OLD TONBRIDGIAN SOCIETY
RULES AND REGULATIONS
1. Name. The Society shall be called "THE OLD TONBRIDGIAN SOCIETY," and shall consist of past members of Tonbridge School, and such Honorary Members as shall be elected under Rule 16.
2. Objects. The objects of the Society shall be the following:— a. Generally to promote mutual intercourse amongst Old Tonbridgians, and good feeling between past and present members of the School. b. To give School prizes for Games, Swimming, and other athletic pursuits. c. To afford assistance, in special cases, to the Games Fund and School Institutions. d. To give prizes and subscriptions to any Association, Club or Society formed for the purpose of representing Old Tonbridgians in any sphere. e. To make contributions from time to time to Tonbridge School Clubs and also to any Fund or Subscription List promoted by the School or the Society for any special purpose or occasion. f. The presentation of books, works of art, or objects of interest to the School Library, Museum, etc. g. To defray expenses incidental to keeping up the Register of names and addresses of Old Tonbridgians. h. To provide the expenses attendant on the Annual Dinner, including the entertainment of guests. i. Such other objects as the Society in General Meeting shall from time to time determine.
3. Management and Committee. Subject to the provisions of Rule 2, the general management of the Society, together with its finances and the election of members, shall be entrusted to the discretion of the Committee, which shall consist of (a) the President and Vice-Presidents of the Society for the time being, (b) the Past Presidents of the Society, (c) not more than fourteen elected members of the Society, (d) Honorary Secretary, and (e) a leaver elected each year to serve for a limited period of two years. The President and Vice-Presidents of the Society for the time being and the Secretary shall retire annually, but shall be eligible for re-appointment at the Annual General Meeting. Four of the elected members, or such less number as may be necessary (having regard to any casual vacancies which may have occurred during the preceding year) shall retire annually by rotation in order of seniority of election or, in case of equal seniority, the order of retirement shall be determined by lot.
4. Elected Members of Committee. To fill the vacancies among the elected members of the Committee at the Annual General Meeting, nominations of candidates may be made by any two members of the Society. Names of members proposed to serve on the Committee shall be sent to the Secretary not later than the 1st April in each year. Election at the Annual General Meeting shall be taken by a show of hands. In the event of two or more candidates receiving an equal number of votes, the Chairman at the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.
5. Casual Vacancies. In the case of a casual vacancy occurring in the secretaryship or among the elected members of the Committee, any member of the Society may be appointed by the Committee to fill such vacancy until the next Annual General Meeting. Any Secretary or member so appointed shall retire at the next Annual General Meeting, but shall be eligible for re-appointment or re¬-election at such meeting.
6. Committee Meetings. The Committee shall hold meetings at least three times a year to transact the business of the Society. Five members shall form a quorum. Fourteen days' notice of all Committee Meetings shall be sent to every member of the Committee.
7. Annual General Meetings. The Annual General Meeting of the members of the Society shall be held in each year upon a date and at a time and place to be fixed by the Committee for the following purposes:— a. To receive from the Committee a report as hereinafter provided, balance sheet and state- ment of accounts for the preceding financial year. b. To fill the vacancies in the Committee for the ensuing year, including the appointment of President and Vice-Presidents. c. To appoint an Honorary Secretary. d. To appoint an Honorary Auditor for the ensuing year. e. To decide upon any Resolution which may be duly submitted to the meeting as hereinafter provided.
8. Notice of Motion. Any member desirous of moving any Resolution at the Annual General Meeting, shall give notice thereof in writing to the Secretary not less than four weeks before the date of such Meeting, such notice to be circulated to members in writing, with the Agenda.
9. Reports to be presented at Annual General Meetings. The Committee shall draw up and present to every Annual General Meeting a Report of the transactions and general concerns of the Society for the past year, and such reports shall be printed, and a copy sent with each of the Notices summoning such meeting.
10. Special General Meetings. The President or the Committee may, and upon the written request of any ten members of the Society shall, summon a Special General Meeting on sending to all members not less than four weeks' notice thereof, specifying the Resolutions intended to be moved ; and the business at such meeting must be confined to such Resolutions.
