from the Ouless collection