2025-06-30-accounts

THE FURNITURE HISTORY SOCIETY

Annual Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the Year ended 30 June 2025, together with Notices of the Sixtieth Annual General Meeting, and a Special General Meeting, both to be held at The East India Club, 16 St James’s Square, London SW1Y 4LH on Saturday, 29 November 2025 commencing at 11.00 am

c/o The Department of Performance, Furniture, Textiles and Fashion, Victoria & Albert Museum, London SW7 2RL www.furniturehistorysociety.org Registered Charity No. 251683

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THE FURNITURE HISTORY SOCIETY

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING, 2025

AGENDA for the 61st Annual General Meeting of The Furniture History Society to be held at The East India Club, 16 St James’s Square, London SW1Y 4LH at 11.00 am on Saturday, 29 November 2025

1. Apologies

2. To hear read Notice of the meeting, to note that the meeting has been convened in accordance with the Rules of the Society; and to note that a quorum is present

3. Adoption of the Minutes of the Sixtieth Annual General Meeting

4. Adoption of the Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2025

5. Adoption of the Financial Statements for the year ended 30 June 2025

6. Election of the President, Chairman and Honorary Officers each for a period of one year

7. The President

   • Council notes that Simon Swynfen Jervis does not offer himself for re-election and proposes Christopher Neville Rowell

8. The Chairman

   • Council notes that Christopher Rowell does not offer himself for re-election and proposes Sir Jonathan Mark Marsden KCVO

9. The Honorary Secretary Council proposes Thomas Williams

10. The Honorary Treasurer Council proposes Martin Blue Macintosh Williams

11. The Honorary Editorial Secretary Council proposes Dr Megan Brewster Aldrich

12. Re-election of four existing ordinary (or non-executive) members of Council for a further term Council proposes David Oakey, Charlie Thomas, Adriana Turpin and Rebecca Tilles

13. Election of two new ordinary members of Council During 2023, an elected member of Council proposes Iain Stephens and Dr Amy Lim

14. Appointment of the Independent Examiner

15. Council proposes Christopher Pexton FCA of Messrs Begbies, Chartered Accountants

16. Any Other Business

17. Votes of Thanks

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THE FURNITURE HISTORY SOCIETY

SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING

AGENDA for a Special General Meeting of the Society to be held on 29 November 2025 at 12 noon

(or so soon as the preceding meeting shall finish or be adjourned).

1. To hear read Notice of the meeting.

2. To consider, and if thought appropriate, to approve a Special Resolution to amend the Society’s constitution by inserting the following wording in the existing Rule 7 so as to form the second paragraph thereof.

‘Honorary Officers appointed on or after the date of adoption of this Rule and also those Honorary Officers appointed before that date shall not serve in any one role for more than nine years following the date of their appointment, unless agreed by the Council and approved by the Society in General Meeting.’

NB A Special Resolution requires the consent of a two-thirds majority of Members present and voting at the Meeting. This meeting is deemed to be held contemporaneously with the preceding meeting.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Members may recall that the Society’s rules were amended in 2024 by changes to Rule 7 intended to clarify the length of service of a member who has been appointed to Council in the place of an existing member who has demitted office before the expiry of their three-year term. In addition, there were two minor amendments intended to simplify the governance arrangements.

At meetings of Council during 2024-25, it became clear that a majority of members of Council also wished to limit the length of time that the Honorary Officers can serve. The further changes to Rule 7 of the Society’s constitution now proposed give effect to this.

Currently, the Rules of the Society do not limit the length of time Honorary Officers may serve in their respective roles (namely as President, Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and Editorial Secretary). This has led to a proposal to Council that Honorary Officers should not serve for more than nine years, in order to comply with the Charity Commission’s guidance that charity trustees should not typically serve for more than nine years. The guidance itself makes clear that this is not a legally binding requirement and that charities are entitled to order their affairs on this aspect in a way that best suits their particular circumstances.

In the case of the Society the Honorary Officers have a dual role as executive officers responsible for management and as trustees, and are subject to re-election each year at the AGM. The executive role of the Honorary Officers currently allows them to carry out their management

1“Trustees are appointed for an agreed length of time, subject to any applicable constitutional or statutory provisions relating to election and re-election. If a trustee has served for more than nine years, their reappointment [should be]: (a) subject to a particularly rigorous review [taking] into account the need for progressive refreshing of the board [and] (b) explained in the trustees’ annual report.” Charity Governance Code for larger charities s. 5.7.4, Charity Governance Code Steering Group, 2020

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functions without the constraint of a time limited appointment. This is similar to executives of, usually larger and better resourced, charities which employ staff to run the day-to-day affairs of their charity and who typically are not trustees and are not limited to a fixed term of engagement.

Following discussion, it was agreed by a majority of Council members to approve the proposal for a fixed term of nine years’ service for Honorary Officers, with the caveat that the length of service could be extended in a particular case with the approval of the Council and the Society’s members. Since this involves a change to the Rules, the Society’s members are required to consider and vote on the proposed change, as a special resolution for which a two thirds majority in favour is needed. Details of the proposed change are incorporated within a re-drafted Rule 7 set out below, which contains other minor changes which do not require comment. The position of ordinary (or non-executive) members of Council in Rule 7 is not affected.

Existing Rule 7 Proposed re-worded Rule 7 The affairs of the Society shall be The affairs of the Society shall be administered by a Council consisting of a administered by a Council consisting of President, a Chairman and three Honorary a President, Chairman and three other Officers - namely, Secretary, Treasurer Honorary Officers - namely Secretary, and Editorial Secretary - and six ordinary Treasurer and Editorial Secretary - and six members of the Society (or such higher ordinary or non-executive members, each number of ordinary members of the Council being a member of the Society (or such as the Society or the Council may decide). higher number of non-executive members All members of the Council shall be elected as the Council or the Society may decide). each year at the Annual General Meeting Honorary Officers appointed on or after the (AGM), but the ordinary members shall date of adoption of this Rule and also those serve for a term not exceeding three years Honorary Officers appointed before that ending at the third AGM following the AGM date shall not serve in any one role for more at which they were first elected, and shall than nine years following the date of their not be eligible for re-election in that year. appointment, unless agreed by the Council At the AGM in each year the Society shall and approved by the Society in General elect two ordinary members of the Society Meeting. (or such other number as the Society or the Ordinary or non-executive members of Council may decide) as ordinary members Council shall serve for a term not exceeding of the Council to replace those ordinary three years ending at the third AGM members retiring in that year or to fill a following the AGM at which they were casual vacancy. first elected and shall not be eligible for A vacancy in the ordinary members of the re-election in that year. Council occurring between AGMs may be All members of Council shall be elected each filled by the Council appointing another year at the Annual General Meeting. member of the Society as an ordinary At the AGM in each year the Society shall member, and any member so appointed elect two members of the Society (or such shall continue in that capacity until the next other number as the Council or the Society AGM after their appointment, but shall be may decide) as non-executive members eligible for election by the Society for a new of Council to replace those non-executive term at that AGM. members retiring in that year or to fill a casual vacancy.

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Existing Rule 7 (cont.)

Proposed re-worded Rule 7 (cont.)

The Council may from time to time appoint offcers to carry out administrative duties on behalf of the Society.

A vacancy in the non-executive members occurring between AGMs may be flled by the Council appointing another member of the Society as a non-executive member of Council, and any member so appointed shall continue in that capacity until the next AGM and shall be eligible for election as a non- executive member for a new term at that AGM. The Council may from time to time appoint offcers to carry out administrative duties on behalf of the Society.

The existing Honorary Officers

The President, the Chairman, and the Hon. Treasurer have each served for more than nine years. The President and the Chairman are not offering themselves for re-election: as planned the Hon. Treasurer will serve for a further year in order to provide continuity in the management of the Society’s affairs. The Hon. Editorial Secretary was first appointed in 2019, and the Hon. Secretary in 2024.

Members may like to note that a copy of the Rules is sent to each member on joining. Further copies may be obtained from the Honorary Secretary at [e-mail]. In addition, copies will be available at the meeting. There is a link to the Rules at the foot of the ‘About Us’ page of the Society’s website.

Council is very grateful to members Philip Peacock and Jenny Saunt for their assistance with the revision of this Rule.

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PROGRAMME FOR THE DAY

Both meetings will be held corporeally. The persistent technical issues which have arisen in previous years in connection with the transmission of the meeting means that the meeting and the talks will not be available as a live broadcast, but it is hoped that a recording of the proceedings can be made available. Please make enquiry to the Events Secretary at [e-mail].

Admission to both the meetings is free and open to all members, but those wishing to attend are asked to notify the Events Secretary at least seven days in advance so that the necessary arrangements can be made. Coffee will be served from 10.30 am and the meeting will start at 11.00 am prompt.

At the conclusion of the formal business, presentations will be made to the Society’s outgoing President, Simon Swynfen Jervis, and Beatrice Goddard, the former Events Secretary.

As is customary, this will be followed by a series of short talks. Speakers will include:

• Jo Sovin, Collections Manager for the Frederick Parker Collection & Archive, and Peter Fisher, Outreach Manager for Special Collections at London Metropolitan University (where the Collection and Archive have been housed since 2002) will give an illustrated talk exploring the history and uses of the Archive.

• Yannick Chastang, independent restorer, will talk about a project with Stephanie Auffret of The Getty Conservation Institute, the aim of which is to interview private restorers to (re)create a bridge between the dying traditional craft of restoration and the more formal conservation carried out by conservators / curators.

• Victoria Bradley, Curatorial Operations Coordinator at the Victoria & Albert Museum, will give a presentation on the new storage site at Stratford, East London, exploring the new approach to museum storage and discussing the selection and preparation for display of objects from the furniture collection which are prominent on the public visitor route.

