758 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
July 27 , 1889. 
GARDENERS’ ORPHAN FUND. 
Annual Meeting. 
The annual meeting of the subscribers to this charity 
was held at the Cannon Street Hotel on Friday, the 
19th inst, at 2 p.m., Mr. George Deal presiding. The 
minutes of the previous annual meeting having been 
read and signed, the chairman moved the adoption of 
the following report of the Executive Committee, and 
cash statement for the year 1888-89 :— 
In presenting their second annual report, the Executive 
Committee desue to record their high appreciation of 
the support that has been accorded to the charity in 
various ways during the past year. 
They would also particularly express thankfulness in 
having been enabled during the same period to dispense 
the means of support to a number of children, who, 
but for the assistance thus granted, would have suffered 
privations which it is felt that no orphan child of a 
British gardener should endure. Experience has 
brought home to the minds of the committee, more 
forcibly than ever, the pressing need that exists for a 
strong fund to meet the urgent claims made upon 
them. 
It is impossible adequately to represent to the sub¬ 
scribers the profound expressions of gratitude received 
from widows of gardeners and other relatives of the 
children who were last year elected to participate in 
the benefits of the fund. 
It will be remembered that at the first annual meeting 
six candidates were elected by the votes of the sub¬ 
scribers, and that subsequently, owing to the satisfactory 
character of the financial statement then presented, the 
committee felt justified in placing the four unsuccessful 
candidates on the fund also. Shortly afterwards, 
through the generosity of Mr. FT. 1ST. Sherwood, who 
placed the sum of .£100 at the disposal of the com¬ 
mittee, yet another child was placed on the fund- 
making eleven in all who now participate in its 
benefits, as a result of the first year’s work. 
The committee desire to express their deep obligations 
to his Grace the Duke of Bedford for the use of the 
Flower Market in Covent Garden for the purpose of 
holding the second evening fete, which was as beautiful 
a floral spectacle as it was beneficial to the object it was 
designed to assist, the amount derived on the occasion 
being over £200. Grateful thanks are tendered to the 
Baroness Burdett-Coutts who so kindly opened the 
exhibition, to the stand-holders who so freely con¬ 
tributed the plants and flowers, and to all who assisted 
in rendering the fete such a gratifying success. 
To his Grace the Duke of Marlborough the best 
thanks of the committee are tendered for opening the 
famed gardens of Blenheim at an appropriate time on 
behalf of the fund, and to his Grace’s gardener, Mr. 
T. Whillans, for his willing and effective co-operation. 
The amount raised by this means was £73. 
The committee are also greatly indebted to Mr. 
D. T. Fish, Hardwicke House Gardens, Bury St. 
Edmunds ; Mr. Owen Thomas, Chatsworth ; Mr. H. B. 
May, Edmonton ; Mr. W. Wildsmith, Heckfield 
Place ; Mr. A. Dean, Bedfont, and others, who, in 
their respective districts, organised entertainments in 
aid of the fund, which resulted in sums of substantial 
value being raised. To the many friends who have 
undertaken the duties of local secretaries the committee 
desire to express appreciative thanks for the valuable 
services they have rendered, and among them they 
would specially mention Mr. J. Hughes, of Birmingham, 
who by means of collecting boxes has obtained a con¬ 
siderable amount in small sums. 
To the gardening press the committee record their 
great obligations for valued support ; also to Mr. John 
Fraser, Lea Bridge, and Mr. W. Sharp, for auditing the 
accounts, a statement of which is herewith presented. 
Acting on the advice of Mr. A. H. Smee, one of the 
trustees, and having regard to the stability of the 
fund, the committee regret being unable to recommend 
the election on this occasion of more than five children 
out of fourteen applications ; and it is felt that this 
fact affords the strongest appeal for further aid for the 
succour of helpless children. Through the munificent 
gift of £500 by the Duke of Bedford, the committee 
have great pleasure in announcing that a sixth child 
will this day be placed on the fund. 
Mr. George Gordon, of Gunnersbury, has been elected 
a member of the committee in the place of the late Mr. 
Howe (an earnest worker in the interest of the fund, 
whose death is much regretted), and Mr. F. Q Lane, 
of Great Berkhampstead, in the place of Mr. H. 
