## **THOMAS FOWELL BUXTON SOCIETY** ## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES** **FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31ST DECEMBER 2020** ## **THE AIM OF THE SOCIETY** The Thomas Fowell Buxton Society became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in 2014. The aim or object of the organisation, set out in our governing document is “To advance the education of the public in general on the subject of the achievements of Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton philanthropist and MP for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis 1818-37 and in particular his achievement of the abolition of Slavery throughout the British Empire by Act of Parliament in 1833”. ## **THE SOCIETY’S OBJECTIVES FOR 2020** The Objectives of the Society for 2020 were to continue to educate the public in accordance with our aim by means of the following activities - a) The care of the Buxton Monument and its Information Board, erected on Bincleaves Green Weymouth. The monument and its information board provide a silent witness to Buxton’s achievements and is now a feature of the town’s heritage. - b) To organise public events to foster recognition of Buxton as a philanthropist. In particular to organise an event in October (designated in the UK as Black History Month) - c) To give Presentations to local groups to inform them of Buxton’s life and achievements. - d) To seek to increase membership and keep them informed via newsletters and a website ## **THE SOCIETY’S ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2020** ## **CARE OF THE BUXTON MONUMENT** The Buxton Monument, erected in 2017 on Bincleaves Green by the Society, together with its National Lottery funded information Board educates the passing public every day, especially in the tourist season. The Thomas Fowell Buxton Society owns the Monument and has a 50-year lease on the public land on which it stands. The Society therefore has a duty of care to maintain the Monument and take out public liability insurance. During 2020, the Monument needed no extra maintenance. Albion Stone who supplied the Portland stone with which the monument has been built, advise letting the monument ‘weather’ for a few years before cleaning and re-waxing. The Information board however suffered some vandalism with someone scrawling over the legs of the board with indelible marker. If proved impossible to remove the scrawls completely in spite of numerous attempts and taking advice from the company that had built and erected it for us. 1 ## **JANUARY 2020: NATIONAL CARIBBEAN HERITAGE MUSEUM** In January Museumand, the National Caribbean Heritage Museum, contacted our Society. This museum without walls was planning an exhibition in Norwich, Norfolk, on the slave Mary Prince (1788-1833). The museum asked for information on Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton and other Norfolk abolitionists. The information requested was sent. ## **FEBRUARY 2020: TFB SOCIETY LUNCH** In 2019 the Society had organised a lunch for members and their friends at the Wishing Well at Upwey, which proved to be most successful. A subsequent lunch was arranged and took place on Monday 3rd February 2020, again at the Wishing Well. This lunch which again attracted 12 members proved very popular and sadly turned out to be the last Society event to be held before Covid lockdown. ## **MARCH 2020: ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING** Members were notified in early March that the planned AGM had had to be postponed because of the Covid Pandemic. ## **APRIL 2020: THE MICO SERVICE** The Mico Service, which was to take place on Friday 3[rd] April, had to be cancelled this year due to the Covid Pandemic. ## **AUGUST 2020: WESTMINSTER ABBEY MEMORIAL SERVICE** The Buxton Memorial Service planned to take place in Westminster Abbey on Saturday 1st August 2020 regrettably had to be cancelled because of the Covid Pandemic. ## **SEPTEMBER 2020: BUXTON MEMORIAL SERVICE AT THE MONUMENT** On 5[th] September members gathered for a short service at the Buxton Monument on Bincleaves Green. This outdoor service replaced the cancelled Westminster Abbey Service. Rev. Edward Tildesley officiated, with members of the Society as readers. The Mayor, Cllr. Graham Winter gave a short address. The service was so successful that, as requested, it will become an annual event. The service also attracted passers-by who stayed to take part in the service. ## **SEPTEMBER 2020: HERITAGE ROAD SHOW** The Society was invited as one of many Weymouth Heritage Groups to mount a stall at the Heritage Road Show on Sunday, the 20[th] September. This was held outdoors at the parade ground at the Nothe Fort, Weymouth. It was an opportunity for people of Weymouth and Tourists to obtain an appreciation of the rich heritage of this area of South Dorset. ## **OCTOBER 2020: PRESENTATION TO SOUTH WEYMOUTH CUBS (WYKE REGIS)** A request from Akela, leader of the South Weymouth Cubs Pack resulted in the production of a voice over Power Point presentation on _Sugar, Slavery and Thomas Fowell Buxton_ . This was shown on Zoom to the cubs in October and two members of the Society joined them online for question time. The cubs subsequently visited the Buxton Monument and discovered Belfield House. Akela downloaded activity sheets for them from our Society online Schools Pack. The result is that