Report of the 16th Annual General Meeting
in Saffron Walden, 2005

Back to News and Events.

Meeting House of the Friends of Saffron Walden Town Library Society

This two-day event began with a reception on Friday evening in the Saffron Walden Public Library in King Street - home to the collection of the former Saffron Walden Town Literary & Scientific Institution. Delegates came from as far away as Plymouth, Bath and Manchester and were joined by Friends of the Saffron Walden Town Library Society (formed in 1982 to encourage interest in the Literary & Scientific Institution run as a charitable trust by Essex County Council since 1967).

The Fry Art Gallery at Saffron Walden

Robert Anderson (president) exploring the Fry Art Gallery

Following refreshments, visitors were warmly welcomed to the library and the town by the President of the Town Library Society, Bruce Munro. Following his introduction, Martyn Everett gave an illustrated talk on the 'Town Library' showing the breadth and quality of the holdings preserved in the public library's building. He explained that the Town Library contains more than 25,000 volumes and is a major resource for the study of the Victorian and Edwardian periods, though its earliest item dates back to the 14th century. All present then eagerly took the opportunity to examine many interesting items from the collection on display in the Town Library's former reading room - now part of the public library building.

  
Robert Walker (treasurer) with his 'chancellor'; John Cox (individual member) and Geoffrey Forster (chairman) deep in discussion

Day two began at the Saffron Walden Friends' Meeting House in the High Street. Dr Robert Anderson, the AIL's President, gave an address describing his recent and exciting expedition representing the AIL in Australia at Mechanics' worldwide, the first international conference of mechanics institutes, athenaeums and literary societies. The proceedings of this conference have since been published [Buildings, books and beyond (2004), published by Prahran Mechanics' Institute Press, PO Box 1080, Windsor, VIC 3181, Australia (ISBN 097560001X)] His wish that the AIL should help to sponsor and organise the next such event at Bath in 2009 was enthusiastically supported.

The Blue Badge Guide describes the rich architectural history of Saffron Walden

Outside the Saffron Walden Public Library

Delegates in Saffron Walden market place

The Annual General Meeting then followed. Afterwards delegates and Friends from the Town Library Society heard a talk by a local librarian and scholar of great renown, Dr David McKitterick. David is author of histories of both Cambridge University Press and Cambridge University Library as well as being librarian of Trinity College, Cambridge. David's subject was book illustration and the need to be able to include and adequately describe and index illustration in order to provide a complete picture of any one person's intellectual output. Where someone is both an author and an illustrator, too often a single catalogue will not reveal both sides to their work. During questioning, it became apparent that lost within AIL libraries, struggling at present to electronically catalogue their book collections, are wonderful collections of illustrations that also need to be catalogued, often for the first time.

After a delicious lunch, an excursion was undertaken to the Fry Art Gallery where a wonderful variety of prints are housed including many by Eric Bawden who featured in David McKitterick's talk earlier in the day. A guided tour of historic Saffron Walden then followed led by a Blue Badge Guide. The Annual Meeting then concluded with a convivial tea party.

Delegates enjoy tea & cakes

Delegates found the town and its historic library absolutely fascinating and greatly appreciated the work that had gone into making the weekend a truly memorable occasion.

Back to News and Events.