Minutes of the inaugural meeting of the Carlisle Mountaineering Club held at 7.30pm on Friday October 24th 1947 in the Morley Street Schools.

The Chair was taken by Mr C R Wilson who placed before the prospective members present a list of members to form a committee and also rules and regulations appertaining to the formation of the said club.

It was proposed by Mr Archer and seconded by Mr Ward and carried unanimously that this committee and officials as listed be elected ‘en bloc'.

Chairman Mr C R Wilson

Hon Secretary Mr A F DAWSON

Hon Asst. Secty. Mr R SCOTT

Hon Treasurer Mr J YATES

Committee: Messrs B Ward, D C Hettrick, A Manwell, H Williamson, R Bryden, and G Johnston.

After discussion upon the rules and regulations as were read by the Chairman the following is a list of the rules and regulations adopted for the governance of the club.

1. Name: The name of the club shall be the Carlisle Mountaineering Club.

2. Objects: The objects of the club shall be to encourage the pursuits of rock climbing and general mountaineering, to serve as a bond of union for all who are interested in the pursuits and to enable them to meet together, to provide for them books, maps, equipment and advice. To raise the standard of climbing, especially with regard to the youth of Carlisle District.

3. Membership: All residents in Carlisle District shall be eligible for membership, together with such others as the committee may decide shall be admitted even though they do not reside therein. Membership shall normally be restricted to those over 15 (fifteen) years of age; those under 19 years of age shall be considered Junior members and those over 19 years of age, who have not passed the test for full membership or been admitted to full membership because of their known skills shall be known as Associate members. A register of members shall be kept at club headquarters.

4. All those members of the club who have paid their subscriptions for the current period shall automatically be subject to these rules. Candidates for admission to the club shall make application to any members of the committee, who shall be responsible for the name of the candidate being submitted to the next committee meeting. At least one half of the committee members present at a meeting shall be required to vote in favour of the admission of a candidate before such a candidate shall become a member. Immediately upon election of a candidate, the subscription for the current period shall be paid, and if this not be paid within one month, the committee shall have the power to reconsider the election of such candidate.

5. Production of the numbered receipt for payment of subscription for the current period shall be held to constitute proof of membership and the acceptance of such receipt shall indicate the member's willingness to be bound by these rules. A copy of these rules shall be exhibited in the club premises (when secured) or obtained for perusal from the club secretary.

6. Subscriptions: The annual subscription for membership of the club shall be fixed at the Annual General Meeting. Subscriptions shall be paid yearly on the first day of November in each year. Members who are in arrears with their subscriptions shall be treated as non- members for the purpose of payments to lectures, entertainments etc. Should any member be one month in arrears, their voting and other rights in the club shall lapse and the committee shall be empowered under clause 7 of these rules to expel the member from the club. All subscriptions shall be paid to the Treasurer or other authorised person, but the numbered receipt of the Treasurer only shall be valid.

The Subscription shall be:

Junior members(15 to l9years) 5 shillings

Over 19 years of age 7 shillings and sixpence

Over 21 years of age 10 shillings

Hony. members 10 shillings and sixpence

7. Expulsion: It shall be the duty of the committee at any time they shall be of the opinion that the interests of the club so desire, to invite (by letter) any member of the club to withdraw from membership within a time specified, and failing such withdrawal, the question of the expulsion of such member shall be discussed at a meeting of the committee to held within six weeks of the date of such letter. At such meeting the member whose expulsion is under consideration shall be allowed to offer an explanation of the behaviour or conduct which has given rise to the proposal of expulsion, either verbally or in writing, and if thereupon the majority of the committee members present at the meeting shall vote in favour of expulsion, such member shall thereupon cease to be a member of the club.

8. Cessation of membership: Any member upon ceasing to be a member of the club, forfeits all rights to, and claims upon the Club, its property and funds.

9. COMMITTEE. The management of the club (except as otherwise provided by these rules) shall be deputed to a committee normally comprising of Two Junior Members, Two Associate Members, Two Full members who shall, along with the President, Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer be elected at the AGM. The committee shall have power to appoint members to fill casual vacancies on the committee until the next AGM. All officials shall retire at each AGM, but shall be eligible for re-election. All members of the committee who have been co-opted since the previous AGM shall also retire.

a. The passing out of Junior and Associate members to full membership shall be in the hands of a subcommittee of four experienced climbers to be appointed at the AGM. This committee to be co-opted to the club committee.

