Mr J Akers in the chair. Also present Messrs A. Tear,
W. Markham, H. Collins, J.G. Nassau, J.W.R. Fox, N.H. Eyre,
S. Knowles, J. Brown, F. Browning & H.V. Calvert, sec.
Apologies were received from Messrs J Hardman,
J. Fisher & R. Hunt, who were unable to attend.
The minutes of meetings held 25th July 1966 & 31st August 1966 were read & confirmed.
Also confirmed, was the acceptance of five new members whose names were recorded in the minutes of the 131st Annual General Meeting of 28th Nov. 1966.
Correspondence. A letter was read from Mr E. Gibson welcoming s to the Duke of York Hotel for our meeting.
A letter received from Mrs Cecil Pope of Wrackleford
House, Dorchester, Dorset set setting out her plan to compile a book about specialist Flower Societies & asking for details of our Society. The secretary had already replied to this letter which was received 7th February 1967, giving information required. It was agreed that further details e.g. Show dates etc, should be sent as available
& that we should await further correspondence.
A letter was received Miss F.H. Downey, H Spofforth,
Harrogate enclosing 5/- subscription for 1967.
Correspondence was received from Fred A. Jordon M.D.
Cortland, New York, U.S.A. enclosing membership cheque for 3 dollars. (equivalent to 21/-) also from Mr Cyrus Happy Sending us Christmas greetings & enclosing an import permit in case we were able to get permission from the Ministry of
Agriculture to send florists tulips to him in U.S.A.
Correspondence was received from the Ministry of Agriculture giving details of regulations regarding the export of bulbs to USA. together with forms of application.
Also from Normanton urban district Council Surveyor, Mr A.M. Fish giving detail required by the Min. of Agriculture of the location of the plots on which the tulips were growing.
In summing up the situation the secretary explained that Dr Jordon purchased a collection of old English florists Tulips from Barrs about 15 years ago but lost all but one each of Paxter & Sarah Headley.
These he managed to increase & sent some to his son & some to Cyrus Happy. Cyrus Happy saw the article about our society in Garden News last year & wrote to us for further information saying that he could no doubt get some publicity going about our group in the U.S.A.
The secretary proposed to send a small collection of bulbs to Mr Happy but was unable to do so at the time because of import & export regulations.
The bulbs had to be examined in growth & before dispatched & a soil sample taken by a Mancl Ministry of Agriculture inspector & an import permit obtained from U.S.A. The cost would of the inspection would be about 30/-
The secretary consulted Mr Akers & they agreed it would be to the advantage of the Society to send a collection of about 2 dozen bulbs to the U.S.A. through Mr Happy, from Mr Akers’ stock. In further correspondence it was learned that Dr Jordon & Mr Happy were very keen florists who had a collection of Show Auriculas & old
Laced Pinks. Dr Jordon has also a collection of old books on florists flowers & offered to send copies of articles on tulips which was gratefully accepted. Mr Happy works in the National Bank of Washington (25yrs )service) & edits their bank magazine. He enclosed an article on to old Laced Pinks which he contributed to The Floral Magazine, February 1967, & has sent the editor some of our literature to see if he would make an article from it. Several paragraphs about our Society have appeared in the latest American Primrose Quarterly Magazine & Mr Happy says he hopes we can develop an international membership of perhaps 100, a one or two page news letter would then be necessary.
The secretary stated he had sent a detailed report to Garden News. was Also, as a result of a recent interview a short article had been published in the Castleford edition of the Yorkshire Evening Post.
It was proposed by Mr A. Tear & seconded Mr NH Ery Eyre that the correspondence be approved & the thanks of the society be recorded to the Secretary.
In view of our increased membership, some of whom hd lived a long way from Wakefield it was now desirable to send out at least two progress reports annually. These would either be printed or typed and duplicated. The secretary was authorised to see to this.
It was proposed by Mr Tear & seconded by Mr Eyre that the early show should be held at the Horse & Jockey Altofts on May 13th or 14th & the annual show at the Duke of York Hotel Sandal on May 20th subject to both being available. The judges appointed were
Mr N.H. Eyre, English classes & Mr F. Smith other classes. The secretary to write to Mr Smith & to Mr S. Bradley.
It was proposed by Mr H. Collins, seconded by Mr J. Fox that the Mayor of Wakefield be asked to open the 131st Annual Show.
The next meeting to be held at the Duke of York Hotel Monday 17th April at 7-30 P.M. J Akers Apl 17th 1967
