Note from the Chapel Clerk:
Gentlemen
The Meeting was memorable in that four landmarks were established:
- The first Meeting in our new Chapel Office situate in the old Monkey Pulic House, Princess Street.
- The longest oration on record by FoC Gerry (Dodger) Dodd.
- Thirty years almost to the month since the Inaugural Meeting of the Chapel, held in the Ape and Apple in late 1996.
- The lowest turnout since records began in 1996.
The new venue seemed to have the approval of the few present. The stairs are not as steep and challenging as the A&A, but unfortunately, as in the A&A, it is still down two flights to the gentlemen’s powder room.
A not-so-grand total of 14 Members turned up for this landmark Meeting out of a possible 48. I am aware that several of the aforesaid possibles are either unwell or have mobility problems but, even allowing for this, it was a totally unacceptable reponse and not much reward for the effort I put in to these Meetings.
However, the occasion was still thoroughly enjoyable. Our venerable FoC opened his diatribe by promising that because of the poor turnout he would keep his monologue short (to an audible collective sigh of relief) and retain some of the planned oration for the next Meeting. Just as Gerry commenced, one Member had the temerity to annouce he had to leave, but he was firmly rebuked by the aforesaid orator and made to sit down for the duration – which turned out to be of a record length, notwithstanding the promise of a short speech. The highlight of the speech was a hilarious poem penned by Jim Berry, read out by our FoC, which related the story of Nosser (Brian Eastwood) doing a streak round the comp room for a bet of £5 with Jim. This is a true story, but only Jim witnessed it, Nosser waiting till everybody else had gone home before stripping to his underwear and running round the department. Although everybody had gone home, Jim imagined it as though everybody was present and many of the more colourful characters in the comp room were brought into the ode. Very clever, Jim.
Gerry then went on to speak about the three Members who have passed away recently: Peter Daysh, David Lowe and David Birtwell. The usual silence was held in remembrance our late colleagues.
The Meeting broke up at around 5pm and your venerable clerk collected all the glasses and tidied up the room in the hope that we will be able to make this our permanent venue. That is, of course, if your aforesaid ven. clerk doesn’t get so demoralised that he abandons his thankless task in the coming year. Time (and turnout numbers) will tell.
Regards to all
Bill
