Annual Report 2007

This has not been the easiest report to write, possibly being my last one. My first report forty years ago was so short - a mere half page - but, in those days the tiny Fellowship was doing very little so it was not difficult to write it. Little did I know I would still be doing it forty years later and with an extremely busy Fellowship involved. Our year began, as always, with the Annual General Meeting. Susan Healey succeeded Bill Adams as Vice Chairman and Bill took her place on the Council for one year. After the business meeting John Burton told us what 2007 was going to involve as the 150th anniversary of the publication of George Eliot\u27s first fiction, Scenes 0/ Clerical Life; it all sounded very exciting. This was followed by a most interesting talk by Canon Edward Pogmore who described the differences between the clerical scenes of George Eliot\u27s day and those of the twenty-first century. What differences, indeed! We had hoped to publish this in the 2007 Review but, sadly, there was not enough space. The George Eliot Day, organized by Ruth Harris, was extremely successful. Entitled \u27Beginnings\u27 it covered the early writings and, as an extra delight, included some dramatization by students of the Sixth Form College, directed by Vivienne Wood. A pleasant occasion, good food and good company. We had extra wreath-layers in the George Eliot Memorial Garden in June when our Guest of Honour was Revd Don Jones, Vicar of St Nicolas (, Milby\u27) Church. A special guest was one of our American members, Dr Rebecca Mitchell from the University of Texas, who laid flowers on behalf of the American members. After the ceremony we were served tea by the ladies of \u27Milby\u27 Church. Dr Mitchell was so impressed; to have an English afternoon tea for the first time and in a church whose Scenes o/Clerical Life name she knew but had never visited before. It gave her great pleasure, and us, too, to have her with us on one of our special occasions. We have often wished we could make a tangible gesture of thanks to the very many people who had worked for us and with us over many years. At the invitation of our delightful Patron, the Viscountess Daventry, we held an evening party at Arbury Hall at which thirty-nine people were present, including some of our Vice Presidents, our President and his wife, all of the Council and some past officers, as well as other people who had helped us in many different ways. An excellent buffet supper was provided in the wonderful dining room but the highlight of the evening was in the saloon where Gabriel Woolf and Rosalind Shanks presented a reading from \u27Mr. Gilfil\u27s Love-Story\u27. It was quite magical to hear passages from the story read so beautifully in the very setting described by George Eliot who was clearly so familiar with the gothicized house. We know that Lord and Lady Daventry were thrilled by the presentation in their own lovely home. Indeed, it was an exciting and unforgettable experience