• Alexander Collins, Curator of Decorative Arts at the Wallace Collection, will explore several exciting projects in development at the Collection, from Boulle and Japanese lacquer to Renaissance works-of-art.

At the conclusion of the presentations, a sandwich lunch will be available. Tickets, to include a glass of wine, cost £24 per head, and should be booked at least seven days in advance through the Events Secretary, at [e-mail].

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THE FURNITURE HISTORY SOCIETY

MINUTES

of the Sixtieth Annual General Meeting held on 23 November 2024

Notice

The notice convening the meeting was read.

Apologies

Apologies for absence had been received from Megan Aldrich and a number of other members.

Minutes of the 2023 Annual General Meeting

The minutes of the 59th Annual General Meeting held on 25 November 2023 were taken as read and the Chairman was authorised to sign them as a correct record.

Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2024

The Chairman began by thanking members for their support; and the Society’s trustees, officers, paid staff and volunteers for their work for the Society during the year. He also thanked Megan Wheeler, the outgoing Hon. Secretary, for her hard work and dedication, noting that she would continue to serve the Society as Website Officer. He introduced Thomas Williams, who was standing for election as her successor.

He then commended the proposed new members of Council: Adriana Turpin’s election reflected the importance of British and Irish Furniture Makers Online (‘BIFMO’) of which she was the Deputy Chair as well as her indefatigable work as chair of the Grants committee; and Dr Rebecca Tilles who would bring a wealth of international experience to Council.

The Society’s membership had increased in the year, and to ensure the continuation of this trend, he encouraged those present to actively recruit new members. He drew attention to the deaths of Dr Brian Austen, who had served the Society faithfully for over three decades, and Belinda (Mindy) Papp who had been an energetic member in New York.

The Chairman apologised for the late mailing of Furniture History, which had been given a purple cover in recognition of the imperial taste of the late Philip Hewat-Jaboor—to whom it was dedicated. The 2025 volume would focus on the furniture and interiors of the National Trust which, he hoped, would encourage similar partnerships with other organisations.

He thanked both Lady Goodison and James Joll for their generous donations towards the costs of producing both the Journal and its decennial Index which would cover the volumes published between 2010 and 2019.

The Chairman went on to acknowledge the work of the Co-editors of the Newsletter, Kate Hay and Iain Stephens, who had produced four wonderful editions. He welcomed Kate Hay’s successor, Harry Bonar-Law. Iain Stephens was also managing the introduction of paid-for

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advertising in the Newsletter, which would help offset the costs of its production.

Turning to BIFMO, he noted that the editors, volunteers and interns had continued to expand the database and had also produced a varied and profitable programme of events and outreach activities in the year. He thanked all of them for their hard work and dedication to BIFMO. He added that Adriana Turpin and Jill Bace had organised a very successful Early Career Development (ECD) Symposium at The Metropolitan Museum of New York—a collaboration he hoped would continue.

He then thanked all those involved in organising and administering the full and varied programme of events and visits, and welcomed Cristina Alfonsin to the post of Overseas Events Manager.

Lastly, the Chairman thanked the officers who had helped to arrange the meeting as well as Sara Heaton, Kate Dyson and Anne-Marie Bannister for their practical support; the staff of the East India Club; and Pawel Olszewski, from the Society of Antiquaries of London, for help with the audio-visual equipment.

There being no questions, the Chairman commended the adoption of the Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2024 to the meeting. Agreed nemine contradicente.

Financial Statements for the year ended 30 June 2024

The Hon. Treasurer presented the Financial Statements of the charity for the year ended 30 June 2024. He began by drawing members’ attention to the flier that had been distributed to the meeting correcting the text relating to BIFMO. He added that the officers had hoped to mail all three publications (Annual Report, Newsletter and Furniture History ) together, but production problems beyond their control had stymied this plan. He was grateful to the Society’s printers, Lavenham Press, for maintaining the high production standards of the Society’s publications.

He went on to say that whilst Britain’s political outlook had become clearer in 2024, the economic one had not: the impact of higher taxation was not yet clear. Nonetheless, he was hopeful that the quality of the Society’s events programme and its publications would not only help to retain members, but also encourage non–members to join.

Directing attention to the Statement of Financial Activities, the Hon. Treasurer explained that whilst total income had risen by £16,341 to £205,420, expenditure on charitable activities had also risen by over £25,000 to £220,705. This was the result of several factors, principally the lower than planned surplus on events (although the income generated by the events and visits programme had risen and was well on its way to returning to pre-pandemic levels), and the higher-than-anticipated cost of the Journal. The result was a net deficit of £15,285 (against a net deficit in 2023 of £6,392), although this had been offset by an increase in the value of the Society’s investments of £28,278. He reported that the Society’s net wealth had risen by £12,993 to £866,525—a good result in the circumstances.

The Hon. Treasurer also expressed his appreciation of the generosity on Lady Goodison and James Joll for their generosity in helping the Society to establish a dedicated fund to support the production of the Journal. He then turned to membership, saying that it had risen by an encouraging 19 to 1,069.

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In conclusion, he said that the Annual Report paid tribute to the support given to the Chairman and the honorary officers by the paid staff and volunteers who managed the day-to-day operations of the Society. In particular, he singled out the members of the Operations Group which met every six weeks or so and were fundamental to the smooth operation of the Society. He thanked them for their unstinting hard work, good humour and loyalty.

He commended the Financial Statements for adoption by the meeting. There were no questions and they were adopted nem. con.

Keith Nicholls, Finance Officer

Mr Williams expressed his gratitude for the dedication and hard-work of Keith Nicholls who had been the Society’s Finance Officer for more than ten years. He would miss his commonsense approach, as well as his good nature and his idiosyncratic sense of humour. He was pleased to welcome Anna Clarke, Mr Nicholl’s successor as Finance Officer, who worked in a similar role at one of Oxford University’s permanent private halls.

Elections

• a) The following officers were proposed for re-appointment::

PRESIDENT Simon Swynfen Jervis CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL Christopher Neville Rowell HONORARY TREASURER Martin Blue Macintosh Williams HONORARY EDITORIAL SECRETARY Dr Megan Brewster Aldrich

• b) The following member was proposed for appointment as HONORARY SECRETARY, Thomas Williams.

• c) The following ordinary members of Council were proposed for re-election: Dr Jenny Saunt, Philip John Peacock, David Oakey and Charlie Thomas.

• d) Members noted that during 2023, an ordinary member of Council (Jurgen Huber) had resigned and that, in accordance with the Rules, Council had appointed Adriana Turpin in his place until the next AGM. Noted also that Council now proposed Adriana Turpin for election as an ordinary member of Council.

• e) The following member was proposed for election as an ordinary member of Council: Dr Rebecca Tilles.

All five motions were put to the meeting and each was agreed nem. con . The President recorded his thanks to Dr McCaffrey-Howarth for her service.

Subscription Rates

The Hon. Treasurer addressed the question of subscription rates. He said that they had last been increased in 2021. In 2015, Council had adopted the general precept that they should be reviewed every three to four years more or less in line with inflation. He reminded members that any change agreed at the current meeting would not come into effect until 1 July 2025.

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At the existing rates, the Society’s annual income from subscriptions, sales of publications and any surplus on the events & visits programme exceeded the costs of servicing the membership, the events & visits programme, and publishing costs by about £10,000, leaving little margin for inflationary cost increases. He noted that the Retail Prices Index had increased by 13.8% since July 2022 and the Consumer Prices Index rate by 10.4%. Assuming an inflation rate of 2.5% for the next 12 months, these figures would increase to approx. 14.2% and 10.6%. In addition, overseas postage costs had increased at a significantly higher rate during the past three years.

With the above in mind, Council was proposing an increase of just over 10% in the standard subscription rate for individual and joint UK Members, with increases ranging from 6-11% for the other classes of membership. The proposed rates for young members (i.e., under 35) had been shaded slightly and those for International Institutional members adjusted so that they were more in line with that for Overseas Joint members. The proposed new rates were:

Membership category
UK Individual(or Sole)members	£72
UK Youngindividual members(aged under 35)	£40
UK Joint members (i.e., two people receiving one mailing at the same address)	£82
UK Institutional or Corporate members	£96
International individual members	£93
International Youngindividual members(aged under 35)	£50
InternationalJoint members	£105
International Institutional or Corporate members	£113

There were no questions from the floor and the new rates were approved nemine contradicente .

Re-appointment of independent examiner

The President thanked Christopher Pexton of Messrs Begbies, Chartered Accountants and proposed that he be re-appointed for a further year. Agreed nem. con.

Votes of Thanks

The Chairman thanked Megan Wheeler for her sterling service as Hon. Secretary since 2016 and presented her with a bouquet of flowers and a book token.

Keith Nicholls, who had stepped down in June 2024, was thanked for his dedicated service as Finance & Membership Officer. The Hon. Treasurer reported that there had been a liberal and generous response to the appeal that had been made to members and Mr Nicholls was presented with a cheque. Thanking the members for their generosity, Mr Nicholls indicated that the Society’s gift would be donated to the Hampton Wick Royal Cricket Club, of which he had been the chairman for a number of years and whose pavilion had recently been destroyed in an arson attack. He added that he had made many friends whilst working with the Society and wished it well for the future.

Any other business

There being no further business, the meeting was closed.

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THE FURNITURE HISTORY SOCIETY

MINUTES

of a Special General Meeting held on 23 November 2024

Notice

The notice convening the meeting was read.

Governance and procedure

Members noted that the Society’s Rules required that a resolution put to a special general meeting be passed by two-thirds majority of those members present and voting. In addition, it was agreed that the meeting be treated as being held contemporaneously with the foregoing annual general meeting.

