## Victoria County History of Essex Trust Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023 Victoria County History of Essex Trust ## Contents ||page| |---|---| |Trustees and Advisers|2| |Trustees’ Report|3| |Trustees’ Responsibility Statement|5| |Receipts and Payments Account|6| |Statement of Assets and Liabilities|7| |Notes to the Accounts|8| |Independent Examiner’s Report|10| 1 Victoria County History of Essex Trust ## Trustees and Advisers |Trustees|Kenneth L Crowe, BEd, MA, AMA, Chairman| |---|---| ||Rt Hon Lord Petre, KCVO, JP, MA, Vice Chairman| ||Louisa Tippett, BSc, ACA, Treasurer| ||Sarah E L Manning-Press, BA, Secretary| ||Geoffrey Hare, OBE (retired 5 December 2023)| ||Patricia Herrmann, OBE (retired 24 June 2023)| ||Johanna Dale, MA, PhD, FRHistS| ||Amanda Flather, PhD| ||Paul J Gilman, BA, FSA (retired 24 June 2023)| ||Sir Graham Hart, KCB, PhD| ||Professor Anthony Tuck, PhD| ||John Jowers (appointed 24 June 2023)| |Principal address|25 Sussex Road| ||Colchester| ||Essex CO3 3QH| |Registered charity number|1038801| |Editors|Christopher C Thornton, BA, PhD, FSA, FRHistS| ||(to 6 April 2023)| ||Herbert Eiden, BA, PhD (from 6 April 2023)| |Independent Examiner|Samantha Martin, FCCA| ||119 Colchester Road| ||West Bergholt| ||Colchester| ||Essex CO6 3JX| |Bankers|HSBC Bank plc| ||99 High Street| ||Chelmsford| ||Essex CM1 1EQ| 2 Victoria County History of Essex Trust ## Trustees’ Report This year has been another eventful one for VCH Essex, with plenty happening behind the scenes and in public. As far as the Trustees are concerned, we were very sorry to lose Geoffrey Hare, who relocated to Nottingham in October. Geoffrey joined the VCH Essex Trust in 1999 and was Chairman from 2005 to 2013 and again from 2018 to 2021. We have also had to say a very sad farewell to West Bowers Hall as our regular meeting place for many years. Patricia Herrmann (Secretary of the Trust from 1996 to 2021) had very reluctantly stepped down as Trustee at the last AGM and now needs to devote much time to family matters. In May your Chairman and the Editorial team attended the VCH day at Senate House, a good opportunity for networking, hearing the latest news and ideas from the VCH community and meeting the VCH staff. It is sad to have to report the death in May of Canon Henry Marsh who had been our Independent Examiner since 2014. He shall be much missed. On a happier note, the finances of the Trust are on an even keel, thanks to our regular supporters and donors, although we need to make every effort to ensure that we maximise the opportunities to increase our funds to ensure the continuing success of our programme of research and publication into the future. This year’s AGM was held in June at Tendring Village Hall, hosted by the Clacton VCH group. Owing to serious problems on the A12 the audience was largely restricted to members and supporters from the northeast of the county. We are very pleased to confirm that John Jowers was elected as a new Trustee. Following refreshments there was a fascinating talk by Chris Thornton on the fort at East Mersea from Henry VIII to the Napoleonic Wars. On 19th July the Victorian Society visited Harwich, an event hosted by Harwich Museum in collaboration with VCH Essex and which Chris Thornton helped to organize. Herbert Eiden and our Assistant Editor, Andrew Senter also attended the event, at which Andrew gave a talk on John Bagshaw and the development of Dovercourt. A very successful event was held at Galleywood Heritage Centre in September to mark the 120th anniversary of the publication of VCH Essex Vol 1, which included a major essay on Essex Domesday by J. Horace Round and a complete translation of the Domesday entries for Essex. About 70 people attended the event which was organized by Chris Thornton, to hear Philip Morgan (translator and editor, Phillimore Domesday), Neil Wiffen (ERO) and Philip Wise (Colchester & Ipswich Museums), together with a talk by Chris Thornton on Harwich’s overseas trade in the reign of Elizabeth I. The day was also successful financially and was followed shortly afterwards by an anonymous donation. This event also raised awareness of the VCH project to a wider audience. 3 Victoria County History of Essex Trust ## Trustees’ Report Chris Thornton, our VCH Essex editor since 2003 retired as County Editor in April this year, handing over the reins to Herbert Eiden (previously our Assistant Editor). Chris continued as Consulting Editor for six months while Herbert completed his contracted work for the People of 1381 project, taking over as County Editor on 1 October. Meanwhile, Andrew Senter continues in his role as Assistant Editor, funded in part by a generous grant from Essex Heritage Trust. Chris, meanwhile, continues to undertake research for VCH Essex Trust to help with the work on Volume XIII. Research on Harwich and Dovercourt has progressed very well during this year, highlights including the establishment of the naval dockyard during the Commonwealth period followed by the outbreak of the Dutch Wars after the Restoration; and the medieval trade of Harwich, revealing fascinating details about merchants, ships and their cargoes. Andrew Senter has completed his section on Harwich and Dovercourt in the Georgian period and the 19th century, which were placed on the IHR’s VCH Essex website. He is continuing to research the First World War and interwar periods. The format of the Southend short was agreed by VCH Central Office, and the requested revisions have been completed. There is some cartographic work to be finalised before the files can be sent to Central Office. Having assisted with work on the Harwich port books, the Clacton group moved on to a new project – the landscape history of Tendring and the Holland River – which is progressing well. Andrew Senter’s Harwich, Dovercourt and Parkeston in the 19th Century sold out completely towards the end of the year and the Trust agreed to a reprint of 50 copies. Finally, the Trust must offer our sincere gratitude to all those organisations and individuals – especially our dedicated supporters - upon whom we rely. We must especially thank our retired County Editor, Chris Thornton, for his unrivalled knowledge of the County and most generous support given, not only to the Trust but also to his colleagues on the Editorial team, Herbert Eiden and Andrew Senter. Ken Crowe Chairman 4 Victoria County History of Essex Trust ## Trustees’ Responsibility Statement The Charity’s Trustees are responsible for preparing a receipts and payments account and a statement of assets and liabilities for each financial year that properly present the Charity’s receipts and payments during the year and its assets and liabilities at the end of the year. In preparing those statements, the Trustees are required to: - select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently; - make judgements that are reasonable and prudent; and - prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue in operation. The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which enable them to ensure that the receipts and payments account and the statement of assets and liabilities comply with the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. 5 Victoria County History of Essex Trust ## Receipts and Payments Account for the year ended 31 December 2023 |2023
£
Receipts
Designated funds and donations
Unrestricted donations
Donations from individuals (see note 3)
8,820
Gift Aid (including interest) reclaimed
5,031
Donations from Councils and Societies
4,300
Donations from Trusts
4,250
Legacy
500
Investment income – interest
1,354
Other income (see note 4)
1,155