"Williams, resigned. The members of the Executive 
Committee who retire according to the rules are Messrs. 
Cannell, Goldring, Head, Laing, Nicholson, Penny, 
Poupart, and Roberts, who are recommended for re- 
election. The retiring auditor, Mr. W. Sharp ; the 
treasurer, Mr. T. B. Haywood ; andthehon. secretary, 
Mr. A. F. Barron, are also nominated for re-election. 
The committee venture earnestly and respectfully to 
present the claims of the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund to 
the consideration of all who derive pleasure from, or 
are engaged in horticultural pursuits, and will be 
thankful for the employment of such means as can be 
devised for according it the support that is needed for 
carrying out its beneficent work. 
The motion for the adoption of the report was 
seconded by Mr. John Wills, and carried unanimously. 
On the motion of Mr. J. Smith, Mentmore, seconded 
by Mr. John Laing, T. B. Haywood, Esq., was re¬ 
elected treasurer ; and on the motion of Mr. Sharman, 
seconded by Mr. Bates, Mr. W. Sharp was re-elected 
auditor. Mr. A. Dean moved that the retiring 
members of the committee—Messrs. Cannell, Goldring, 
Head. Laing, Nicholson, Penny, Poupart, and Roberts— 
be re-elected. This was seconded by Mr. T. C. Ward, 
and carried unanimously. The chairman then moved 
the re-election of Mr. Barron as hon. secretary, which 
was seconded by Mr. Herbst, and also carried nem. con. 
After a brief discussion, the proposed addition to Rule 
XII, giving the committee power to award votes for 
amounts raised by means of feces and entertainments, 
was also adopted on the motion of the chairman, 
seconded by Mr. Asbee. Mr. B. Wynne moved and 
Mr. H. Turner seconded that Mr. R. Dean and 
Mr. T. C. Ward be elected scrutineers. This also was 
carried, and the meeting was adjourned until the close 
of the poll at four o’clock. On re-assembling the 
chairman announced the result of the election as 
follows :—Bessie Taylor, 257 ; A. J. Ireland, 233 ; 
E. W. Mosedale, 151 ; W. C. Allen, 133 ; D. G. 
Guthrie, 108 ; H. R. Preston, 103 ; F. Butcher, 43 ; 
Olive Chapelow, 87 ; Bessie Stronach Deedman, 73 ; 
Mary Grieve, 43 ; T. Henderson, 44 ; A. Lacey, 49 ; 
H. E. Skelton, 55 ; R. J. Todd, 92. The first five 
on the list were declared to be duly elected, and on the 
motion of Mr. Sharman, seconded by Mr. Laing, it 
was resolved that H. Robinson Preston, the next 
highest on the list, be placed on the fund, for which 
means had been provided by the munificence of the 
Duke of Bedford. Voces of thanks were heartily 
accorded to the treasurer and trustees, the auditors, 
the scrutineers, the Executive Committee, the hon. 
secretary, and the chairman. 
The Annual Dinner. 
The second anniversary dinner of the fund was held 
in the evening, Sir Julian Goldsmid, Bart , M.P., 
presiding. A numerous company assembled, including 
Dr. M. T. Masters, Messrs. Shirley Hibberd, G. Deal 
(chairman of the Executive Committee), A. H. Smee 
(trustee), H. J. Veitch and H. M. Pollett (vice- 
presidents), A. F. Barron (hon. secretary), D. T. Fish 
(Hardwicke), J. R. Bourne, A. W. G. Weeks, John 
Wills, F. Segar, John Laing, H. Turner, H. J. Cutbnsh, 
J. Smith (Mentmore), A. Dean, R. Dean, Jesse Willard, 
T. A. Dickson, J. Asbee, H. B. May, J. Hudson, 
Alderman Hardy (Chiswick), C. H. Sharman, H. 
Cannell, most of the other members of the committee, 
and a strong contingent of gardeners and growers for 
market, the total number present being 170 persons. 