the cubs gained two cub badges; the Heritage Badge 2 and the International Badge. In addition, Akela contacted the District Commissioner, so that other cub groups might benefit. ## **OCTOBER 2020: THE BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENT** Our Black history Month event was planned for 15[th] October. Regrettably this also had to be cancelled because of the Covid Pandemic. ## **NOVEMBER 2020: EXHIBITION AT THE COUNTY MUSEUM, DORCHESTER** A request came via the Weymouth Museum for items related to Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton for an exhibition planned at the County Museum, Dorchester. The exhibition was to feature those connected with slavery and abolition in Dorset. Two items have been loaned to the Museum on a long term basis - an engraving of Thomas Fowell Buxton and his book on the African Slave Trade 1840. The Society also alerted the Museum to the Parliamentary Website where information of Thomas Fowell Buxton was available. This information had been put together by the Parliamentary Curator’s Office at the instigation of the Society for an exhibition in 2018 at Portcullis House to celebrate the bi-centenary of Buxton entering Parliament. The Society provided the internet link to the Parliamentary website. ## **NOVEMBER 2020: DORSET YEAR BOOK** A copy of The Dorset Year Book for 2021 was sent to Society’s Education Officer in November, 2020. Her article on Thomas Fowell Buxton, published in the magazine the previous year, had prompted a visit to the Buxton Museum in Ontario, Canada by Robert Fripp. He produced an article on his visit for the 2021 Dorset Year Book , entitled _Weymouth’s Voice Finds Purpose in Ontario (_ page 170). The article gives even more details on the Buxton village in Ontario than can be found in the article, _Footsteps to Freedom: the Underground Railroad and the Buxton Settlements in Ontario Canada,_ featured in our Society book, _A Monumental Endeavour_ . This was an excellent spin-off article by Robert Fripp and yet another opportunity to educate people on the important role of Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton. The Dorset Year Book has a wide readership. ## **EPPING FOREST DISTRICT MUSEUM** A request to the Society came in from the Collections officer for Epping Forest District Museum, Essex. The Museum has ethnographic items donated in 1993 by the Buxton Family of Warlies and Woodredon, Waltham Abbey. These items were collected by Thomas Fowell Buxton, 3[rd] Baronet Belfield and his wife lady Victoria Noel Buxton and their 10 children, particularly by Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton 4[th] baronet, Charles Roden Buxton and the Rt Rev. Harold Jocelyn Buxton. The objects are to be researched as to context of visits to foreign countries and meeting places, with the aim of putting together a funding bid for an exhibition. The Collections Officer was seeking information on additional objects existing or related objects housed in other museums. 3 Members of the Buxton family were able to help with valuable information. In addition, the Collections Officer was put in touch with a Society member in South Australia. The 3[rd] Baronet, grandson of the first baronet, was Governor there from 1895-1899. The Society’s presentation, _Thomas Fowell Buxton and Empire,_ also deals with the 1[st] Baronet’s connection with South Australia. ## **PRESENTATIONS TO LOCAL GROUPS** The two presentations had been pre- booked for delivery in 2020: Dr John Fannon to _Probus_ in April and Dr Carl Whitehouse to _Probus Ladies_ in May. Both of these had to be cancelled again because of the Covid Pandemic ## **BOOK SALES** Five copies of the Society’s book “ _A Monumental Endeavour2”_ were sold in 2019. There are 31 books to be sold out of a print run of 300 in 2017. ## **OTHER EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES** Earlier in the year there were 2 enquiries. The first was concerning the graves at St Mary’s, Hendon, of the four children of TFB who died in 1820. The second enquiry was about Buxton’s role in abolishing slavery and a possible presentation on it. In replying online in both cases, for their information, the enquirers were sent a copy of the Education Officer’s presentation given at Portcullis House in 2018 on _The Parliamentary Achievements of Thomas Fowell Buxton ._ ## **SOCIETY OFFPRINTS** The Society continues to build a small library of offprints which are offered for sale at all events. Current titles are: - _Georgian Elections:_ by Dr Carl Whitehouse - _The Parliamentary Achievements of Thomas Fowell Buxton:_ by Mrs Joyce Fannon - _Thomas Fowell Buxton country gentleman; capercailzies and the RSPCA:_ by Mrs Joyce Fannon - _From Quaker Brewer to Evangelical Law Reformer, Thomas Fowell Buxton in the 1810s:_ by Dr Richard Follett - _Olaudah Equiano, Slave, Mariner, Freed man and Abolitionist :_ by Mrs Joyce Fannon - _Weymouth at the time of Thomas Fowell Buxton:_ Dr Carl Whitehouse Since its inauguration, the Society has given 100 presentations to mostly local groups, though some further afield. ## **CONTACTS OUTSIDE THE SOCIETY** The Society maintains contact with Professor Richard Follett of Covenant College, Lookout Mountain, Georgia, USA. Mr Graham Perry of Weymouth Museum has also been kept in the information loop. In his turn he passes on relevant information from the museum’s archives. 