Explanatory Note

Members noted that an explanatory note setting out the reasons for the proposed rewording of Rule 7 of the Society’s constitution had been sent out with the Notice of the meeting.

During 2023, an ordinary member of Council resigned and, in accordance with the Rules, in 2024 a member of the Society (Adriana Turpin) was appointed to Council in their place. When Council had considered the matter, it became clear that the existing rule whereby one-third of the ordinary members of Council retired each year and were not eligible for re-election, meant that in certain circumstances, the length of service of a member appointed to fill a casual vacancy on Council could be significantly curtailed.

Accordingly, Council recommended that the Rule was reworded so that the length of service of ordinary members on Council would be determined by reference to an individual’s years of service rather than a fraction of the number of ordinary members on Council. The effect would be the same: membership of Council would be regularly refreshed, and the operation of the rule whereby a casual vacancy had been filled by Council would be clarified.

In addition, in recent years, it had become clear that because of the rise in the amount and the complexity of the Society’s activities, it might become necessary to increase the number of ordinary members of Council and the proposed rewording enabled such an increase to be made by Council as well as the members in general meeting.

Finally, in line with modern practice, the re-worded rule had been framed in gender-neutral language.

Special Resolution

The President put the Special Resolution to amend the Society’s Rules by deleting the existing Rule 7 and substituting the following.

‘The affairs of the Society shall be administered by a Council consisting of a President, a Chairman and three Honorary Officers – namely, Secretary, Treasurer and Editorial Secretary – and six ordinary members of the Society (or such higher number of ordinary members of the Council as the Society or the Council may decide).

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‘All members of the Council shall be elected each year at the Annual General Meeting (AGM), but the ordinary members shall serve for a term not exceeding three years ending at the third AGM following the AGM at which they were first elected, and shall not be eligible for re-election in that year.

‘At the AGM in each year the Society shall elect two ordinary members of the Society (or such other number as the Society or the Council may decide) as ordinary members of the Council to replace those ordinary members retiring in that year or to fill a casual vacancy.

‘A vacancy in the ordinary members of the Council occurring between AGMs may be filled by the Council appointing another member of the Society as an ordinary member, and any member so appointed shall continue in that capacity until the next AGM after their appointment, but shall be eligible for election by the Society for a new term at that AGM.

‘The Council may from time to time appoint officers to carry out administrative duties on behalf of the Society.’

The proposal was carried nem. con.

Any other business

There being no other business, the President closed the meeting.

Talks

Following the formal business of the AGM, the following short talks were given:

Amreet Kular (Object Conservator, Victoria and Albert Museum) outlined her conservation of a spinning wheel or ‘charkha’ in the Museum’s collection.

Dr Jenny Saunt (Senior Furniture Curator, Victoria and Albert Museum) and Dr Megan Wheeler (Assistant National Curator, Furniture, National Trust) recounted the story of the return of bookcases, designed by Robert Adam and made by Vile & Cobb, from the Museum to Croome Court; and their replacement in the British Galleries by the Medal Cabinet made for Charlemont House, Dublin to a design by Sir William Chambers.

Dr Anna Stutchbury (Independent Researcher/Consultant) and Dr Alice Strickland (Cultural Heritage Curator, National Trust) spoke about Standen, an important Arts & Crafts house designed in the 1890s for the Beale family by Philip Webb, and the re-ordering of the interiors in the 1970s by Arthur and Helen Grogan—the first tenants of the National Trust.

Adriana Turpin, Clarissa Ward and Bridget Garza Griffin described progress of the Society’s BIFMO arm during the year, with an emphasis on two projects: the transcription of the catalogues of The Arts & Crafts Exhibition Society, 1888-1916 together with the compilation of a comprehensive index; and the identification of British and Irish immigrant furniture makers in Early America, c. 1700-1820.

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THE FURNITURE HISTORY SOCIETY

ANNUAL REPORT OF COUNCIL 2024-25

The Council (the charity trustees) of The Furniture History Society has pleasure in presenting its 60th Annual Report together with Financial Statements for the year ended 30 June 2025.

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Principal address c/o Department of Performance, Furniture, Textiles & Fashion, Victoria & Albert Museum, London SW7 2RL Website (Society) https://furniturehistorysociety.org ( BIFMO ) https://bifmo.history.ac.uk/

President and Honorary Officers

President Simon Swynfen Jervis FSA Chairman Christopher Neville Rowell FSA [e-mail] Hon. Secretary: Dr Megan Wheeler FSA (until 23 November 2024) Thomas Williams (from 23 November 2024) [e-mail] Hon. Treasurer: Martin Blue Macintosh Williams FSA [e-mail] Hon. Editorial Secretary: Dr Megan Brewster Aldrich FSA [e-mail] Other officers and committee chairpersons BIFMO Management Adriana Turpin FSA (Project Manager) Committee: [e-mail] Dr Laurie Lindey (Managerial Editor) [e-mail] Clarissa Ward (19th century Editor) [e-mail] Ann Davies (Outreach Programme Co-ordinator) [e-mail] Co-Chairs, Events Kate Hay Committee: [e-mail] Dr Amy Lim [e-mail] Secretary, Events Beatrice Goddard (until 30 September 2025) Committee: [e-mail]

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Chair, Grants Committee: Adriana Turpin FSA [e-mail] Grants Secretary: Jill Bace [e-mail] Chair, Digital Strategy Kate Hay Group: [e-mail] Finance & Membership Dr Anna Clarke Officer [e-mail] [e-mail] Editors, Newsletter Iain Stephens and Harry Bonar-Law [e-mail] Publications Officer Jill Bace [e-mail] Publications Officer Jill Bace [e-mail] Website officer Dr Megan Wheeler FSA Professional Advisers Independent Examiner: Christopher Pexton FCA c/o Begbies, London EC2A 4DJ Accountants: Begbies, Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors www.begbiesaccountants.co.uk Bankers: CAF Bank Limited, ME19 4JQ Barclays Bank Plc, Leicester LE87 2BB HSBC Bank Plc, East Grinstead RH16 4LU

Constitution

The Furniture History Society is an unincorporated membership body constituted by rules, and a registered charity numbered 251683. It was founded in 1964 to advance the study of furniture of all periods, places and kinds and to further public knowledge and appreciation of it.

Charitable Purposes and Public Benefit

The charitable purpose of the Society is the advancement of the arts, culture and heritage, and education in relation thereto. It does this by promoting the study of furniture and interior design of all periods, places and kinds and by furthering public knowledge and appreciation. The Society also assists with the preservation of furniture and associated records.

To these ends, it:

• Publishes original research in its annual journal Furniture History — much of which would otherwise remain unpublished.

• Finances its seminal reference work, the Dictionary of British Furniture Makers (now British and Irish Furniture Makers Online or BIFMO ), with a view to covering the whole of the British Isles and making the work available to all without charge to all in the form of an online searchable database.

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• Makes grants towards the preparation and publication of books and articles of a noncommercial nature.

• Helps fund the collection of oral history on the furniture trades.

• Arranges an annual international symposium, open to the public, on a topic of current interest and often related to an exhibition at a national institution.

• Encourages study by young people by providing reduced subscription rates for membership and making funds available for overseas study tours as well as study visits and weekends in the United Kingdom.

• Lobbies to save important collections of furniture and archives relating to furniture, which are under threat.

• Disseminates information and advice to the general public on matters relating to the history of furniture and interior design.

• Maintains a comprehensive website.

Structure, Governance and Management

The Society is managed by the Council, i.e., the trustee body of the charity. The trustees who served during the year 2023-24 were:

rved during the year 2023-24 were:
Simon Swynfen Jervis (President)	frst appointed 2020
Christopher Rowell (Chairman)	ditto 2013
Thomas Williams (Hon. Secretary)	ditto 23 November 2024
Dr Megan Wheeler (Hon. Secretary)	retired 23 November 2024
Martin Williams (Hon. Treasurer)	ditto 2013
Dr Megan Aldrich (Hon. Editorial Secretary)	ditto 2018
*Dr Caroline McCaffrey-Howarth	retired 23 November 2024
*Dr Jenny Saunt	frst appointed 2022
*Philip Peacock	ditto 2022
*David Oakey	ditto 2023
*Charles Thomas	ditto 2023
*Adriana Turpin	appointed to fll a casual vacancy
7 May 2024 and elected 23 November 2024
*Dr Rebecca Tilles	elected 23 November 2024

• indicates an ordinary member of Council

Council is made up of: the President; the Chairman, three Honorary Officers and six ordinary (or non-executive) members all of whom are appointed annually by the members of the Society at the Annual General Meeting.

The President

Simon Jervis’s predecessor as President, Sir Nicholas Goodison, described him as the ‘perfect furniture historian’. Simon took issue with the word ‘perfect’, but there is no doubt of his considerable scholarship and publishing output. In his professional and voluntary life, he has also achieved a rare breadth of expertise and exhibited many other qualities which have been to the Society’s benefit. He was elected President of the Society in 2020 succeeding Sir Nicholas, another polymath whose wise counsel was paramount. Whenever there was an issue affecting the Society, Simon’s advice has always been sought and has always made a difference.

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He said he would serve as President for three years, but hardly surprisingly it has been five. Simon was delighted – as are the rest of us – by the receipt only weeks ago of the largest donation in the Society’s history. This was Brian Austen’s bequest in excess of £400,000, which at the donor’s behest is to be applied to ‘the publication of research’. Simon will be involved as a continuing member of the Journal’s Editorial Advisory Group in ensuring that Brian’s legacy is fulfilled in accordance with his wishes.

The Chairman

Christopher Rowell has served as Chairman of the Society since 2013. He has brought to the post a wealth of knowledge and deep experience of furniture both British and continental, and he has skilfully handled the wide range of issues that have arisen during his term of office whilst representing the Society at the highest levels.

