Officers of Sonning Deanery

Evolution of the different posts

When the Sonning Deanery Society was founded in 1880, only the ‘administrative’ roles of Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer were created, and they were all held by clergymen. When the Society was absorbed into the newly founded Oxford Diocesan Guild the following year, the posts of secretary and treasurer were combined, and they remained so for over a century until they were again split in 1986.

In 1951, WJ Books was elected vice chairman, a post that had not previously existed. Bill had been Foreman at All Saints Wokingham since 1921, and he played a very active role in the Branch. The post was created in recognition of his work, and he held it until he died in 1963. The post had no formal duties, other than to chair meetings if the chairman was absent, and by the 1980s it was generally knowledge that the vice chairman's only task was to propose a vote of thanks for the tea at meetings. When the rules were revised in 2006, the post was deemed unnecessary, and removed.

The post of Ringing Master was created even later. The Branch operated without one for 78 years. Ringing events were organised by a committee of all the tower Foremen. Perhaps the actual ringing was run by the foreman of the host tower. The ringing organised by one or more of the tower foremen. WJ Parker first suggested the need for a Ringing Master 1950, but the Branch Committee rejected the idea. Then in 1956 it decided that there should be not one but two Ringing Masters, one for 8 bells towers and one for 6 bell towers, and they were duly elected at the 1957 AGM, with Bill Parker (6-bell) and Harold Smith (8-bell) taking the posts. In 1968 this arrangement changed to create a Ringing Master and Deputy. In 1973 it reverted back to joint Ringing Masters, but this time with no formal split of responsibilities. Finally, in 1981 it again changed to a Ringing Master and a Deputy.

Other roles have been elected in recent years, including a book stall holder and a training co-ordinator. Two representatives to the Guild General Committee have also been elected ever since 1880.

There is a list of all the main officers  below.

Length of service

In the early years, officers tended to serve for many years, but in recent decades, length of service fell dramatically. This might be ascribed to the introduction in 1980 of a rule that officers should not normally serve more than 5 years in the same post, but the trend of shorter service began well before this, and in fact very few people even served for 5 years after 1980. Most served for only 1 or 2 years, and a few served for more than 5 years, suggesting that the 5 year rule had very little effect.
 

List of main officers

The posts of Bookstall holder, Newsletter editor, Training co-ordinator and Webmaster are historically recent, and not included below.

Page updated on 27-September-2011

© Oxford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers (Sonning Deanery Branch) 2010

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