4 ## **POSSIBLE FUTURE EVENTS IN 2021.** With no end of Government restrictions in sight, it proved impossible to make many plans for future events in 2021. Our Society is now part of **Weymouth and Portland Museums and Heritage Group.** We were notified that 2021 sees the 450 anniversary of the unification of the ports of Melcombe Regis and Weymouth in 1571. There will be events in the town. Also Sunday September 12[th ] 2021, will be Heritage Open Day. The only way we might take part in either initiative would be through our Bincleaves Service, the date of which has not been decided yet. It has been decided not to seek an Abbey Service this year at Westminster. ## **MEMBERSHIP** The current supporter list stands at 65, and of these 31 are life members and 34 are ordinary members. Many members have now taken up the option of paying membership dues by standing order. ## **FINANCES** Annex A to this document shows the financial report. A summary is given below. Our income for the year was £2077 and expenditure was £724. Our major expenditure was £448 for public liability insurance for the Monument. Our closing balance for our main account on 31[st] December 2020 was £4367. To this must be added the balance of our Paypal Account (£42). Our net assets are £4409. ## **THE SOCIETY’S PLANS FOR 2021** - a) To continue the care and maintenance of the Monument - b) To continue to give presentations to local groups on request - c) To continue to provide 3 newsletters per year and maintain the website - d) To seek new members - e) To prepare a calendar of events for members were possible - f) To seek a new venue for committee meetings and presentations, recognising that the Weymouth Safewise Fire Station is no longer available for community group meetings. All community group secretaries are likely to have difficulty in finding venues for their group meetings in the immediate future. Future plans will be discussed at the AGM including a discussion of ideas put forward as feedback requested from the autumn newsletter Committee Meetings are held on average every two months. 5 ## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT** The Governance and Management of the Society comprises 1. The Honorary President. Since the formation of the Society, the current Mayor has been invited to be honorary President and all incumbents so far have accepted this office. The President will preside over the Annual General Meeting and if diary permits will attend the various functions of the Society. 2. The Trustees. At present there are three trustees which is the minimum as required by law. Members of the society may volunteer to be a trustee. The process of appointing Trustees is set out in the governing document. 3. A committee or council which has no formal standing but meets regularly to advise the Trustees on the management of the society. Any member of the Society may attend these meetings which are held approximately every 2 months. ## **CHARITY TRUSTEES** During 2020 the Trustees were 1. Mr James Buxton 2. Mrs Joyce Fannon 3. Dr John Fannon who acts as Treasurer and Web master. Dr Fannon also coordinates the annual programme of events. In 2021 it is planned to seek further trustees to be added to help govern the Society. At committee meetings the Chair is taken by rotation amongst the attendees. At each AGM, one of the trustees resigns in accordance with the Governing Document. If willing the trustee offers himself or herself for re-election. As there was no AGM in 2020, Dr Fannon who would have offered his resignation, has agreed to remain as trustee until the pandemic is over and an AGM can be called. **WEBSITE** www.thomasfowellbuxton.org.uk **REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER** 1158648 **BANKERS** Barclays Bank Plc, Leicester LE87 2BB 6 ANNEXA Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period from Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted funds tothe nearèit Restrictsd fund5 Endowment fund5 Total funds Last yeai tothe nearest£ tothenearestE tothe neatest£ tothe neare*£ A1 R•c•ipt5 MemDership 400 461 45 2?2 93 1Q 222 93 11J Events Books Badges HIARC othèr Trrfetpaymenl 190 1,2f8 3$ From Payp31Acct Sub toral(Gross income for ARI 1,995 1,995 898 A2 A55et and inve5tsnent sales, (see tablel. Sub toral Totalreceiprs 1,995 1,995 A3 Payments 420 Webslle Postage Rootn hire 81 225 Z5 Z5 Refunds Rthrned lo PaypalAcct Monumenlfund 70 26 Sub totsl 641 641 A4Asset and investment urch35es, see table Sub toral Totalpaymenrs 641 Net of receiprs/(paymentsJ A5 Tran5f•r5 b•tw••n funds A6 Cash fvnds last year end Cash funds this year end 83 3,055 4.409 3,055 4,409 3,138 3.055 ANNEXA Section B Stat8ment of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestricted funds to nearest£ Restriaed funds to nearest£ Endowment funds toneare5t£ Categori¢s B1 Ca¥h funds MainAccouDI 4,3fj7 Paypal Account Total cash funds lagiee ba*nces Teceipts and paYll￿nts Unr•strlet•d funds to nearest£ R•strlet•d funds lo nearest£ Endowm• funds tonearest£ D•tai15 B2 Other monetary assets Fund towh￿ a55etbek>n Details Cost{wtsnall c￿ttent¥a1Ue B3 Invesknent asseis Fund assetbek>ngs Cost{qknnall C￿N￿nt¥•￿￿ loptK>n&} Detai15 B4 A8¥ets rgtained for the charity's own use Fund towhKh reLrytes Arnountdue K)nal due Details BS Llablllles &gnÉd by on8 Dr two trustèès beha￿ of 311 the t￿SteeS Signature Print Narne Date of roval JOHN A FANNON 3010912021