Denaby Main Institute – Satisfactory Year – Excellent Library.

January 1922

Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 28 January 1922

Denaby Main Institute.

A Satisfactory Year.

An Excellent Library.

Very satisfactory reports on the working of the past year were presented at the annual meeting of the Denaby Main Institute told on Monday evening and presided over by Mr H.C.Harrison, the president. There was a good attendance in numbers.

The Chairman said that what struck him most in the reading of the minutes of the last annual meeting was the number of resignations they had to deal with at that meeting.

He trusted they would not have quite many resignations that night, for it was not wise to be continually “swopping.’ Although at last annual meeting they lost some good men, he thought, when they came to the balance sheet, they would agree with him that, though they naturally felt their loss, and the success of the Institute had not suffered thereby, and those elected to their place had carried on during the past year quite successfully as in previous years.

Most of the recommendations of the last annual meeting had been carried out, and the committee had done all that could be expected in the past year. Most of the suggestions had had a fair and patient hearing, and so far as possible everything for the good of the Institute had been carried out.

Mr. James Feeney presented the balance sheet, which showed that they commenced the year with a balance of £466 16s 4d.the income amounted to £3,252 10s 6d, the expenditure £2,977 2s 10d which included a loan of £400 to the Denaby United Football Club. The balance in hand was £275 7s 8d and the profit on the year’s working was £208 11s 4d.

The Chairman said that, considering that during the year for a fairy lengthy period, there was a strike, and during the strike, he thought the secretary would bear him out, they did not make anything, but perhaps lost a bit, and considering that they had various extraordinary expenses, amounted to something like £400, which they were very pleased to say would not occur again the balance was eminently and every way satisfactory.

He thought it was exceedingly good and reflected considerable credit on the officials who run the Institute, the members, and the secretary most emphatically. It was a big job to take over the secretaryship of a place like that, and he thought considerable credit was due to Mr James Feeney. He saw the success of that club was very largely due to him, and considering the fact that that was the first year he had had the handling of eight, despite the out that he had seen, he had done extraordinary well, and he congratulated the secretary and everybody else would help to make that wonderful and successful balance.

Humanity was adopted, the Chairman remarking that there were a lot of clothes that he knew that would like a balance like it, and business concerns as well. (Laughter).

The secretary also presented the balance sheet on the library account. The income had been £50 16s 5d, and the balance in hand was £23 5s 6d. During the year 2144 books have been lent, and 45 new books and been added.

The Chairman said he was agreeably surprised to find how widely people degree. It was a great thing to read. One got other people’s ideas, broadened one’s outlook, and in addition it was a very useful and interesting occupation. He thought the fact that over 2,000 books were lent, and red, presumably probably read by more than one person each time they were taken out – reflected great credit on the intelligence and taste of the members of that Institute. It would be the custom to keep lending new books and keep the library up-to-date if they could. Their library was the best he had ever seen. He had been there to look for books which he did not expect would be there, and had been surprised to find them in the library. Authors he thought would not be read were included, and the fact of so many books having been lent showed that it was appreciated. He thought the balance on the library account reflected as much credit as the balance on the principal account.

The library balance it was passed.

The Denaby and Cadeby Colliery company were thanked for their donations in the past year.

Mr W Astbury congratulated the secretary on the work he had done during his first year as secretary. He had carried out his duties very satisfactory and conscientiously, and very great credit was due to him. (Applause.)

The election of officers was proceeded with and resulted as follows:-President, Mr. H. C. Harrison; vice-presidents, Messrs. H. Foley, W. Still, J. Shelton and W. Wilkinson; secretary, Mr. James Feeney; auditors. , Mears. W. Astbury and John Feeney; committee, Messrs. J. Straw, W. Marshall, N. Clifford, R. Peters, G. Chadfield, G. H. Milnes, A. Smith, B. Hadfield, H. Womack, G. Bradley. P. Higgins, and E. Dickens.

The sports and library committees were re-elected.

The secretary thanked all who had assisted him in his first year of that office and said he was continue to do his best for the Institute. A discussion took place on a question raised by a member with regard to the proposal for a third billiard table, and the Chairman’ said the committee had considered that suggestion at almost every meeting last year. It was thought that the addition of a third billiard table would considerably reduce the space at present available for players. Answering a question, the secretary said he did not think the Institute had lost a lot of young members on account of there being insufficient playing facilities.