Welsh Journals

THE ROYAL INSTITUTION OF SOUTH WALES ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COUNCIL APRIL 1997 TO JANUARY 1998 For many years our Annual General Meeting has been held in April, but in 1998 the date has been brought forward to the 29th January. This brings the A.G.M. date closer to the end of our preceding financial year (31st July) while still allowing reasonable time for the preparation and circulation of the formal financial state- ments. This year's Annual Report covers, therefore, a shorter period than in the past a 'one off' occurrence. At our last A.G.M. we saw two changes amongst the Institution's Officers. Brian Simpson, our Honourary Treasurer for the past twenty-five years, retired and was elected President in succession to Bernard Morris, our President since 1990. The 1990s have been years of dramatic importance to the Royal Institution of South Wales for, at their beginning, the Museum faced the probability of closure. Our immediate past President worked assiduously to save the Museum through the necessarily delicate and complex negotiations with the then University College and the Local Authority. Fortunately, after a period of great uncertainty, the then Swan- sea City Council agreed to take responsibility for the Museum. Since then the R.I. (and the Museum) has flourished and we, as an independent Society offer, amongst our activities, practical and financial support for the Swansea Museum, now within the Leisure Services Department of the City and County of Swansea. Our other new Officer is Peter Freeman, who was elected Honourary Treasurer. A long-standing member of the R.I.S.W., he has extensive accounting experience, particularly in the affairs of charitable organisations such as ours. We have continued with our publishing ventures in the year under review. The fifth volume of our Journal Minerva was launched during the summer and since then, with sponsorship support from the B.J. Group Plc, we have published Pro- fessor David Farmer's latest book The Remarkable Life ofJohn Humphrey God's Own Architect. Both books are commended to all members, who are urged to make purchases to ensure that we have the funds to continue with our publishing activities. The 1997 volume oiMinerva contained interesting articles on Edward II's marriage contract (part of the Museum's collections); Evan Walters, the Swansea born artist; some Cambrian Pottery products; a Swansea clockmaker and astronomer; Swansea