It is appropriate that his retirement from Council will be marked by a unique collaboration with the National Trust on the forthcoming volume (LXI) of Furniture History which is devoted to furniture in the collections of the National Trust where Rowell was National Specialist in the history, collecting, display and acquisition of furniture, as well as the advisor on the display of historic interiors.

Council proposes his appointment as President in the place of Simon Swynfen Jervis.

Sir Jonathan Marsden KCVO

The Society is exceptionally fortunate that the distinguished art historian and former Surveyor of The Queen’s Works of Art, Sir Jonathan Marsden, has accepted an invitation to chair Council.

Marsden held several curatorial rôles with the National Trust before joining the Royal Collection in 1996 as Deputy Surveyor of The Queen's Works of Art—succeeding Sir Hugh Roberts as Surveyor and Director of the Royal Collection in 2010. As Director, Marsden also chaired the Royal Collection Management Committee. He retired from the Household in December 2017.

He is, or has been, a trustee of a number of bodies connected with the heritage and the fine and decorative arts including the Art Fund, the City & Guilds of London Art School, the Georgian Group, Historic Royal Palaces, the Royal Yacht Britannia Trust and the Household Cavalry Museum Trust. He is a trustee of English Heritage and a commissioner of Historic England.

Closer to home, Marsden served as the Society’s honorary editorial secretary from 2005 to 2011, editing six volumes of Furniture History.

He has published and lectured widely on sculpture and the decorative arts and is the author of the forthcoming authoritative catalogue of European Sculpture in the Royal Collection.

Council proposes his election as Chairman.

Ordinary members of Council

The ordinary (or non-executive) members of Council may serve for a maximum of three years but are subject to re-election each year. Echoing the spirit of the proposed amendment of the constitution relating to terms of office, the foregoing list of members of Council has been enhanced by the addition of the dates of first appointment of members to their current posts.

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In accordance with the Rules, Dr Jenny Saunt and Philip Peacock, having completed their three-year terms of office as ordinary (or non-executive) members of the Council, retire and do not offer themselves for re-election. Council is very grateful to them for the work they have devoted to the affairs of the Society during their respective terms of office.

Council proposes Iain Stephens and Dr Amy Lim for election as ordinary members.

Iain Stephens

Iain developed a passion for collecting Cape Dutch furniture, whilst reading Biochemistry and Horticulture in Natal before gaining a doctorate from Universiteit Stellenbosch. He subsequently read Theology at Stellenbosch Seminary before moving to Taiwan to take up a professorship where for eight years, he developed an ongoing passion in the study and collection of Chinese Ethnic Minority Festival Costume alongside a furniture focus on Chinese yoke back armchairs.

Several years later, he had a career change to explore and better understand the ‘lumps-andbumps’ encountered in traditionally upholstered furniture, when he was apprenticed for three years under French upholsterers in the United Kingdom. This led to the Royal Household where he became Senior Conservator – Restorer of Upholstery before expanding this into his current rôle leading the Royal Household’s team of gilders, cabinetmakers, upholsterers and soft furnishers.

Dr Amy Lim

Dr Lim is a distinguished art historian, curator and lecturer, with broad research interests spanning the fine and decorative arts in Britain from the 17th to 20th centuries. She combines her roles as Curator of the Faringdon Collection at Buscot Park, Oxfordshire, and Departmental Tutor at the University of Oxford Lifelong Learning with freelance lecturing, curating and research. Dr Lim joined the Society’s Events Committee in 2022, and has served as its co-chair since January 2025.

Attendance

Council ordinarily meets four times each year, both in person and online, and is responsible for the management of the Society. During the year, attendance at Council meetings was as follows:

President	4 out of a possible 4
Chairman	4 ditto
Hon. Secretary	3 out of a possible 3
Hon. Treasurer	4 out of a possible 4
Hon. Editorial Secretary	4 ditto
Dr Jenny Saunt	4 ditto
Philip Peacock	4 ditto
David Oakey	2 out of a possible 4
Charles Thomas	3 ditto
Adriana Turpin	4 ditto
Dr Rebecca Tilles	2 out of a possible 3

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Committees and other groups

Currently there are five groups which report to Council: three committees – Events, Grants and BIFMO Management; and two groups, the Digital Strategy Group and the Editorial Group (reports via the Hon. Editor). The members of all these assemblies are appointed by Council. The Honorary Officers are ex-officio members of all committees. Any actions, including the decisions of any committee, must be reported to and confirmed by Council as soon as is practicable and this is done by circulating the minutes of their meetings to Council.

As trustees, Council members take decisions in the best interests of the Society as a whole, and they operate in accordance with a code of conduct which makes explicit reference to the need for objectivity.

Governance activity during the year included consideration of the terms of office of the senior members of Council, i.e., President, Chairman and honorary officers, and the decision to further review Rule 7 (see Explanatory Note on pp. 4 ff) .

Officers

The Society’s day-to-day business is managed by the Honorary Officers together with a small group of staff namely Anna Clarke (Finance & Membership Officer); Jill Bace (Publications Officer and Grants Secretary); The Events Secretary; Dr Megan Wheeler (Website Officer), and Ann Davies (BIFMO Outreach Programmes Co-ordinator).

These individuals, together with the Hon. Treasurer, the Hon. Secretary and BIFMO’s Project Manager (Adriana Turpin), make up an informal Operations Group (chaired by the Hon. Treasurer) which meets every 4-6 weeks.

Council is deeply appreciative of the commitment and hard work of all these individuals as well as that of the honorary officers and all who serve on the Society’s committees.

Tributes and Appreciations

Dame Rosalind Savill DBE FSA, 1951-2024

Many members will have seen the deservedly fulsome obituaries of Ros Savill, that have appeared in many national newspapers and publications such as The Burlington Magazine. Those who knew her—and there were many—will mourn the loss of her learning, her encyclopædic knowledge of Sèvres porcelain and above all, her love of life. It was entirely appropriate that one of her Christian names was ‘Joy’. She shared her passion for the fine arts with everyone she encountered whether duke or amateur collector. Her laughter was infectious: her friendship something to relish. We miss her presence in our lives and extend our deepest condolences to her family.

Among other deaths notified to the Society were Michael Whiteway (1948-2024), an authority on nineteenth-century design and one of London’s most influential dealers in the decorative arts; and Georg Himmelheber (1929-2024), the most prominent German furniture historian of the past half-century.

We are pleased to record the appointment of member Sara Heaton as a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO)—for her service as Course Administrator, Royal Collection Studies.

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Publications

The Journal

During the year, the overdue decennial index of Furniture History from 2010 to 2019 was compiled and delivered by Christine Shuttleworth, who reported that it was a ‘fascinating project’. The electronic files are now stored by the Hon. Editorial Secretary and will likely be available on JSTOR from early in 2026. The Society must now consider under what circumstances it wishes to proceed with printing the Index in paper form—possibly on a subscription basis for those who want it in hard copy.

The Journal for 2024 (Volume LX) was an attractive one with a variety of topics pertaining to the interests of the late Philip Hewat-Jaboor, to whose memory it was dedicated. It is noteworthy that articles on pietre dure and hardstones in general, one of his great interests, now regularly appear within the pages of Furniture History .

Volume LXI of the Journal (2025) represents a departure for the Society in that it is dedicated to furniture in National Trust collections; the Trust has not only very generously supplied all the photography at no cost, but it has also commissioned new photography for this volume. There will be 22 articles on a range of furniture and furnishings at varied and diverse Trust properties.

The volume has a single author (not wholly without precedent in the Journal’s history)— the Society’s retiring Chairman, Christopher Rowell. The articles were researched during his 20-year long career with the Trust as its Curator of Furniture, making it a fitting tribute to his Chairmanship of the Society. The Hon. Editorial Secretary is extremely grateful to the Editorial Advisory Group for its hard work and dedication in reading a large number of draft articles that were shaped and selected for inclusion in this volume. In addition, special thanks are due to Megan Wheeler as the liaison between the Society and the Trust for this volume. Her hard work has helped to shape this volume of Furniture History , and we are very grateful to her.

Finally, two finished articles have already been received for the 2026 volume (LXII) of the Journal! About ten further proposals have been received for consideration by the Editorial Advisory Group in the autumn of 2025, when work will begin in earnest on Furniture History 2026. The Hon. Editorial Secretary is pleased to report that the Journal appears to be in robust health at present.

Newsletter

The editing of the Newsletter was shared by Iain Stephens (February and August issues), and Harry Bonar-Law (May and November issues). The editors would like to thank all the contributors, including the Society’s officers, report-writers, the authors of the lead articles and the shorter ‘New Discoveries and Research’ articles.

During the year, lead articles were written by Clive Edwards on What’s in a Name? ‘The Cabinet Makers Society’ (No. 235); Dr Jenny Saunt entitled Cabinet Reshuffle (236), and Christopher Payne on François Linke at Buckingham Palace (238). Other contributions include regular updates on BIFMO and its work.

The editors also thank Dr Wolf Burchard for continuing to commission and edit a wide variety of book reviews, and thanks are also due to the many contributing book reviewers. Anyone

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considering writing about a discovery, fresh research, news, or a forthcoming exhibition or conference relevant to furniture history, is encouraged to get in touch with the editors whose contact details are set out on the back page of each Newsletter. The editors will supply guidelines on house style, including recommended word-counts, on request.

Publications for sale

During the 2024-25 year, sales have remained low, with the few requests for purchase once again confined to recent volumes of Furniture History . No new publications have been added to the stock since 2017, and this reflects the lack of interest in the books currently available. The physical stock is now located at the Society’s printers, Lavenham Press, with a dedicated person to manage the despatch of orders. Notice of the availability of the Society’s publications for purchase has been posted on the Instagram platform.

