44
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
Hatley, Miss Greaves, Dr. Baillie, and Mr. Warren; and Mr.
Harley was appointed honorary secretary to the Committee,
which at its first meeting elected Mr. John Avery as its chairman.
After discussing various alternatives the Committee presented
a report to the Council on November 30, 1929, in which it made
the following suggestions:—
1. That a public meeting should be held on a convenient
date early in the New Year;
2. That an offer already made by Mr. Barns, the honorary
librarian to the Club, to prepare a detailed Index to
the whole of the volumes of the Club's journals from
1880 to the present date, which offer had already been
approved by the Council, should be accepted and the
Index published as part of the Jubilee Commemor-
ration:
3. That a short history of the Club should be drawn up
by the honorary secretary from the records contained
in the Minute Books in his charge.
These recommendations were approved by the Council and
plenary powers were granted to the Committee to make the
necessary arrangements to carry them into effect.
The date for the proposed Commemoration Meeting was
fixed as February 22nd, 1930, when, by the kindly co-operation
of the West Ham Education Committee, the Great Hall of the
Municipal College was offered to the Club for the purpose, and
other facilities granted.
Lithographed Cards of Invitation were despatched to a
large number of influential personages in West Ham and else-
where in the County, and also to many eminent men and women
of science associated with the Club and acquainted with its
work, regret being felt that the total number of guests had per-
force to be strictly limited to three hundred, on account of the
impossibility for the catering department of the College to pro-
vide adequately for a larger number.
Then ensued three months of careful organisation and un-
remitting preparation. When the great day arrived, all arrange-
ments had been perfected. The Great Hall had been hand-
somely decorated with spring flowers, ferns and evergreen
plants and the vestibule with tall Kentia palms; special electric
wiring had been run to give additional light to the exhibits,