THS

News Dec 2006

Tewkesbury Historical Society

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News for December 2006/January 2007

As befits the season of the shortest day, this will be a short bulletin.

It's main aim is to introduce to you the new style of website which has benefited from the professional experience and expertise of our own Derek Benson. We receive lots of enquiries via the website and it is of great long term importance to the Society as many people fascinated by Tewkesbury's History - like you! - do not necessarily live in the town.

Please keep historical enquires coming to the President, John, but we would appreciate comments about the new website - positive as well as negative - to go to Derek, our impressively entitled Webmaster. We would like to hear from you by 10 January 2007 in advance of our next committee meeting.

This meeting is a very important one as we consider the long term future of the Society. We have been very disappointed by the reluctance of members to join the committee - we cannot criticise you, however, as you live too far away! Your President has acted as Treasurer since September and you will be delighted to know that - as could have been predicted - our balances have increased markedly and we are now in a very healthy financial position.

However, it is clear that we cannot afford the £1,900 we expended last year on our prize winning Bulletin 15. It is now too expensive to sell. Therefore, proposals will be put to your committee to produce a smaller bulletin with the same high standard of historical research and writing using digital technology. In this way, we shall hopefully be able to cut the cost to expats by offering the Bulletin and other publications in PDF format on a CD Rom. Let John know your reaction asap!

You will be aware that there are several pressing controversies about the direction of Tewkesbury in the future. We are trying to inform the public of the historical context of the controversies by publishing History Briefing Documents. These are cheap to produce using the photocopier of a local, but excellent, stationer and they are designed to be the first word rather than the last word in research. HBD1: The Crescent has sold out but could be available on the PDF format on CD Rom if you would let John know of your interest and shortly HBD2: Spring Gardens will be published. This reflects the controversy of moving Cascades away from the centre of the town and the quandary of with what the planners wish to replace it. Although as an active citizen I am involved in the controversy, I try and make these Briefing Documents as neutral as befits a historian! Excitement has also been engendered by the closing of the Hop Pole and its purchase by a national pub chain called Wetherspoons. Our concern is that this national company did not appreciate how loyal we are to our Royal Hop Pole and so I have produced a power point presentation for the Managing Director - and this could also be available, if interested on CD Rom from John.

So as we contemplate difficult decisions in the new year 2007, may we wish you all a Happy New Year!

John and the Committee.

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