Back issues of Furniture History remain priced at £30 (UK), £35 (Continental Europe) and £48 for the rest of the world, including postage and packing charges. Anyone interested in purchasing books or Journals should consult the website for the complete list of publications on offer along with an up-to-date price list.

British and Irish Furniture Makers Online (“BIFMO”)

BIFMO is managed through a dedicated management committee which is chaired by Christopher Rowell as Chairman of the Society. Members are the four honorary officers ex officio as well as the Project Manager and Deputy Chairman of the committee, Adriana Turpin, and Stephen Jackson. Anna Clarke (Finance Officer), Dr Laurie Lindey (Managerial Editor) and Clarissa Ward (19th Century Editor) attend meetings of the committee.

BIFMO’s outreach programme is advised by an informal group consisting of Christopher Claxton-Stephens, Leela Hardy, Tessa Wild and Matthew Winterbottom, led by Adriana Turpin. We are very grateful to these individuals for their contributions to the various research projects as well as to Ann Davies, who continues to ably administer the BIFMO courses and the Digital Research Programme.

Outreach

During the year, the Society ran two online courses with the intention of promoting BIFMO and raising money to support it. The November 2024 course, ‘British Furniture Abroad in the Eighteenth Century: its impact and influence’ comprised three presentations each lasting 150 minutes and delivered once a week. The total number of attendees was 113, of whom 100 were members. The course raised £5,915 gross.

The June 2025 course dealt with ‘The Evolution of the British Villa:1600-1900’ and was configured differently with three presentations totalling two hours delivered each week over four weeks. The total number attending was 110 and the gross ticket sales totalled £6,267 gross.

BIFMO-FHS Digital Research Programme.

This programme was created for students based in the UK to enable them to work collaboratively with a student in the US on a research project devised by a country house curator with a

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digital outcome enabling it to be used on the website of the house or estate involved. The US-based Iris Foundation generously supports the project with a grant spread over the three years 2024-2026.

In March 2025, a well-attended online workshop was held to showcase the outcomes of the two summer 2024 projects: the first on early 18th century chairs in the Castle Howard collection, and the recreation of the dining room at Cleveland House, forming part of the history of Raby Castle.

Applicants for the 2025 programme were selected in April. There were 17 excellent applicants for six places. Thanks to the generous support of the houses involved, it was decided to involve nine students in four projects based at Chatsworth, the Buccleuch Estates and Raby Castle. The projects commenced in June 2025 with the outcomes due in the autumn.

Research and data

Laurie Lindey (Managing Editor) and Clarissa Ward (Editor, 1840-1914) created 672 new biographical accounts and developed 1,025 existing accounts with published and/or primary information. The BIFMO database now contains 86,293 records. Members may enjoy reading some, such as Charles Wilkinson of Wilkinson & Sons (1808-1890) in Old Bond Street, London; and two English furniture makers who immigrated to Early America: Gabriel Leaver (1780-1795), a cabinet maker and upholsterer from London, who settled in Savannah, Georgia and Daniel Silcox (1835-1873), a Somerset cabinet maker, who established his business in Charleston, South Carolina.

The BIFMO editors also completed two sponsored projects: The Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society (Albert Dawson Education Trust); and the Graham Gadd Archive of trade cards and letterheads (Canaday Family Charitable Trust and Abrams Foundation). Our third funded project, Migration and Craftmanship is ongoing; generous backing from The Dean F. Failey, Decorative Arts Trust grant ended in January, but the project is currently supported by funds from The Canaday Trust and the Abrams Foundation.

The database attracted over 79,500 readers in the period 30 June 2024-30 June 2025. 70 per cent were from English speaking countries, particularly the United Kingdom, United States, Ireland and Australia, the remainder from countries across continental Europe, and further afield, Egypt, Vietnam, and India, amongst others.

BIFMO’s editorial work and hosting is supported through generous support from the Society’s 50th Anniversary Fund, the charitable trusts mentioned elsewhere in this report as well as private donors and outreach initiatives.

Grants

In addition to the four honorary officers ex officio , during 2024-25, the members of the Grants committee were Adriana Turpin (Chair), Rufus Bird, Olivia Fryman, Peter Holmes, Helen Jacobsen and Lucy Wood. The Finance Officer and the Grants Officer, Jill Bace, also attend

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its meetings. The committee received with regret the resignation of Peter Holmes, and Hon. Secretary’s decision to stand down from active engagement because of the pressure of work.

The following grants were authorised during the period from the Ingram Fund.

Name:	Amount:	Purpose:
Rumeysa Memis	£563.00	Research travel to Scotland
Dominic Bannister	700.00	Participation in Society’s Study Trip to Dresden
Barro Willen De Gast	1,500.00	Book photography
Alienor Cros	65.00	Participation in Society’s visit to Buckingham Palace
Caroline Newton	790.00	ditto Leeds Study weekend
Penny Sparke	1,500.00	Homes from Home project
Lola Cindric	500.00	Workshop at University of Derby
Ann Davies	484.70	Research travel to Wales
Annie Coggan	£787.70	Travel costs related to research in London

Early Career Development (‘ECD’)

The Society’s ECD programme is organised under the auspices of the Grants committee and since Autumn 2023, has been managed by five co-ordinator members: Penelope Hines, Isabelle Vaudrey, Alienor Cros, Simon Spier and Adele Bourbonne. This year the group welcomed Rainer Schraepen and Ana Moas and bid farewell with many thanks to Alienor Cros and Simon Spier. In the US, the ECD group is ably managed by Catherine Doucette and Maeve Diepenbrock.

Well-attended events included a tour of the André-Charles Boulle exhibition at the Wallace Collection; a view of the Abel Sloane collection; a visit to the Treasure House Fair; and an evening at Bonhams followed by a social gathering. In the US, a trip to the Walters Art Gallery and the Hillwood Estate in Baltimore was the highlight of the calendar.

The ECD WhatsApp group continues to be a great success, with members actively participating and facilitating the planning of events. Plans are underway for the Society to host the eighth ECD Research Symposium in London, which is scheduled for January 2026.

Events

As well as the four Hon. Officers ex officio , membership of the Events committee includes: Elizabeth Baxter, Anne-Marie Bannister, Conor Deasy, Dr Melanie Doderer-Winkler, Sara Heaton, William Lorimer, Kerry Monaghan Smith, Dr Tessa Murdoch, Michael Shrive and Maude Willaerts. The committee is chaired by Kate Hay and Dr Amy Lim and ably shepherded by the Overseas Events Manager (Cristina Alfonsin) and the Events Secretary.

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Annual Lecture

Dr Susan Weber gave the Annual Lecture on ‘Philip Speakman Webb, Architect and Designer of the Arts and Crafts Movement’ on 26 March 2025 at the Society of Antiquaries. In addition to being a good friend of the Society, Dr Weber is founder and Director of the Bard Graduate Center in New York where she is the Iris Horowitz Professor in the History of Decorative Arts.

Annual General Meeting

The AGM was held on 23 November 2024 at the East India Club. The proceedings, and the talks delivered afterwards, are summarised elsewhere in this Report.

Annual Symposium

The 49th Annual Symposium ‘The Art of the Dolls’ House’ was held on 22 March 2025 at the Victoria & Albert Museum. It was organised by Dr Tessa Murdoch and co-chaired by Christopher Rowell and Dr Megan Wheeler. There was an excellent attendance (100+) and the event was also live-streamed. There was an associated visit to the Huguenot Museum, Rochester to view Sarah Lethieullier’s 1730s dolls’ house, on loan from Uppark.

Tours and Visits

During the year, the Events committee organised a series of events which were generally well supported by members. There were two weekend UK study trips: Merseyside led by Lucy Wood and Dr Stephen Lloyd; and to Leeds led by Adam Toole, Curator at Temple Newsam. There were two Overseas Study trips: to Dresden led by Dr Melanie Doderer-Winkler; and to Northern Ireland led by Willie Lorimer and Sara Heaton—both ably organised by the new Overseas Events Manager, Cristina Alfonsín.

In the six months commencing 1 July 2024, there were day visits to Spencer House, SW1; Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincolnshire; and Christopher Howe’s Gallery & Showroom. This year to date, there have been viewings of the Chambers Medal Cabinet recently installed at the Victoria & Albert Museum; John Hardy's personal collection and the exhibition entitled ‘Versailles: Science and Splendour’ at the Science Museum; as well as visits to two London clubs (Brooks’s and the Athenæum); Buckingham Palace; the Foreign Secretary’s official residence, Dorneywood; and Nick Wright’s collection of twentieth-century furniture. In addition, there was a successful Study Day at Clough Williams-Ellis’s baroque Italianate fantasy, Portmeirion. Sadly, our group did not catch sight of ‘Prisoner number Six’.

Thanks

As rich a programme as that detailed above is only possible because of the generosity of our hosts, speakers and collaborators to whom we are extremely grateful. Many devoted considerable time and effort in preparing for these events to ensure that the Society continues to fulfil one of its charitable aims—the promotion of the study of the history of furniture.

Events Secretary

Although strictly speaking, it falls outside the period under review, it is with great regret that we record the resignation of the Events Secretary, Beatrice Goddard, from the end of September

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1. Since her appointment in 2018, she has ably guided the Society’s events in the UK (and exceptionally for two years, the overseas ones as well) always unflappable and herding members with great good humour and efficiency. The Society’s loss is the Attingham Trust’s gain.

The co-chairs of the Events committee are leading on finding Beatrice’s successor who will be in place before the end of the year.

