NEWSLETTER 01/12
XMAS FUNCTION - 2011
Last year saw a change to our Xmas function that had for many years been held in the evening at the Social Club. For 2011, an informal gathering of 30 members and wives celebrated Christmas by having lunch on Wednesday afternoon 7 December. We met up at 12.30 in the Mission Hotel Postengate, Hull. Some had pre-ordered the Xmas dinner and others chose from the wide-ranging menu on offer.
L
unch was followed by an afternoon relaxing with a few drinks and enjoying each other’s company. An excellent afternoon enjoyed by us all. The branch donated a free raffle andfive winners each collected £10. A very successful event and probably will be repeated.
ANNUAL DINNER - 2012
Just a reminder! Anyone who has not yet paid for the annual dinner / weekend can you please let me have your cheques by
29 January. All cheques to be made payable to The Coldstream Guards Association (Hull Branch).
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Unfortunately it is that time of year again and annual subscriptions are due - the subscription is £4 per annum. Could payments
please be made on time to avoid the need, and cost, for ‘reminders’! Cheques made payable to ‘Coldstream Guards Association
(Hull Branch)’. Any donations would be greatly appreciated and help to offset our annual running costs.
Members are requested to complete the attached proforma and forward it to the Treasurer, Brian, or hand it to him at the
Annual General Meeting next month.
GIFT AID
T
he Treasurer has asked me to inform members that, in December, the branch received a cheque for £374 – this was the tax reclaimedon members’ subscriptions/donations for the period 2007 – 2010 and obtained through completion of the Gift Aid declaration form last year.
A claim for 2011 will be submitted shortly and we should receive the refund by November - there was a notable increase in
members’ donations last year and Brian believes this could produce a tax refund of over £100 later in the year.
Gif Aid Declaration - if any member who completed the Gift Aid form no longer pays income tax, or if any member
who did not complete a form now pays tax, could they please let Brian know.
GAZETTES
The order has been placed for the 2011 Gazette. Hopefully it will be available in late April/early May.
Orders for the 2012 Gazette will be covered in the next Newsletter (02/12).
EMAIL ADDRESSES
Would members who have recently acquired an email address please email their details to jim@jimsdomain-home.co.uk and brian@briansmith.karoo.co.uk
FUTURE EVENTS
2012
Dates for your diary:
29 February. - Annual General Meeting.
23/24 March.- Annual Dinner - Monarch Hotel, Bridlington.
22 April - Celebrating St George’s Day at the Kingston Social Club
(If attending please let me know or put your name in the book – thank you).
3 May - Presentation of Colours. Her Majesty The Queen will present New Colours to the 1st Battalion and Number 7Company on the morning of Thursday 3 May at Windsor Castle.
10/13 May - Memorial Weekend.
There is some Ltd accommodation in Elizabeth Bks Windsor
(Contact me if you wish to go).
26 May - HM The Queens Diamond Jubilee.
2 June - Major General’s Review
7 and 8 June - Beating Retreat.
9 June - Colonels Review.
16 June - Q B P. (The Regiment will troop its Colour this year).
25 June - 1st Battalion – The Old Colours will be laid up in Eton College
Chapel, on the morning of Monday the 25 of June.- 2nd Battalion – The Old Colours will be laid up in Doncaster Minster on a later date, to be arranged.
(Administrative arrangements for each event will follow in due course).
Tickets are limited for the QBP so anyone wants some please get in touch ASP.
13 October - York Races (date TBC)
11 November - Remembrance Parade. (Function TBC)
TBC December - Christmas Function.
PRI Shop. Anyone who wants anything from the PRI shop, please phone me. I will be going in May and will try to get it for you.
If you don’t have the current shop list I can send you one.
(All cheques should be made payable to the Coldstream Guards Central Bank).
2014
I
n June 2014 the Hull Branch of the Coldstream Guards Association will be 100 years old! Printed below is how the branch was formed. In June 1914, Sir Robert Walker, Bt, visited Hull with a view to forming a Branch. Sergeant Luck the Coldstream Recruiter there at the time, assisted him. A few old Coldstreamers were interviewed and the nucleus of a Branch quickly came into existance.In the first place eight members were enrolled, a small number of them forming a committee.
Steps were being taken to obtain suitable premises to establish a Branch Headquarters, in which to hold meetings but the outbreak of war caused all progress to be temporarily suspended. Sergeant Luck and some members of the committee were called up for service and at the request of the president Mr S Gall took over the secretary ship. During the war a gradual increase in membership was affected. After the Armistice the numbers rose rapidly to 133 in July 1919 and to 144 in March the visit of Lieutenant General Sir Alfred Codrington and Colonel J. Steele in May 1919, when the 1914 stars were presented was most successful in providing a stimulus to the Branch.
The first Annual General Meeting of the Branch was held at the Grosvenor Hotel, Carr Lane on the 16th July 1919, a large number being present. In the absence of Sir Robert Walker who wrote regretting his inability to attend, Councillor Shepherd was voted in the chair. Mr Gall was unanimously re-elected as Secretary and a committee was chosen. Several matters were discussed, notably the advisability of bringing the Branch to the notice of all old Coldstreamers in the City as the best channel through which to forward any matter connected with their welfare.
It was desired to impress on every old Coldstreamer that no other organization could give him the same sympathetic consideration and help in any difficulty as this Association of his old Regiment. On The 13th January 1920, the Band of the Regiment, conducted by Major J Mackenzie Rogan, gave a concert in connection with the Branch at the City Hall. There was a good appreciative audience.
The 26th of March 1920 was a red-letter day for the Hull Branch, when the new club premises were opened at 26 Park Street. Lieutenant General Sir Alfred Codrington K.C.V.O., C.B, performed the official ceremony. The Regiment was also represented by Colonel C.J.C. Grant D.S.O., Major J.C. Brand D.S.O, M.C and Captain J.C. Wynne Finch M.C. a telegram of congratulation and greeting was sent by Colonel H.W. Studd C.B., C.M.G. D.S.O. commanding the Regiment who was unavoidably absent Major Sir Robert Walker Bt, the President of the Branch and the generous donor of the club premises took the chair. He was accompanied by Lady Walker and there were also present the Lord Mayor (Alderman T.J. Hall) the Chief Constable (Mr G Morley) Major A.J.A. Atkinson, M.B.E., JP, Admiral Charles Walker (Beverley) councillor Shepherd, Mr Patrick B Walker and a large number of old Coldstreamers and their friends.
Sir Robert opened the proceedings by outlining the history of the branch and asking General Codrington as Colonel of the Regiment to accept the club as a gift to the Association. General Codrington in accepting thanked Sir Robert for his magnificent gift to the Regiment and declared the club open. The Lord Mayor followed General Codrington with a happy speech on the connection of the Coldstream Guards with Hull.
During the evening the following telegram was sent by General Codrington on behalf of the gathering "To the Equerry in Waiting, Royal Train, Liverpool. The members of the Hull Branch, Old Coldstreamers Association, assembled at the opening of the Clubhouse the gift of Sir Robert Walker Bt send respectful greetings and devoted loyalty to His Majesty, their Colonel in Chief". The following reply was received: - "General Sir Alfred Codrington, Old Coldstreamers Club, Hull. The King sincerely thanks you and those who joined with you for your loyal message. His Majesty hopes that every success will attend the new club. Equerry, Royal train
Researched by the late, Harry Westgarth.3rd Btn Coldstream Guards.
The committee would very much like to hear suggestions from all our members on how we should mark this occasion.
Yours faithfully
J Barker
Hon Secretary