76
THE ESSEX NATURALIST
The growing interest in natural history, fostered by radio and
television programmes, was being encouraged by such societies as
the Club and in this work, local museums, such as at Chingford,
were playing a part. The use of these museums in local educa-
tional projects was also stressed. The President pledged the
Club's continued interest in the Museum and hoped that the
Corporation's officers would not hesitate to call upon its members*
advice or services if they required them. We have been proud to
be so closely associated with the Museum during the first sixty-
six years of its life and look forward to it always remaining "The
Epping Forest Museum" It is hoped that some permanent record
of the Club's association will be displayed in the Museum.
The Chairman of the Committee expressed his thanks to the
Club and spoke of the indebtedness of the Corporation for all
that had been done and provided at the Museum.
Past Curators of the Epping Forest Museum
On this occasion it is fitting to record the names of the
Honorary Curators who served the Museum and the Club so well
over the years.
William Cole .............................. 1895-1921
Percy Thompson ........................
Miss Vera Oxley (Mrs. V. Smith) ... 1922-1932
Joseph Ross .............................. 1933-1947
Bernard T. Ward ........................ 1948-1961
Annual Report for 1961
The past year saw a number of developments in the Club's
progress, among which was a slight increase in membership.
Forty-seven new members were elected to the Club (seventeen of
them being less than twenty-one years of age) and the Council
was pleased to grant applications for affiliation to the following:
The Essex Record Office, The Saffron Walden Countryside
Association and the Felstead School Natural History Society. The
Council warmly welcomed these new members and affiliated
organisations into the Club. The Council announced with regret
the deaths of Mrs. Kate Lewis and Mr. R. H. S. Fox, who joined
the Club in 1929 and 1950 respectively. Unfortunately during
the year the Club lost twenty-three Members by resignation and
a further twenty were removed from the membership list through
arrears of subscriptions. The total number of Members and
Affiliated bodies thus showed only a small net increase and now
stands at 287. This was a disappointment to the Council which
in its last report made a special appeal to Members to make some
effort to increase the total membership. Because of this it was
necessary to repeat the warning given last year that unless