Digital Steering Group

The Society continues to be active on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Linktree. A social media presence is essential in a fast-changing communications world. Its presence reaches well beyond the membership, raising the profile of the Society and promoting the study of furniture history. The Instagram account now has over 9000 regular ‘followers’ but has a much wider reach, with 129,609 views over in the 90 days to July 2025, 25% of which were by non-followers.

Instagram also has a wide geographical reach with 30% of viewers during that period in the UK, 18% in the US and others world-wide. The most popular posts included reports of the Society’s activities, a call for new members to join the Society, and recruitment for a new Events Secretary. Our Social Media Manager, Maeve Diepenbrock, notes that short videos are also much viewed.

Posts on Instagram are simultaneously posted on the Society’s Facebook page, which has over 1200 followers. The Linkedin page has over 500 followers and is used for circulating the ECD Group news and other updates aimed at professionals and students.

The Steering Group meets quarterly to monitor the Society’s online presence. At the yearend, in addition to the Honorary Officers ex officio , membership comprised Kate Hay (Chair), Adriana Turpin, Megan Wheeler (Website Officer) and Ella Jerman-Riddell, external adviser (from April 2025). Maeve Diepenbrok (Social Media Manager), Ann Davies (BIFMO Events Organiser), and the Events Secretary attend meetings.

Website

The number of users of the FHS website rose to 13,400 in the 12 months prior to 30 June 2025 (2024: 11,000). Increasingly, users are being directed to the website from AI platforms and the Society’s social media channels. The most popular pages are those dedicated to Events, Membership, ‘About Us’ and Journals.

The Events page for the Society’s 49th Annual Symposium received over 1,083 visitors and videos of the events, posted on the website for members only, continue to be popular. The five videos which are publicly available on our YouTube channel (all generated by the Early Career Development (ECD) Research Symposium) have received a combined total of 767 views.

Of those views, 523 were of Episode V, A painted wooden Crate Chair designed by Gerrit Rietveld with Maude Willaerts. Given this success, the Society might want to consider making more of its content public, whilst reserving some content solely for members. Plans for 2025-26 include producing a page dedicated to the ECD group.

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If members have any suggestions for the content of the Society’s website, please contact Megan Wheeler at [e-mail].

Membership

The net movement in the number of members during the year was a positive 28, bringing the total at the year-end (30 June 2025) to 1097 (2024: 1069). The net movement is made up of 127 new members (2024: 116) offset by the resignation of 10 members (2024: 54) and the striking off for non-payment of 89 members (2024: 43). The Membership Officer is working on a solution to improve the collection of payments from Overseas members as the Society is no longer able to bank cheques drawn in foreign currency or on a non-UK bank.

Finance

The late Dr Brian Austen

In 2024, the Society was told that it had been named as a beneficiary in Brian Austen’s Will and Council is pleased to report that soon after the year-end, the Society received a sum in excess of £400,000.

Brian served the Society faithfully for more than 35 years as Membership Secretary; author of A Handbook of Styles in English Antique Furniture (1974), and an assistant editor of the Dictionary of English Furniture Makers 1660-1840, published by the Society in 1986. He was a world expert on and an assiduous collector of Tunbridge Ware as well as an extremely astute stamp collector.

In his Will, he specified that the benefaction is 'for the publication of research' and Council will be discussing the benefaction in order to ensure that his wishes are carried out as faithfully as possible.

Ways & Means—Overview

The budgeted overall position for the financial year ending 30 June 2025 was a deficit of £15,000. It is pleasing to be able to report that the actual outturn position is a surplus of £4,585 (2024: £5,384 deficit) on the Unrestricted Fund, and overall a small net deficit of £3,173 (2024: £15,285 deficit) before adjusting for the movements in the value of the investments. The contributing factors are made up from variances in both income and expenditure.

The late Sir Nicholas and Lady (Judith) Goodison have been exceptionally generous to the Society since its inception in many ways, most recently by enabling the creation of a restricted fund to assist with the costs of publishing the Journal in future years. During the year Council named this fund the Goodison Journal fund.

Income & Expenditure

Total Income of the Society for the year 2024-25 amounted to £239,987 (2024: £205,420) with the underlying income from membership subscriptions rising to £85,100 (2024: £81,906). In part, the increase arises from an increase of approx. £3,600 in the Gift Aid recovery from HMRC.

During the year, we have also seen favourable variances arising from, first, the introduction of paid advertising in the Newsletter—thanks to the joint editors for their efforts in this area; second, a higher-than-expected income from Visits & Events; and third, two generous

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donations. The creation of the current decennial index meant that the costs of the Journal overran the initial budget by some £8,000, but this was financed in part by generous gifts from Lady Goodison and James Joll.

Expenditure totalled £243,160 (2024: £220,705). The higher income from the Visits & Events programme was accompanied by a corresponding rise in the associated costs. There were savings on the costs associated with the officers’ remuneration, website costs and office administration.

The draw down from the Anniversary Fund to finance part of the underlying administration and IT costs associated with BIFMO and its activities was within budget totalling just under the agreed budget figure of £12,000.

There was a second draw-down of £8,051 from the Anniversary Fund to support the large Grants programme which amounted to £8,051 against an original budget figure of £5,000.

Balance Sheet

Charity accounting regulations stipulate that the increase or decrease in the value of the Society’s investment assets during an accounting period must be reflected in the accounts. On 30 June 2025, the net valuation of the investments exceeded the 2024 figure by £6,079 (2024: £28,278 gain). We are looking to our external accountants (Messrs Begbies) for guidance on the appropriate timing of a revaluation of the property investment underlying the Gadd fund.

At 30 June 2025, the Society’s net current assets amounted to £95,162 together with listed investments valued at £398,269 (2024: £392,190) and its total net wealth £869,431 (2024: £866,525).

Other financial matters

During the year, our new Finance Officer, Anna Clarke, quickly mastered the complexities of the Society’s accounting and membership systems—still largely paper-based. One important target was the setting-up and implementation of finance software package named QuickBooks. A sector standard, it has benefit of moving the Society’s accounts towards a paperless environment which is better suited to a primarily remote working operations team. A further benefit is that the Society is now able to submit VAT returns without the support of its external accountants, resulting in a modest cost saving.

The Society’s bankers have said that they will not accept cheques drawn on a bank outside the UK. This has caused an issue around subscriptions received from abroad: the Finance Officer is working on a solution, but this is inevitably going to inconvenience the small number of members who pay in this way.

Outlook

It is a positive sign that the Society has made a surplus during this financial year on the Unrestricted fund and the position for the current year should further improve given the modest rise in the subscription rates that are being implemented in the current financial year.

Following the receipt of the Austen bequest, the Society’s cash and investments total in excess of £1M and the Hon. Treasurer recommends that Council investigates the appointment of an investment advisor.

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Post of Honorary Treasurer

About 18 months ago, the Honorary Treasurer said that he would not be offering himself for re-election in 2026, and Council is seeking a successor. The post is not remunerated, part-time and takes up perhaps three days per month. The Treasurer currently chairs the Operations group and attends meetings of Council (four per annum) and of some committees (the majority of all meetings on Zoom). It is not necessary to be a qualified accountant although familiarity with the profit & loss account and balance sheet of an SME would be helpful.

Any member who is interested is encouraged to ask Martin Williams at mail@mbmwilliams. co.uk or 20 Rutland Terrace, Stamford, Lincs. PE9 2QD for further details and a rôle description.

Governance

The constitutional matters arising from the change to Rule 7 have been addressed earlier in the report, as have the appointment of a new President and Chairman.

The Future

The Chairman writes ‘It is impossible to predict the future, but the Society is increasingly well placed to take advantage of whatever it offers. Brian Austen, whose generous and munificent bequest has been mentioned elsewhere in this report, has specified the ‘publication of research’ as the purpose of his legacy, which sits well with the Society’s devotion to that aim. One hopes that there will be a rising trend of membership and that we shall continue to encourage overseas members who have remained at about a third of the Society’s strength.

Meanwhile, all aspects of this energetic Society continue to thrive from grants, events, publications, the international encouragement of younger scholars (Early Career Development), the expansion of the almost ten-year-old BIFMO and its self-financing events and courses, the annual conference and lecture and a myriad of other activities germane to the Society’s fundamental purposes. The future looks bright, especially as the Society is so well served by its voluntary and paid staff, and by its trustees.

Responsibilities of Council

The Charities Act 2011 requires the Officers and Council of the Society (i.e., the charity trustees) to prepare accounts for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Society and of the surplus or deficit of the Society for that period. In preparing these accounts the Council and Officers are required to:

• Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• Prepare the accounts on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate.

• Follow applicable accounting standards

The Officers are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Society, and the Officers and

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Council are responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Society and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities, by establishing and maintaining a satisfactory system of control over the Society’s accounting records, cash holdings and all its receipts and remittances.

Risk Review

Some years ago, Council (as the trustee body) conducted an informal review of the major risks to which the Society is exposed and systems have been put in place to mitigate those risks. Internal risks are minimised by the implementation of procedures for the authorisation of transactions and projects and to ensure consistent quality of delivery for all operational aspects of the Society.

These procedures are periodically reviewed to ensure that they still meet its needs. It is at least seven years since Council did this and the arrival of a new Chairman seems an appropriate moment to repeat the exercise. The Treasurer and the Finance Officer will lead.

Statement of Disclosure to the Independent Examiner

So far as Council is aware, there is no relevant information concerning the independent examination of the Accounts of which the Society’s independent examiner is unaware. In addition, the members of Council have taken all the steps they ought to have taken as members of Council and charity trustees in order to make themselves aware of any relevant information and to establish that the Society’s independent examiner is aware of that information.

Independent Examiner

At the Annual General Meeting, Council will propose that Christopher Pexton FCA of Messrs Begbies, Chartered Accountants, be re-appointed to act as the independent examiner of the Society’s financial statements for the ensuing year..