11. Chairman of General Meetings. At General Meetings the chair shall be taken by the President, or by a Vice-President, or, in their absence, by a Chairman chosen for the occasion by those present, and seven shall form a quorum. In the event of the votes of the meeting being equally divided on any question, the Chairman shall be entitled to a second or casting vote.
12. Election of Trustees. The Trustees of the Society shall be elected by the members in General Meeting, and they shall respectively hold office during the pleasure of the members of the Society. The number of Trustees shall not be less than two or more than four. In the event of the number being reduced below two during any year, the Committee shall have power to fill any vacancy by electing a member of the Society to act as Trustee until the next General Meeting of the Society. At such General Meeting, the Trustee or Trustees so elected shall resign, but shall be eligible for re-election by the meeting. The property of the Society (other than cash, whether at the Bank or otherwise) shall be vested in the Trustees. Investments held by the Trustees on behalf of the Society may, at the dis-cretion of the Committee, be such as are authorised by law to be held by Trustees or otherwise. The Trustees shall deal with the property and investments of the Society as directed by resolution of the Committee, and they shall be indemnified against risk and expense out of the property of the Society.
13. Duties of Secretary. All money belonging to the Society and not invested shall be in charge of the Secretary, who shall keep an account in the name of the Society at Lloyds Bank Ltd., St. James's Street, S.W.. or at some other Bank selected by the Committee. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to receive and pay all moneys on behalf of the Society, and to prepare an Annual Account of the finances, which shall be audited by the Honorary Auditor. The audited accounts shall form part of the Report referred to in Rule 9. It shall also be the duty of the Secretary to make and keep proper Minutes of all proceedings of the Society and of the Committee, and to send out all notices required by these Rules.
14. Honorary Auditor. An Honorary Auditor, who shall not be a member of the Committee, shall be appointed each year at the Annual General Meeting. In the event of death or resignation of an Honorary Auditor, during his year of office, the Committee shall have power to elect a substitute to act in his stead until the next Annual General Meeting.
15. Membership. An Old Tonbridgian can become a member of the Society by signifying his wish to do so to the Secretary, and by paying the appropriate subscription, subject, however, to election by the Committee.
16. Honorary Members. The Committee shall have power to elect as an Honorary Member anyone who, in their opinion, has been of special service to the School, although not educated there. Any person proposed as an Honorary Member shall be proposed by one member of the Committee and seconded by another at one of their meetings, and shall be balloted for at their next meeting. Honorary Members shall be entitled to all the privileges of the Society, but shall not be eligible to act as members of the Committee or be entitled to vote at meetings.
17. Address of Members. Each member of the Society shall communicate his address to the Secretary, as necessary, and all notices delivered or sent by post to such address shall be sufficient.
18.Subscriptions. The subscription to the Society shall be £12 for Life Membership and may be tendered in either of the following ways: (i) By payment of the full subscription on joining the Society. (ii) By 12 termly instalments of £1 to be paid while at School. In the event of a boy leaving before 12 instalments are paid and wishing to join the Society the balance outstanding shall be due and payable in one sum. If a boy, on leaving the School, decides not to join the Society any amount paid shall be refunded on request.
19.Annual Dinners. An Annual Dinner of Old Tonbridgians, of which at least fourteen days' notice shall be given to every member of the Society, shall be held on such day as may be determined by the Committee. Occasional Dinners may also be held from time to time at the discretion of the Committee.
20.Expulsion of Members. In the event of any member's conduct being considered detrimental to the interests of the Society, a majority of two-thirds of the votes of members present at an Annual or Special General Meeting shall have power to expel such member, and all subscriptions paid by him shall be forfeited.
21.Alteration of Rules. These Rules and Regulations may be altered at any General Meeting by Resolution, of which the appropriate notice shall be given, as provided by Rule 8 or 10, as the case may require.
22. These Rules and Regulations shall have effect from the first day of December, 1970.