Vestry Meeting Minutes

The joint meeting of the Vestry and Parochial Church Electors of Ilmer was held on Wednesday April 9th 1947 at Ilmer House by kind invitation of Mr & Mrs R.H Attenborough. Those present were Rev. E.W. Pipe, Vicar, in the Chair, Rev. E.W.C. Horner, Mrs Meric Attenborough, Mr R.H. Attenborough and Mr W.H Harper.

After opening prayers the minutes of the last meeting (April 24th 1946) were read, approved and signed. The Vicar had much pleasure in nominating Mrs Meric Attenborough as his Warden for the ensuing year and in so doing expressed his thanks for her services in the past year. On the proposition of Mr R.H. Attenborough, seconded by Mrs Meric Attenborough - Mr W.H. Harper was re-elected as People's Warden and was also accorded grateful thanks for his many varied and valuable services in the past year.

It was with much regret that the meeting heard of the resignation of Miss Doris Brooks from the post of organist on her removal from the district; it was unanimously decided that a letter of appreciation and thanks should be sent to her for her services in the past and the Vicar undertook to write to Miss Brooks.

Mr Harper stated that the sum of £12-6-6 had been received from the committee of Longwick Village Hall being the proceeds of 4 Whist Drives as a donation towards the electric heating in the Church. It was unanimously decided that the Vicar should write a letter of thanks and appreciation to Mr Shute who organised the Whist Drives.

Mrs Meric Attenborough reported that in accordance with the decision of the meeting of April 24th 1946 she had arranged for 5 cwt of coal to be delivered to each cottage in Ilmer where the tenant was the holder of an Unemployment Insurance Card. The Vicar stated that Messrs Timothy East's A/c had been paid but up to the time of this meeting no a/c had been received from Mr Darball of Kimble. Mrs Attenborough promised to look into this question. A discussion then ensued as to whether coal should be given this year - Mr Attenborough suggested it might be better to provide 3 cwt of potatoes to each eligible resident in Ilmer - on the proposal of Mr Attenborough seconded by Mr Harper it was decided to ask Mrs Attenborough to try to make the necessary arrangements for this to be done and if it could not be done, then coal should be provided.

The Vicar invited the meeting to consider giving the Christmas Day Collections to Queen Victoria's Clergy Fund instead of to the fund for Augmentation of Poor Benefices - it was agreed to make this change.

Mr Harper having prepared the accounts presented these to the meeting as follows. - Income. Bal. in hand. 30-3-11. Collecns (Parochial) 13-16-3. Non Parochial 11-3-7. Proceeds of Whist Drive 12-6-6. Church box 1-0-0. Expenditure Coal 1-5-0. El. Light 1-14-0. Lighting Fires 1-0-0. Rates 13-0. Ins 5-0. Wine 10-6. Candles 3-3. Wafers 6. Repairs 10-19-6. Non Parochial 11-3-7. Organist 3-0-0. Cleaner 2-0-0. Sexton & Clerk 3-0-0. Cheque Book 5-0. Total Expenses 35-19-4. Bal at Bank £32-10-11.

The meeting then closed with prayer.

Edmund. W. Pipe. 31.iii.48.