Approved by Council and signed on their behalf on 2 October 2025..

Christopher Rowell Chairman of Trustees

Martin Williams Trustee and Hon. Treasurer

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THE FURNITURE HISTORY SOCIETY

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2025

		Unrestricted	Designated	Restricted	Total	Total
	Notes	Fund	Fund	Funds	2025	2024
		£	£	£	£	£
Income From:-
Membership Subscriptions	2	85,100	—	—	85,100	81,906
Donations, Grants and Legacies	3	4,204	16,250	15,321	35,775	22,709
Charitable Activities	4	84,753	—	11,122	95,875	80,070
Trading Activities	5	5,532	—	—	5,532	3,608
Investment Income	6	5,040	—	12,665	17,705	17,127
Total		184,629	16,250	39,108	239,987	205,420
Expenditure On:-
Charitable Activities	7	179,039	10,044	54,077	243,160	220,705
Total		179,039	10,044	54,077	243,160	220,705
Transfers between funds		—	—	—	—	—
Net (Defcit) Surplus		5,590	6,206	(14,969)	(3,173)	(15,285)
Other Recognised Gains/(Losses)
Gains (Losses) on Investment Assets		(1,005)	—	7,084	6,079	28,278
Net Movement in Funds		4,585	6,206	(7,885)	2,906	12,993
Reconciliation of Funds
Total Funds Brought Forward		118,264	13,256	735,005	866,525	853,532
Total Funds Carried Forward		122,849	19,462	727,120	869,431	866,525

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THE FURNITURE HISTORY SOCIETY BALANCE SHEET AS AT 30 JUNE 2025

THE FURNITURE HISTORY SOCIETY BALANCE SHEET AS AT 30 JUNE 2025	THE FURNITURE HISTORY SOCIETY BALANCE SHEET AS AT 30 JUNE 2025
Notes 2025 2024 £ £ £ £ Fixed Assets Investments - Listed Investments 11(a) 398,269 392,190 - Property 11(b) 376,000 376,000 Total Fixed Assets 774,269 768,190 Current Assets Debtors 12 29,019 8,351 Interest-Earning Deposits 22,895 26,109 Balances at Bank 97,360 110,897 Total Current Assets 149,274 145,357 Current Liabilities Amounts falling due within one year 13 (54,112) (46,678) Net Current Assets 95,162 98,679 Total Assets less Current Liabilities 869,431 866,869 Creditors: Amounts falling due after more than one year Deferred Income - Membership — (344) Total Net Assets £869,431 £866,525 The Funds of the Charity: Unrestricted General Fund 14 122,849 118,264 Designated Fund Howard Fund 14 7,850 8,256 Journal Fund 14 11,612 5,000 Restricted Funds Ingram Fund 14 232,405 228,509 Anniversary Fund 14 118,557 130,338 Hilda Gadd Fund 14 376,000 376,000 Card Makers Donation 14 158 158 727,120 735,005 Total Charity Funds £869,431 £866,525 Approved on behalf of the Council on 2 October 2025
Fixed Assets Investments - Listed Investments 11(a) - Property 11(b) Total Fixed Assets Current Assets Debtors 12 29,019 Interest-Earning Deposits 22,895 Balances at Bank 97,360 Total Current Assets 149,274 Current Liabilities Amounts falling due within one year 13 (54,112) Net Current Assets Total Assets less Current Liabilities Creditors: Amounts falling due after more than one year Deferred Income - Membership Total Net Assets The Funds of the Charity: Unrestricted General Fund 14 Designated Fund Howard Fund 14 Journal Fund 14 Restricted Funds Ingram Fund 14 232,405 Anniversary Fund 14 118,557 Hilda Gadd Fund 14 376,000 Card Makers Donation 14 158 Total Charity Funds Approved on behalf of the Council on 2 October 2025	398,269 376,000 774,269 8,351 26,109 110,897 145,357 (46,678) 95,162 869,431 — £869,431 122,849 7,850 11,612 228,509 130,338 376,000 158 727,120 £869,431

Christopher rowell: Chairman Martin williaMs: Hon Treasurer

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THE FURNITURE HISTORY SOCIETY NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS AS AT 30 JUNE 2025

1. Accounting Policies

( a ) Basis of preparation

The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the second edition of the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice issued in October 2019, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.

The trustees consider there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.

( b ) Public benefit entity

The Charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.

( c ) Cash Flow

The Society has taken advantage of the exemption in FRS 102 from the requirement to produce a cash flow statement on the grounds that it qualifies as a smaller charity.

( d ) Incoming Resources

Voluntary income and subscriptions are accounted for as received by the Society. We have received donations in the year relating to restricted funds.

( e ) Life Membership Subscriptions

An annual transfer was made to the credit of subscriptions equal to the amount which each life member would have paid on an annual basis. The balance was carried forward as deferred income. This fund is now exhausted as Life Membership has been suspended.

( f ) Investments

Investments are stated at market value. Realised and unrealised gains and losses are dealt with in the Statement of Financial Activities. Investment income and interest are accounted for as received by the Society.

( g ) Allocation of Costs

Costs are allocated to General Fund unless specific to other funds.

( h ) Resources Expended

Resources expended are recognised in the period in which they are incurred.

( i ) Governance Costs

Governance costs comprise all costs involving the public accountability of the charity and its compliance with regulation and good practice. The costs include those relating to external audit.

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( j ) Foreign Currencies

Transactions denominated in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at the rate of exchange ruling at the date of the transaction. Assets and liabilities in foreign currencies are translated into sterling at rates of exchange ruling at the end of the financial year. All exchange differences are dealt with in the profit and loss account.

( k ) Restricted Funds

Restricted Funds are funds which are used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by the donor or trust deed. There are five restricted funds. (1) The Tom Ingram Fund (the "Ingram Fund") is an endowment fund which is used to assist young members of the Society to pursue studies and research into furniture and its history. (2) The Fiftieth Anniversary Appeal Fund (the "Anniversary Fund") is an expendable fund which has been set up to assist with education, research and publication on furniture and its history. (3) The Hilda Colquhoun Gadd Fund (the "Hilda Gadd Fund") is an endowment fund, the asset of which was gifted to advance the study of the history of furniture or bibliographies of the same. (4) The Goodison Journal Fund (the "Goodison Journal Fund") is a restricted fund established to defray part of the cost of producing the Society's Journal. (5) The Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards Donation (the "Card Makers Donation") is an expendable fund established using a grant from the aforesaid Company to subsidise the subscriptions to the Society of young people over a period of three years.

2. 3. 4.	Subscriptions - General Fund 2025 £ 2024 £
	Subscriptions under Gift Aid 33,956 34,341 Income Tax Recovered 8,492 8,585 Subscriptions not under Gift Aid 42,652 38,980
	85,100 81,906
	Donations, Grants and Legacies 2025 £ 2024 £
	Gifts 4,204 7,618 Grants 31,571 15,091 Legacies — —
	35,775 22,709
	Income From Charitable Activities 2025 £ 2024 £
	Visits and Tours 77,860 54,302 Lectures and Symposia 18,015 25,768
	95,875 80,070

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5. 6. 7.	Income From Trading Activities 2025 £ 2024 £
	Publications and Royalties 5,532 3,608
	5,532 3,608
	Investment Income 2025 £ 2024 £
	Income from Listed Investments 16,609 16,024 Interest Receivable on Cash Deposits 1,096 1,103
	17,705 17,127
	Expenditure Unrestricted Fund £ Restricted Funds £ Designated Funds £ Total 2025 £ Total 2024 £ Charitable Activities Visits and Tours 73,335 — — 73,335 53,094 Lectures and Symposia 5,232 8,200 — 13,432 18,088 Donations and Grants — 28,402 406 28,808 18,282 Journals 16,504 — 9,638 26,142 17,905 Newsletters 12,257 — — 12,257 11,625 107,328 36,602 10,044 153,974 118,994 Support Costs Secretarial and Administration 43,695 11,650 — 55,345 59,116 Travel 664 — — 664 662 Mailing, Postage and Telephones 11,290 — — 11,290 13,668 Printing and Stationery 334 — — 334 621 Warehousing 732 — — 732 1,925 Finance and Accountancy Software 3,901 60 — 3,961 6,160 Website costs 6,431 5,640 — 12,071 13,143 67,046 17,350 — 84,396 95,295 Governance Costs Examiner's remuneration 2,940 — — 2,940 2,400 Insurance 1,635 — — 1,635 1,518 Trustees’ Costs 90 125 — 215 2,498 4,665 125 — 4,790 6,416 Total 179,039 54,077 10,044 243,160 220,705

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8. 9. 10. 11.

Visits and Tours 2025 £ 2024 £ Income 77,860 54,302 Less: Expenditure (73,335) (53,094) Surplus for Year 4,525 1,208 Lectures and Symposia 2025 £ 2024 £ Income 18,015 25,768 Less: Expenditure (13,432) (18,088) Surplus for Year 4,583 7,680 Net Incoming Resources 2025 £ 2024 £ This is stated after charging: Accountants’ remuneration 2,940 2,400 Investments 2025 £ 2024 £ a) Listed Investments: Market Value at 1 July 2024 392,190 363,912 Purchases During the Year at Cost — 32,626 Disposals/Proceeds During the year — (32,626) Realised gain on Disposals — 12,560 Changes in Unrealised Gains 6,079 15,718 Market Value at 30 June 2025 398,269 392,190 Historical Cost at 30 June 2025 277,259 277,529

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11. Investments continued

	General	Ingram	Anniversary	Total	Total
	Fund	Fund	Fund	2025	2024
	£	£	£	£	£
Listed Investments - UK
M&G ‘Charifund’ Income Shares	51,122	66,133	—	117,255	113,064
COIF Income Shares	59,282	14,821	—	74,103	77,641
Schroders Charity Multi Asset Fund	—	58,457	114,647	173,104	167,633
CAF ESG Cautious Fund	—	33,807	—	33,807	33,852
	110,404	173,218	114,647	398,269	392,190

The investments are held primarily to provide an investment return for the Society.

b)	Property	2025	2024
		£	£
	At Valuation at 1 July 2024	376,000	376,000
	Revaluation inyear	—	—
	At Valuation at 30 June 2025	376,000	376,000

In 2015, a residential property in Twickenham was donated to the Society subject to a tenancy for life at no rent in favour of the donors. It is Council's intention that, when vacant possession is obtained, the freehold interest will be sold and the monies realised used to provide an income for the purposes of the Hilda Gadd fund (see Note 1(k)).

