xlii. Annual Report. 



Society's room during the da3 T time. The Society's House is 

 now open to members from 9.30 a.m. to 9,30 p.m. on every week- 

 day except Saturdays, when it is open from 9.30 a.m. to 2 p.m. 



Building Extensions and Alterations. 



An appeal for funds has been issued to members of the 

 Society in which attention was drawn to the following points : 



The Society's house contains no room capable of accommo- 

 dating more than about one hundred persons, a number which 

 is already exceeded at many of the meetings of certain local 

 societies, and it is clear that if the Society's house is to become 

 the meeting place for local literary and scientific societies, and 

 indeed even to provide for the needs of its own rapidly increas- 

 ing membership, the premises must be extended. 



Fortunately, there exists a small plot of land behind the 

 Society's house which would be suitable for extension, and 

 which has been offered to the Society on acceptable terms. The 

 Council have therefore asked the advice of an architect with a 

 view to discovering whether their needs could be met by exten- 

 sion on this site, with some minor structural alterations to the 

 present building. Plans have been prepared, and a copy of 

 them circulated for the consideration of members. The exten- 

 sion and alterations will provide, amongst other benefits, the 

 following : — 



(1) A library and meeting room capable of seating some two 



hundred persons. 



(2) A smaller lecture room for smaller meetings. 



(3) Committee room and ladies' common room. 



(4) Extended accommodation for books. 



(5) Improved lavatory accommodation. 



At the same time, there will be no interference with the 

 leading features of the existing house with their historical 

 associations, such as the room used by John Dalton. 



It is hoped that members of the Society will appreciate the 

 advantages of the scheme, for its successful consummation will 

 require their active individual collaboration. The cost is 

 estimated at about ^8,000, and it is obviously necessary that 

 members of the Society should give the scheme their fullest 

 financial support. For this purpose ^1,046 17s. 6d. has already 

 been promised, by 53 members, towards the proposed building' 

 extensions and alterations. 