Total receipts

Payments
Direct charitable payments
Payments in respect of Volume XII,
Volume XIII, Harwich and Southend
Editors
14,125
Assistance Editor
20,000
Printing
-
Other expenditure (see note 6)
2,663

Total payments

(Deficit)/surplus of receipts over payments
Funds balances brought forward

Funds balances

Designated funds included in funds (see note 2)|2023
£
8,820
5,031
4,300
4,250
500|£
5,000
22,901
1,354
1,155|2022
£
19,945
4,524
800
4,464
-|£
5,540
29,733
179
643| |---|---|---|---|---| ||1,354||179|| ||1,155||643|| ||14,125
20,000
-||12,350
15,425
-|| |||30,410||36,095| |||34,125
2,663||27,775
2,624| ||2,663||2,624|| |||||| |||36,788||30,399| |||(6,378)
94,747||5,696
89,051| |||88,369||94,747| |||120||540| 6 Victoria County History ol Essex Trust Statement of Assets and Liabilities for tlie year en(lecl ,81 Dec.einber 202,8 2023 Monetary &ssets H,SIIL ciirrL"nt accoiint H,514C (IL'i)()sit ￿(C)Unt Casli 2,3￿) .5,71,8 85,985 89,()04 44 88,369 ()4,74,7 Ai)i)r()ved l)y Ilie B()ar(l ot"'I rustees 011 21 Marcli 2024 ui(I signLIl oil tIiLir I)L}I￿r by ¢1. VÉtr- Ken Crowe LA)uisa Tippett 71 11s.lec aJiilHcin Tred.suirr Victoria County History of Essex Trust ## Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023 ## 1 . Accounting policies General These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011. ## Basis of preparation The financial statements are prepared on a cash basis whereby income and expenditure is only recognised as it is received or paid. 2. Designated funds and donations In 2022 and 2023 the Essex Heritage Trust grants of £5,000 have been used to partly fund the work of Dr A Senter for his work on Georgian Harwich for inclusion in Volume XIII. In 2022 donations were received to assist with postage and publishing costs for members preferring to receive AGM papers rather than digital delivery. The printing of 200 newsletters and postage for the AGM has reduced this designated reserve. 3. Donations from individuals Donations from individuals in 2023 amounted to £8,820 and £19,945 in 2022. Where available the related claims for Gift Aid of £2,210 for 2021 and of £2,296 for 2020 were made early in 2022, with extra interest received from HM Revenue &Customs. A claim for £4,958 was received with interest for 2022 and a claim of £ 1,510 has been made for 2023. |4.
Other income
Raffles – AGM and 120th
Lectures
120th Celebration
Book sale
Sales of Newport ‘Short’
Sales of Harwich ‘Short’|2023
£
232
60
628
91
48
96
1,155|2022
£
355
-
-
-
120
168
643| |---|---|---| 8 Victoria County History of Essex Trust ## Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023 ## 5 . VCH ‘Shorts’ Newport – The Trustees funded production costs of £1,748 in 2015. During 2021 a further print of 50 books was funded at £328. Total sales up to 31 December 2023 amounted to £2,696 (2022: £2,648). Harwich – The costs of production were agreed at £1,220 in 2020. Total sales up to 31 December 2023 amounted to £2,150 (2022: £2,054). |6.Other expenditure
Editors’ services
Insurance
Subscriptions and books
Newport ‘Short’
Stationery, printing and postage
Room rental
Bank charges
Publicity material|2023
£
1,750
90
6
-
420
318
79
-
2,663|2022
£
600
75
77
328
1,081
174
89
200
2,624| |---|---|---| 9 Victoria County History of Essex Trust Independent Examiner's Report To the Trnstees of the Victoria Couuty History of Essex Trust I report tn tlie Tnistees on my examiiiatioIi of tlie accounts ol dic Tnist for tlie ycar cnded 31 DeceLnber 2023. Responsibilities and basis of the Report As tlie Tni%tees ol. tlie Lliarity, you rcspnii%il)IL' l()r ilic I)reT)￿￿tiOn of llie acLouiILs in ccur(l¢uice widi tIiL fLciuiremL'nL4 ()1" tliL Cliaritic's ALI 2011 IdiL Acl). I rei)()rt iii resi)L'LI ()[ my exariiinatioii ol" dje "frust's accoiiiit.s C￿ed out uii(ler seclic)i] i Lfi ol. diL. ALL an(1 in carryAng oiit Iiiy examination I liavL tc)Ilc)wLIl all tlic applicalilc Dircctions given l)y tlie Cli