REPORT OP THE COMMITTEE. 3 



of the Society will shortly be laid before you. The Com- 

 mittee is happy to report that the accession of new niem- 

 bers continues to replace the diminution occasioned by 

 death, removal, and other causes. And the Committee 

 confidently hope that the appeal made last year, which they 

 now venture to repeat, will be answered by the increased 

 exertions of individual members to carry out the objects of 

 the Society. 



" It has been suggested to your Committee that the pub- 

 lication of documents of local or historical interest, as well 

 as sketches of parochial and family history, would add 

 much to the value of our annual volume, and with this 

 Suggestion the opinion of your Committee perfectly coin- 

 cides ; they therefore wish to impress upon those persons 

 who may be possessed of such documents or Information, 

 the great advantage which would accrue to the Society 

 from their communicating them to the Committee, who 

 have made arrangements for their safe custody and sys- 

 tematic Classification. 



" During the last year many valuable presents and de- 

 posits have been added to our Museum. Of these de- 

 posits by far the most important is the invaluable collect ion 

 of drawings made by the late Mr. Pigott, and by him 

 presented to the county, and entrusted under certain con- 

 ditions, by the Lord-Lieutenant and the other trustees, to 

 the care of our Society. A catalogue of these drawings 

 will appear with our next volume of Proceedings.* 



" The volume for 1856-7 is in the hands of the members, 

 and it is hoped is not inferior to those which have preceded 

 it. The Eev. "W. R. Crotch, in consequence of bis removal 

 from the neighbourhood, having tendered bis resignation cf 

 the office of gencral Secretary, it was accepted, with thanks 

 * Givcn at the cnd of the prcsent Volume. 