After the loyal toasts, which were given from the 
chair, 
The Peesident proposed the toast of the evening, 
“The Gardeners’ Orphan Fund.” He said that the 
Gardeners’ Orphan Fund was now one of the well- 
established charitable institutions of England. In 
order to test that, it was desirable to call attention to 
the accounts. He found that last year their total receipts 
were £1,820, and the balance which they brought 
forward was £600. As the result of that year they were 
able to invest £1,000 in Government stock. On looking 
to the statement now presented he found that they 
had invested £2,525, an increase on the year of £1,500. 
The first year they were able to invest £1,000, the 
second year £1,500, and obviously next year they must 
invest £2,000. Well, if they went on at that rate the 
time would soon come to which he looked forward with 
satisfaction, when they would have .funds of at least 
£10,000 invested. He should like that to be the case, 
for the reason that they were rapidly increasing the 
number of recipients of the charity, and there could 
be nothing better than that the income necessary for 
the orphans should come from the invested funds. 
Last year they allowed the orphans £139 15s. They 
must go on and largely increase that amount, for the 
reason that they had elected six more recipients of the 
fund in addition to the eleven elected last year. When 
he told them that those six were elected from a very 
much larger number of candidates, by that simple fact 
he proved the necessity which existed for founding the 
fund. The growers and stand-holders at Covent Garden 
had this year, for the second time, given a great fete in 
that magnificent building which belonged to the Duke 
of Bedford, and the result of that splendid fete was 
that they drew the attention of the Duke of Bedford 
more clearly and distinctly to the work which they had 
undertaken, and he gave to them a sum of £500 
to invest in the fund. While expressing their thanks 
to the growers and standholders for work which they 
did they had the greatest encouragement to go on 
and do the same thing in future years, because it 
produced results of the most satisfactory character to 
the funds of the institution. Now in another way this 
was agreeable to the treasurer, because for the first 
time they had charged 5s. for the tickets the sum 
realised was £314, and the expenses at the fete, owing 
to the kind assistance of the growers, only amounted 
to £114. The result was that the funds benefited to 
the extent of £200 out of the admissions. That, he 
thought, must be a great encouragement to the 
energetic members of the committee, and if he was to 
GARDENERS’ ORPHAN FUND.—CASH STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30th, 1889. 
RECEIPTS. 
To Balance from last account ... 
,, Subscriptions 
,, Ditto collected bv Local Secretaries .. 
Donations 
Ditto 
collected by Local Secretaries 
Receipts from Covent Garden Fete ... 
Proceeds from Annual Dinner ... 
Ditto from Sundry Entertainments 
Advertisements in List of Subscribers 
Dividends on Stock . 
Note :—Investments, 
2§ % Consols 
Canadian 3 % Stock 
323 8 
102 12 
890 
183 
£ 
608 
d. 
10 
426 0 0 
1,073 10 
314 11 
63 17 
26 11 
33 11 
36 12 
.. 2,025 19 10 
.. 500 0 0 
£2,525 19 10 
£2,583 0 5 
EXPENDITURE. 
By Allowances to Orphans .. 
,, Printing and Stationery 
,, Hire of Rooms for Meetings 
,, Postages ... 
,, Addressing Circulars ... 
,, Advertising 
,, Collecting Boxes 
,, Expenses of Local Secretaries 
,, Secretary’s Clerk 
,, Sundry Expenses (Petty Cash' 
,, Bank Charges . 
Expenses of Covent Garden Fete 
,,, ,,, 
... 
114 
6 
9 
Ditto Annual Dinner . 
... 
... 
66 
13 
9 
Purchase of £503 2s. 5 d. 2f % Stock... 
. 500 
0 
0 
Ditto £500 Canadian 3 % Stock 
. 485 
12 
6 
Ditto £522 17s. 5 d. 2f % Stock 
. 514 
7 
6 
0 
1,500 
0 
Balance at Bank ... 
... ... ... 
... 
605 
13 
9 
£ s. d. 
£ s. d. 
139 15 0 
75 16 
9 9 
30 1 
5 5 
0 14 0 
8 8 0 
14 8 
20 0 0 
5 4 0 
0 9 4 
156 11 2 
£2,583 0 5 
Having inspected the Securities, and examine! the Books and Vouchers supplied to us, we 
certify the above Account to be correct. 
Signed:—JOHN FRASER .I Auditors 
WM. SHARP, Chartered Accountant j 
Dated IStli July, 1889. 
