Minutes – St Florian’s Shire Meeting December 1996

Held 6pm at Melsande & Finnian’s home

Attendance:   Elenore of the Orkneys (Seneschal), Bianca Foscari, Eleanor of Caithness, Hrothgar Breaksword, Acacia d’Navarre (Chirurgeon), Aemelia of Saracuse, Blaine ap Mayo, Adeline de Montford (Hospitaller), Melisande de Castile (Deputy Seneschal), Finnian the Red, Morna of River Haven, Sorcia, John (?), Joan Sutton, Salaberge de Granson (Chronicler), Constanzia Moralez y de Zamora, Felice d’Avignon

Apologies:      Cornelius von Beck, Morwynna Branwent, Humphrey de la Pole, Huguette de St Germain, Amalia van Bergen op Zoom

Meeting opened at 6:00pm

Officers’ Reports:     

Herald:

Nothing to report – nothing much happening.

Constable:

Busy with end of Reign reporting. The warrant situation is getting better ie people are beginning to understand that they have to fill in warrants.

Marshall:

Nothing to report. Fighter practice has had low numbers averaging 6-8 in armour and 12 or so out. The finances are OK

Chirugeon:

Shortage of local Chirugeons is still an issue. Still doing a recruitment drive. A Bacchus Woods person is interested in being a chirurgeon. IKAC rounds going well. ALL the local groups have been notified and invited to join in.

Chronicler:

Minutes issue: Getting the most current minutes in Dieu le Vault would be more useful. Avoiding duplication of the minutes in the officers’ articles would also be logical. Elenore of the Orkneys received a letter congratulating Salaberge de Granson on an excellent newsletter and how good it was to read about what was happening in St Florian both through the minutes of meeting and the articles.

Decision: Minutes of each meeting will be printed in the next immediate newsletter to keep the minutes meaningful to readers. Carolyn will put the items of the next agenda that are available in the Seneschal’s section.

Chatelaine:

1. Feasting Kit bags are being made. Constanzia mentioned there was PLENTY of purple material available if needed.

2. Redbank High Library has approached us for a static A&S display. Security could be a problem. Group decided to tell them that if the security could be improved we would consider it.

3. There is STILL garb that needs to be returned. Spread the word about returning garb.

4. Hospitaller Rule – I week’s notice is required before borrowing. Suggestion to remind everyone of this is to add a note about this in every event notice to keep it implanted in people’s memory.

Anyone who holds St Florian’s gear needs to do their annual stocktake. Please get done by the Working Bee.

System for Hospitaller needs to be installed re: Lost goods, damages, late or no returns. Will be discussed next meeting

Working Bee: Saturday 14 Dec. Lots of stuff to do – details in DleV. Group agreed to spend money on new tablecloths

Lists:

1 Tourney in 18 months and a few par d’armes so not much to report.

Reeve

New Signatories are needed for the group account. It is good financial practice to rotate signatories regularly. Following the Exchequer’s Manual, the group decided the new ones will be Reeve (Amalia van Bergen op Zoom), Seneschal (Eleanore of the Orkneys), Deputy Seneschal (Melissande de Castile) and an external person (Morna of River Haven).

A&S

Hall for A&S: Most of the halls contacted are booked during weeknights. Most viable option is the Mt Gravatt Showgrounds Hall. Kitchen is being inspected Monday. Has all the requirements ie 2 rooms, kitchen, full veranda, doors down both sides / ventilation. Cost $50 per night and available on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

Decision: Group was unanimous – if the hall is still available on Thursday nights it will be used from the New Year. If it is unavailable then a group will organise one for the New Year. Organisers: Acacia de Navarre (Needleworkers), Adeline de Montferrat (Cooks Guild), Huguette (A&S and Entertainment) & Eleanore of the Orkneys.

General Business:    

Adeline

is concerned about attitudes being expressed about River Haven. People need to learn to judge for themselves and have PERSONAL experience before making derogatory comments. People need to be aware that things they get told are not necessarily correct because the speaker will usually have personal bias and will only tell their side of the story. Everyone please use your brains instead of following like stupid sheep. Make up your OWN mind – don’t have it made for you. Also remember the precepts of the Society – Courtesy, Chivalry & Honour – when deciding how to behave.

Eleanore of Caithness

is concerned that our events are not being advertised to ALL the groups in SEQld. An example of this is the recent Laurels Collegia which was not advertised to anyone outside St Florian and many people have commented that they wanted to attend. She is also concerned that when people not from St Florian try to book for our events that they might be getting told that the event is booked out when it is not fully booked.

Decision: Event notices MUST go to Pegasus and courtesy copies to local Chroniclers. Autocrats have to provide this information to our neighbours. St Flos and River Haven Chroniclers will communicate to make sure that events are not missed.

Christmas Break:

This will start week ending 14/12. IKAC will continue – they want to get more scores together. Madrigals will continue as well. A&S starts back again on 15/1/97. Fighter practice will start on 13/1/97. Next Shire meeting will be Sunday 19/1/97.

        Feast Sizes: Concerns were raised over limiting feast sizes when not necessary. St Flos is large enough to run larger events. Variation of numbers is needed for specialised events or if very small halls are being used, but there is no reason limit numbers for normal events. It prevents people from attending and making the event successful. Regular or important events should be kept large.

        Travel Fund Donation: For mundane audit reasons donations to Prince and Princess need receipts. Donation of $200 to current P&P agreed to – as per previous donations to P&Ps.

Coming Events:

H’olmganga Tourney, 2 August 97 – for details see Adeline and Amelia

Local Collegia – joint River Haven and St Flos event. 22 & 23 February 97. See Chris for details.

Open Tourney – 6 September 97 – see Finnian for details

Michaelmas

We have to keep up the standard and our reputations. People from interstate wanted to attend this year so we will probably get some coming next year. Need to get organised for it now – anyone interested in Autocratting? Adeline would like to cook for it. Nine months notice is needed for entertainment. Heynonny is not available for Michaelmas 97.

Other Business

Morna reported on the current Abbey demo situation. There has been trouble between Friends of the Abbey (FOTAB), the Board, SCA River Haven and the Company of Knights Bachelor. Some points that were brought up:

A letter was sent from other mediaeval groups wanting the current situation to be changed. St Florian was misrepresented as agreeing with the sentiments in the letter. Eleanore (of the Orkneys) has sent back a reply stating that we knew nothing of the letter and not to assume the letter writers represented St Florian.

The Abbey has been having financial problems with the amount of profit that should be coming from the demo.

A new offer has been made from the Abbey to the SCA and the Company of Knights Bachelor which does not allow them any say in organisational details – ie break-up of money etc. They are expected to do the same amount of work with less responsibility and less payment. River Haven has decided not to participate in 97 due to the restrictions set up.

The New Jerusalem Trust is organising a Brisbane based Mediaeval Tournament for June 14 1997. Both River Haven and the Company have decided to participate. The committee for the Brisbane tournament has reps from each participant and have offered a place for a rep from St Florian.

Decision: Final discussion will happen at the Working Bee (14 Dec) about the Abbey/New Jerusalem Trust situation and a decision will be made by this date as to whether we are prepared to negotiate with the New Jerusalem Trust. Information will be circulated prior to this date and if anyone wants the full gory details Morna has copies of all correspondence. If you want to comment or be part of St Florian’s decision come to the discussion (you should all be there anyway helping out at the Bee!) or speak to Carolyn.

Meeting closed 9:15pm (longest St Flos meeting on record! Morna accepts the blame!)

Next Meeting 19th January 1997.