The twenty-second AGM was held in the Memorial Hall at Aldbourne in North Wiltshire on Sunday 18 May 2008 at 2.00pm.
Preliminary report from the 2008 AGM.
Forty two members attended the annual meeting held in the village of Aldbourne, Wiltshire, which has been associated with the Goddard name since at least the 14th century.
After a welcome by President Richard
Goddard the formal business of receiving reports and election of officers was quickly despatched. Treasurer John’s accounts showed a surplus on the year and a healthy balance on the deposit account. President Richard, Treasurer John, Secretary Eileen and the two retiring members of the committee, John of Accrington and Denise of Solihull, were all re-elected unopposed.
Research
Peter Goddard of Toronto was not able to attend through illness, but his report was read by the President.
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Peter remarked on the three projects proposed by him at last year’s AGM; reporting that over 500 certificates held by members had been registered, but that the response to an email help group and to the transcription of parish registers had been minimal.
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He further described the new Association website that he and Malcolm Goddard of Brisbane had been working on over the past couple of months and the extensive information available on the "Members Only" section. This included past copies of Newsletters, early wills, certificates held by members and various other indexes and articles. The day of the meeting had seen the addition of a grants of probate index from 1858-1957. He hoped to be able to add his extensive database of births, marriages and deaths in the coming months.
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Referring back to his previous proposals Peter suggested that parish registers could be transcribed gradually over a period by members taking on a county or smaller area basis so that a start could be made on this project; and he also announced the intention of introducing a Forum on the website for the airing of problems, queries and the exchange of views and local expertise.
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Additionally a facility to make payments via the website to the Association by credit card had been approved in principle by the Committee and is being investigated.
Dr Denise Syndercombe Court then gave a presentation on the results of the DNA project instituted at the last AGM. Thirty seven sets of DNA had been analysed with some others remaining to be done or retaken. Using charts and computer models Denise explained the significance of the Y-chromosome in genealogy and what the coincidence or otherwise of markers meant to relationships between individuals. The American Goddard project from 32 samples showed 23 different origins, one quarter of which were very different but the remainder had only small differences. Our results so far seemed to be inconclusive but stimulated a lively question and answer session.
Howard Goddard-Jones Award
The award this year was presented to Dr. Denise Syndercombe Court for her work on the DNA project, undertaken during a period of personal strain. Richard Goddard-Jones, son of Howard, presented her with a craftsman-turned bowl of exotic wood.
See picture at right, L-R Richard Goddard-Jones, Dr. Denise Syndercombe
Court, Richard Goddard
2009 AGM
Next year’s meeting is to be held on Sunday, 17th May 2009. A venue in the east Midlands is being sought and details would be confirmed nearer the time.