Construction History Society Annual Report for year ending 31 December 2024
Activities
The 39th volume of the Journal was published in two issues, and the magazine was circulated to members.
No conference was held in 2024 as the 8[th] International Conference on Construction History was held in Zurich in June. The AGM of the CHS was held at this meeting on 27 June 2024.
Finances
CHS finances are improving little by little and assets at the end of the last financial year totalled a little over £32,000 across various accounts.
Income and expenditure both increased this year. Subscription income was boosted by recouped costs from years prior. Other income relates to recouped costs from conferences held in years prior. No conference was held in the 2024 financial year. Publication sales were a good source of revenue this year. However, publication costs remained the biggest outlay, and these increased substantially this year. The CHS has moved to combine printing and postage for the magazine and journal which will bring costs down.
Membership
At the AGM on 27 June 2024 there were 341 individual members (378 in 2023), 60% international (48% in 2022). The Membership Secretary is slowly recouping arrears and getting to grips with institutional subscriptions.
Trustees and Management
At the AGM Mike Driver stood down as Secretary and was subsequently replaced by Alex Buchanan. Tom Peters became a Trustee.
The Management Committee met by ZOOM 4 times.
Charity Commissioners returns were submitted by the deadline and accounts were audited. Jonathan Spence, Senior Bursar of Queen’s College Cambridge was re-appointed as Auditor.
Alexandrina Buchanan (Secretary), 23 October 2025.
CONSTRUCTION HISTORY SOCIETY
ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2024
ACCOUNTS FOR 1st JANUARY 2024 TO 31st DECEMBER 2024
INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT
| 2023 INCOME 11,039.25 £ SUBSCRIPTIONS - DONATIONS 6,468.68 £ PUBLICATION SALES 245.11 £ DIVIDENDS AND INTEREST 335.00 £ OTHER INCOME 18,088.04 £ TOTAL EXPENDITURE* - £ MEETING EXPENSES 17,594.40 £ COST OF PUBLICATIONS 739.00 £ PUBLICITY AND DEVELOPMENT 2,103.91 £ ADMINISTRATION - £ GRANTS SUBSCRIPTIONS - £ & DONATIONS - £ SEMINARS AND CONFERENCES 436.11 £ INSURANCE PRIOR YEAR ADJUSTMENT 20,873.42 £ TOTAL 18,088.04 £ TOTAL INCOME 20,873.42 -£ TOTAL EXPENDITURE 2,785.38 -£ SURPLUS/DEFICIT |
2024 17,201.23 £ - £ 10,716.47 £ 121.70 £ 10,013.99 £ |
|---|---|
| 38,053.39 £ |
|
| 545.54 £ 28,034.23 £ 1,703.60 £ 929.01 £ - £ - £ - £ 551.32 £ 5,192.62 £ |
|
| 36,956.32 £ |
|
| 38,053.39 £ 36,956.32 -£ |
|
| 1,097.07 £ |
Fiona Smyth, Honorary Treasurer
James Campbell, Chairman
CONSTRUCTION HISTORY SOCIETY
ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2024
ACCOUNTS FOR YEAR ENDING 31st DECEMBER 2024
BALANCE SHEET
| 2023 33,603.67 £ Accumulated funds b/f 2,785.38 -£ Plus surplus/less deficit 133.99 £ Unrealised gain/loss 30,952.28 £ ASSETS 1,636.39 £ Sundry debtorsless creditors* - £ CAF BANK current account 5,192.62 £ CAF Investment funds - £ CAF Gold account 19,214.36 £ CAF Shawbrook 60 day a/c 2,301.23 £ HSBC current account 2,607.68 £ HSBC deposit account 30,952.28 £ |
2024 30,952.28 £ 1,097.07 £ |
|---|---|
| 32,049.35 £ |
|
| 6,458.79 -£ - £ - £ - £ 19,214.67 £ 6,602.40 £ 12,691.07 £ |
|
| 32,049.35 £ |
*Conference income from years prior
** includes PayPal, 2024
Fiona Smyth, Honorary Treasurer to the Society
James Campbell, Chairman
Jonathan Spence, DL, MA (Oxon), MA Senior Bursar Direct line: 01223 335605 E-mail: senior.bursar@queens.cam.ac.uk
Queens’ College Cambridge, CB3 9ET Bursars’ Secretary:01223 335520 Bursars’ fax: 01223 335566
31[st] October 2025
Construction History Society c/o Department of Architecture Cambridge University, Scroope Terrace Cambridge CB1 1PX
Dear Trustees
Having undertaken a review of the Construction History Society’s accounts, I have reasonable cause to believe that
-
proper accounting records were kept; and
-
the accounts accord with the accounting records; and
-
The accruals accounts comply with the legal requirements and the applicable SORP.
And additionally that
- No significant concerns identified
Yours sincerely
Jonathan Spence, DL Senior Bursar