Guernsey's Historical and Antiquarian Society

First annual meeting.

Yesterday morning at eleven o'clock, the first annual meeting of the above Society was held, in the Concert-room, in the Guille-Allès Library, kindly lent for the occasion by the proprietors. His Excellency, Sir E G Bulwer, KCB, Patron, was in the chair, supported on either side by the Rev G E Lee, Hon Treasurer, and Mr J Linwood Pitts, Hon Sec. There were only about a dozen members present, which may be partly accounted for by the fact that so many of the leading people are, at present, absent from the island, and partly owing to the glorious weather prevailing just at present.

The Annual report which deals mainly with the question of publications in the near future, and the succesful discovery of the 'Note Book of Pierre Le Roy' was placed before the Meeting by Mr Pitts, the Hon Secretary, who congratulated the Society upon the commencement that had been made. The Society was founded on November 26, 1890, when his Excellency, General Sir E G Bulwer, KCB, had very kindly given the sanction of his name as Patron, and Sir Edgar MacCulloch, FSA, Bailiff of Guernsey—to whom the island is so deeply indebted in all matters pertaining to historical investigation and antiquarian research—accepted the position of President. A Council was also appointed including five Vice Presidents, an Honorary Treasurer, two Honorary Secretaries, and six members of the Council.

The total number of members, at present, are 81, there being among them six ladies. The above total is made up of ten life-members, and seventy-one annual subscribers.

With regard to Publications, the Meeting was informed that they could not expect very much to have been published up to the present time. It was pleasing to be able to record that the original note-book of Pierre Le Roy had been found. It extended from 1658 to 1691, and was the work of a former schoolmaster of St Martin's parish, Guernsey. It had been obligingly placed at the disposal of the Society and Mr Lee had kindly undertaken to translate and edit the work, Mr J Linwood Pitts promising to put the same through the press. The English translation of original French would run in parallel columns. They also intended to publish (1) Columes of Transactions containing the Rules, Lists &c of the Society, as well as articles and a section devoted to Local Notes & Queries. (2) A series of Special Volumes comprising publications of local MSS,&c. In addition to the Pierre Le Roy note-book, the Girard MS was regarded as of sufficient interest to publish and would follow that publication.

The Rev G E Lee also informed the Meeting of the financial state of the Society from the commencement to the present time. He referred, in happy terms, to the generous donation by Messrs Guille and Allès of £20 per annum, a second subscription making a total of £40 since the foundation of the Society.

The Receipts from all sources amounted to: £114, 9, 9
Deduct expenses, about £6
Balance, £108, 9, 9
Add subscriptions now due £36
Total cash in hand £144

Mr Lee proposed the following distinguished gentlemen as membres d'honneur of the Society. Among them he mentioned the name of Mr W W Marshall, BCL, MA, FRSL, whose departure from Guernsey all regretted, but who had kindly promised to act as a corresponding member and do anything he could in the way of research that might be needed at the British museum or elsewhere. Mr CHarles J Cox was unanimously elected as Assistant Hon Secretary in his stead.

Names of Hon Members. Distinctions.

M F Dolbel, Archiviste de la Manche.

Rev W C Lukis, FSA.

M G Dupont, Historian of Caen.

Bishop of Coutance, Distinguished Antiquarian.

Canon Pigeon, of Coutance, Distinguished Antiquarian.

Captain A de Tesson, Pres., Arch. Soc. of Avranches and Mortain.

W W Marshall, late Secretary of the Guernsey Historical Society.

S W Kershaw, Librarian, Episcopal Palace, Lambeth, SW.

Right Rev the Bishop of Winchester.

Abbé France, Vicar Général de Quimper.

M Robinet de Clery, Court de Cassation, Paris.

M Julien Havet, Bibliothèque nationale, Paris.

Léopold de Lisle, Librarian Bibliothèque nationale, Paris.