April 2015 meeting — Annual General Meeting

There was good news and bad news at the Club’s AGM on 22 April 2015 at Jurys Inn, Glasgow. Among the positives cited by CRSC president Angus Ross were the number of successful excur-sions and talks promoted by the Club over the previous 12 months, underlining the benefits of CRSC membership for all who took part. On a less encouraging note, the meeting heard that expenditure had exceeded subscription income, and that much of the Club’s rich slide collection had been ruined beyond recovery. The full text of Angus Ross’s address can be read here. The meeting, attended by more than 60 members, agreed to raise the annual subscription by £2 to £25.
 Snapped during the AGM vote-count for committee members are (left to right)
vice-president Iain Morgan, auditor Graeme Hogg, honorary secretary Eric Schofield and president Angus Ross
In a speech characterised by wit and business-like assurance, Angus recalled occasions during the past year when the benefits of sailing together and meeting together had been manifest: ‘that’s what gives us the enthusiasm’. A 5-ferry hopper, a Waverley charter and the midwinter coach-and-cruise trip to Arran had been especially memorable, while the surprise highlight of ‘a great series’ of winter meetings had been Rob Beale’s talk on Turntable Ferries.
 CRSC honorary member John Whittle (seated left)
talks to long-serving treasurer Billy Tomlinson during a break at the AGM
Summarising work behind the scenes, Angus spoke of Archie MacCallum’s ‘hugely appreciated’ role in safeguarding the Club archive. He welcomed the Club’s latest publication, ‘Steamers at War’, compiled by Ian Hall using material bequeathed by the late Peter Herriot, and paid tribute to Charles McCrossan for his work on digitisation and the Club website. There had been ‘wonderful growth’ in interest from crsc.org.uk and the Club was looking at the possibility of an online offering in an exclusive members’ area. The sell-out Calendar had once again been jointly produced with the West Highland Steamer Club, ‘with whom we are more or less in harmony’, and there were plaudits for membership secretary Stuart Craig, cruise coordinator Neil Guthrie, the editors of the ‘Review’ and ‘Clyde Steamers’ and the organisers of the Ship Ahoy! exhibition. As for ‘the terrible twosome’ — long-serving treasurer Billy Tomlinson and secretary Eric Schofield — ‘we value the time and effort you put in’.
In summary, Angus said it had been an excellent year tinged with sadness, caused by the death of several older members, including honorary president Robin Boyd.
 Waverley arrives at Ardrossan for the CRSC/PSPS charter on 8 August 2014
In his secretary’s report, Eric Schofield spoke of a busy year for enquiries, including two BBC production offices looking for information in relation to proposed films. Committee meetings had deliberated on how best to deal with the Club’s slide collection and storage of archives. Due to printing problems the Review of 2013 had yet to be published, ‘but it will be with us soon’.
Reporting on the Club’s finances, Billy Tomlinson gave a detailed explanation of the income and expenditure account that had been sent to members in the April mailing. Observing that there had been a drop in membership, he said ‘the Club is not going to die, but with increasing age there’s going to be a continued decline [in membership numbers]’. The Club was in a stable financial situation, thanks partly to annual bequests left by three former members, A.B. Murdoch, W.J.F. Henry and D. Johnston (together totalling around £1,000), and partly to ‘income from other activities’, which compensated for the fact that the annual subscription did not cover the Club’s outgoings. ‘We are as economical as we can be’, he said. In the light of this, and the fact that the subscription had remained stable for two years, the committee was recommending a small increase to £25. The meeting agreed to the rise without a single objection, with vice-president Iain Morgan noting that it was preferable to put the subscription up by a small amount now, rather than impose a big hike at a future date.
 Hebrides at Brodick during the Club’s Arran excursion on 17 January 2015
There was no election for president or vice-president, the holders of these posts being in the middle of two-year terms. Secretary, treasurer and membership secretary were re-elected unopposed, and of the six nominations for five ordinary committee posts, the following were elected: Robert Cleary, Neil Guthrie, John Newth, Roy Paterson, Iain Wilson.