12.	Debtors 2025 £ 2024 £ Prepayments and Accrued Income 14,456 7,290 Gift Aid 12,762 — Value Added Tax 1,801 1,061 29,019 8,351

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13.	Current Liabilities 2025 £ 2024 £
	Amounts Falling Due Within One Year Deferred Income 20,925 38,098 Accruals 33,187 8,580
	54,112 46,678

Deferred Income comprises income from subscriptions, tours, lectures and visits, received in advance and which will form part of incoming resources during the following financial year.

14(a) Movements in Funds

Movements in Funds
Current year (2024-25)	Unrestricted Fund	Designated Fund			Restricted	Funds
	General	Howard	Goodison	Ingram	Anniversary	Hilda Gadd	Card Makers	Total
	Fund	Fund	Journal Fund	Fund	Fund	Fund	Donation	2024
	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
Income From:-
Membership Subscriptions	85,100	—	—	—	—	—	—	85,100
Donations, Grants and Legacies	4,204	—	16,250	—	15,321	—	—	35,775
Charitable Activities	84,753	—	—	—	11,122	—	—	95,875
Other Trading Activities	5,532	—	—	—	—	—	—	5,532
Investment Income and Interest	5,040	—	—	8,265	4,400	—	—	17,705
Total	184,629	—	16,250	8,265	30,843	—	—	239,987
Expenditure On:-
Charitable Expenditure	179,039	406	9,638	7,830	46,247	—	—	243,160
Total	179,039	406	9,638	7,830	46,247	—	—	243,160
Transfers between funds	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Net (Defcit)/Income	5,590	(406)	6,612	435	(15,404)	—	—	(3,173)
Other Recognised Gains and
(Losses)
Gains on Investment Assets	(1,005)	—	—	3,461	3,623	—	—	6,079
Net Movements in Funds	4,585	(406)	6,612	3,896	(11,781)	—	—	2,906
Balance Brought Forward at 1 July 2024	118,264	8,256	5,000	228,509	130,338	376,000	158	866,525
Balance Carried Forward at 30 June 2025	122,849	7,850	11,612	232,405	118,557	376,000	158	869,431

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14(b) Movements in Funds

Movements in Funds
Previous year (2023-24)	Unrestricted Fund	Designated Fund			Restricted	Funds
	General	Howard	Journal	Ingram	Anniversary	Gadd	Card Makers	Total
	Fund	Fund	Fund	Fund	Fund	Fund	Donation	2024
	£	£	£	£	£	£	£	£
Income Fro m:-
Membership Subscriptions	81,906	—	—	—	—	—	—	81,906
Donations, Grants and Legacies	5,999	—	5,000	—	11,710	—	—	22,709
Charitable Activities	62,608	—	—	—	17,462	—	—	80,070
Other Trading Activities	3,608	—	—	—	—	—	—	3,608
Investment Income and Interest	4,850	—	—	7,962	4,315	—	—	17,127
Total	158,971	—	5,000	7,962	33,487	—	—	205,420
Expenditure On:-
Charitable Expenditure	174,775	—	—	6,419	39,511	—	—	220,705
Total	174,775	—	—	6,419	39,511	—	—	220,705
Transfers between funds	1,845	(1,734)	—	—	—	—	(111)	—
Net (Defcit)/Income	(13,959)	(1,734)	5,000	1,543	(6,024)	—	(111)	(15,285)
Other Recognised Gains and
(Losses)
Gains on Investment Assets	8,575	—	—	11,412	8,291	—	—	28,278
Net Movements in Funds	(5,384)	(1,734)	5,000	12,955	2,267	—	(111)	12,993
Balance Brought Forward at 1 July 2023	123,648	9,990	—	215,554	128,071	376,000	269	853,532
Balance Carried Forward at 30 June 2024	118,264	8,256	5,000	228,509	130,338	376,000	158	866,525

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14(c). Split of Movements in Anniversary Fund

		2025			2024
	BIFMO	Anniversary Fund	Total	BIFMO	Anniversary Fund	Total
Income From:-
Membership Subscriptions	—	—	—	—	—	—
Donations, Grants and Legacies	15,321	—	15,321	11,710	—	11,710
Charitable Activities	11,122	—	11,122	17,462	—	17,462
Other Trading Activities	—	—	—	—	—	—
Investment Income and Interest	—	4,400	4,400	—	4,315	4,315
Total	26,443	4,400	30,843	29,172	4,315	33,487
Expenditure On:-
Charitable Expenditure	38,196	8,051	46,247	39,511	—	39,511
Total	38,196	8,051	46,247	39,511	—	39,511
Transfers between funds	11,753	(11,753)	-	10,339	(10,339)	—
Net (Defcit)/Income	—	(15,404)	(15,404)	—	(6,024)	(6,024)
Other Recognised Gains and (Losses)
Gains on Investment Assets	—	3,623	3,623	—	8,291	8,291
Net Movements in Funds	—	(11,781)	(11,781)	—	2,267	2,267
Balance Brought Forward	—	130,338	130,338	—	128,071	128,071
Balance Carried Forward	—	118,557	118,557	—	130,338	130,338

15(a). Movements in Funds

	Balance	Incoming	Outgoing	Transfer	Gains	Balance
Current year (2024-25)	1/7/2024 £	Resources £	Resources £	£	and Losses £	30/6/2025 £
Restricted Funds
Ingram Fund	228,509	8,265	(7,830)	—	3,461	232,405
Anniversary Fund	130,338	30,843	(46,247)	—	3,623	118,557
Hilda Gadd Fund	376,000	—	—	—	—	376,000
Card Makers Donation	158	—	—	—	—	158
Designated Funds
Howard Fund	8,256	—	(406)	—	—	7,850
Goodison Journal Fund	5,000	16,250	(9,638)	—	—	11,612
Unrestricted Funds
General Fund	118,264	184,629	(179,039)	—	(1,005)	122,849
	866,525	239,987	(243,160)	—	6,079	869,431

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15(b).Movements in Funds

Movements in Funds
Previous year (2023-24)	Balance 1/7/2023	Incoming Resources	Outgoing Resources	Transfer	Gains and Losses	Balance 30/6/2024
	£	£	£	£	£	£
Restricted Funds
Ingram Fund	215,554	7,962	(6,419)	—	11,412	228,509
Anniversary Fund	128,071	33,487	(39,511)	—	8,291	130,338
Hilda Gadd Fund	376,000	—	—	—	—	376,000
Card Makers Donation	269	—	—	(111)	—	158
Designated Funds
Howard Fund	9,990	—	—	(1,734)	—	8,256
Goodison Journal Fund	—	5,000	—	—	—	5,000
Unrestricted Funds
General Fund	123,648	158,971	(174,775)	1,845	8,575	118,264
	853,532	205,420	(220,705)	—	28,278	866,525

16(a). Analysis of Net Assets Between Funds

		Other
Current year (2024-25)	Investments	Assets	Total
	£	£	£
Unrestricted General Fund	110,404	12,445	122,849
Designated Fund
Howard Fund
Goodison Journal Index Fund	—	7,850	7,850
Restricted Funds	—	11,612	11,612
Ingram Fund	173,218	59,187	232,405
Anniversary Fund	114,647	3,910	118,557
Hilda Gadd Fund	—	376,000	376,000
	398,269	471,162	869,431

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16(b).Analysis of Net Assets Between Funds

		Other
Previous year (2023-24)	Investments	Assets	Total
	£	£	£
Unrestricted General Fund	111,409	6,855	118,264
Designated Fund
Howard Fund	—	8,256	8,256
Restricted Funds
Goodison Journal Index Fund	—	5,000	5,000
Ingram Fund	169,757	58,752	228,509
Anniversary Fund	111,024	19,314	130,338
Hilda Gadd Fund	—	376,000	376,000
Card Makers Donation	—	158	158
	392,190	474,335	866,525

17. Taxation

As a registered charity the society is exempt from corporation tax since all income is applied for charitable purposes.

18. Trustees’ Expenses and Remuneration

Dr Megan Aldrich was paid a total of £5,125 (2024 £5,460) comprising £5,000 (2024 £5,000) for editing the annual journal and other sundry costs £125 (2024 £460).

Dr Megan Wheeler was paid a total of £2,665 (2024 £2,631) comprising £2,575 (2024 £2,600) for website administration services and other sundry costs £90 (2024 £31).

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THE FURNITURE HISTORY SOCIETY

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE FURNITURE HISTORY SOCIETY FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2025

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Furniture History Society (the 'Charity') for the year ended 30 June 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act").

I report in respect of my examination of the Charity's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

1. Accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or

2. The accounts do not accord with those records; or

3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a mater considered as part of an independent examination.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Christopher Pexton FCA Begbies, Chartered Accountants 9 Bonhill Street, London EC2A 4DJ

Date: 13 November 2025

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