REPORT OF COUNCIL
217
ESSEX FIELD CLUB
REPORT OF COUNCIL FOR 1948-9
In March 1948, we received intimation that the West Ham Corporation
proposed to close the Essex Museum and its library forthwith and desired
that the collections and books should be distributed to the libraries and
schools in the Borough.
Protracted negotiations between an emergency sub-committee of this
Council and representatives and officials of the West Ham Corporation
eventually resulted in a less drastic temporary arrangement by which the
Museum and Library will remain as an entity in its present situation and will
be available to members of the Club, subject to certain restrictions imposed
by the economy measures which the West Ham Corporation find it necessary
to make. To offset these restrictions the Corporation has agreed that the
facilities of its Public Libraries shall be available to members of the Club on
the same basis as to residents of West Ham.
During this interim period the Corporation will not make its contribution
of £100 per annum to the Museum Maintenance Fund ; the curating must
therefore be carried out on an honorary basis. We have been happy to
recognise Mr. Thompson's forty years of devoted service to the Club by
arranging for the provision of a small pension on his retirement in June 1948.
Certain provision has also been made for Miss Greaves who has consented
to act as assistant to the Hon. Secretaries and Librarian.
The terms of the temporary agreement between the Club and the Cor-
poration of West Ham are appended to this report.
A legacy of £100 from the estate of the late Mr. Hugh Main is gratefully
acknowledged.
The Club was invited to appoint a representative to co-operate with a
local committee in the management of Blake's Wood, Little Baddow, which
it is proposed to give to the National Trust. Mr. L. S. Harley has con-
sented to act in this capacity.
An appeal from local naturalists against a proposal to extend sand and
gravel digging at Ray Creek, St. Osyth, was supported by the Club and
resulted in a modification of the original scheme.
The scientific work of the Club has continued in spite of some disturbance
resulting from the negotiations with the West Ham Corporation and the
record of the members' work in the Essex Naturalist is happily not appre-
ciably curtailed.
MEMORANDUM
1. A friendly and informal understanding is hereby recorded between the
West Ham Corporation and the Essex Field Club of trial arrangements
to permit the Corporation to effect appreciable economies in their annual
expenditure on the Passmore Edwards Museum, Romford Road, West
Ham, during the present difficult financial period.
2. The formal legal agreements between the Essex Field Club and the
Corporation of July 25th, 1898, and February 19th, 1913, are not affected
hereby, except as temporarily amended by Clause 3 following.
3. The annual payment by the Corporation to the Essex Field Club of
£100 by half-yearly instalments is suspended during the trial period
mentioned in Clause 4 and any extension thereof.
4. The first trial period of this arrangement is to March 31st, 1950, the
matter to be reviewed, if either party so requests, about the end of 1949.
5. The Corporation, acting through the Further Education Sub-Committee
of its Education Committee shall, for the discharge of its responsibilities
in respect of the maintenance of the Museum and Library, arrange for
supervision to be provided :