10. Committee powers: The committee shall have the power:

a. To authorise the expenditure of all monies received by the club

b. To appoint subcommittees from amongst members of the club as they deem necessary and depute to them such of their powers and duties as the committee shall determine. The subcommittee shall report their proceedings from time to time and conduct their business in accordance with the directions of the committee.

c. To make, repeal and amend all such bye-laws and regulations (not inconsistent with these rules) as they think fit for the internal and external management of the club and its well being. All bye laws and regulations under this rule shall bind all members until repealed or set aside by a resolution of a General Meeting of the club.

d. To enter into legal agreements on behalf of the club. Such agreements to be signed by any of the officials after a minute authorising such signing shall have been passed by a majority of the members attending the committee meeting at which such agreement is considered.

11. Committee meetings: The committee shall meet when required but normally only once a month, to examine the accounts and arrange the affairs of the club. The Treasurer shall at every such monthly meeting present a statement of all the monies received and paid by the club. Five members of the committee shall constitute a quorum. Minutes shall be taken of all the proceedings of the committee and shall be open to any member upon application to the secretary. The secretary shall give written notice of at least 3 days to all those officials and committee who have not been verbally notified of the date of the next committee meeting.

12. Annual General Meeting: The AGM of the club shall normally be held in the first fortnight of November every year on a date and time fixed by the committee for the following purposes:

a. To decide and control the general policy of the club and to fix the membership subscription.

b. To receive from the committee a report, balance sheet and audited accounts for the previous financial year and an estimate of receipts and expenditure for the current year.

c. To elect the officials, committee and auditor of the club for the ensuing year.

d. To decide on any resolution duly submitted to the meeting as hereinafter provided.

13. Notice of business: Any member desirous of moving any resolution at the AGM shall give notice in writing to the secretary not less than seven days before the date of such meeting. Notice of any such resolution shall be brought to the notice of club members and must be brought up for discussion. Any other resolution proposed at the AGM shall be entirely subject to the authority of the chairman.

14. Special General Meeting: The committee may at any time for any special purpose call a Special General Meeting and they shall do so at once on requisition in writing of 10 (ten) members stating the purpose for which such a meeting is required.

15. Convening of a special general meeting: All General Meetings shall be deemed to be duly convened by notice being posted in the club premises (when obtained) 10 (ten) days before such meeting together with advertisement in the Cumberland News on the Thursday previous to such a meeting. For AGMs the report, balance sheet etc shall be available for inspection 7 (seven) days before the meeting.

16. Voting: All members (full, associate and junior) shall be entitled to one vote on every motion and in case of a tie the chairman shall have a second or casting vote. At all General Meetings motions involving the repeal, addition to or amendment of these rules or any by-laws or regulation of the club shall not be passed without the support of two thirds of the members present. All other matters shall be decided by the majority of the votes cast for or against the proposition under consideration.

17. Quorum: The quorum at all AGMs shall be 20 members.

18. Financial Year: The financial year of the club shall end on the 3 l October in each year to which date the accounts of the club shall be balanced.

19. Audit:

20. Profits: No member shall (except for professional or other services undertaken at the request of the committee) receive any profit, salary or emoluments from the finds or transactions of the club.

21. Interpretation: The committee shall at all times be the sole authority for the interpretation of these rules, and of by-laws and regulations made thereunder and the decision of the committee upon any questions of interpretation or any matter affecting the club not provided for by these rules or the byelaws and regulations shall be final and binding on all members.

Rules: Passing out committee

1. The committee shall consist of four full members of wide mountaineering experience

who shall have the power to co-opt any club member with a specialised experience for

the purpose of conducting a test.

2. The climbing test is to be undertaken in good average conditions.

3. The test shall comprise of:

a. The leading (in boots) of three ‘Difficult' climbs selected by the committee as representative of usual problems confronting a climber.

b. demonstrate a knowledge of:

i. Rope technique for

a) Rock climbing

b) Abseiling with and without loops

c) Snow work

ii. Elementary first aid, the construction of a simple rope stretcher and the location of Mountain stretchers and first aid rucsacs.

iii. Lakeland topography and the correct casualty evacuation routes from the major Crags.

iv. The use of map and compass.

4. These tests to be passed to the satisfaction of the committee - the climbing test must be passed. Anyone failing in any of the remainder can sit again within 3 months at a time convenient to the committee.

5. Lady members shall have the choice of leading their climbs in rubbers or boots - this being the only concession.

6. The passing of these tests shall entitle the member to become a full member of the club and wear the club badge.

Passing out committee to be:- Messrs V Vevers, BGS Ward, J Williams and CR Wilson

There being no other business the Chairman declared the meeting closed

25 attended.

Signed AF Dawson

Hon Secretary