2009 AGM, Sunday 6th September 2009

The Annual General Meeting of the Clan Home Association took place on Sunday 6th September 2009 at the lovely home of Council Member Brigadier Dick Hume at Blackheath near Guildford, Surrey. He and his wife Jane had produced not only a beautiful lunch but also a perfect Summer’s day for the 36 members who attended. Greeted with champagne before the AGM started and wine before lunch ensured that we had a very relaxed and enjoyable time with old and new members alike. After lunch we all had a chance to study Dick’s family tree and other historical material from his branch of the family. We take this opportunity of expressing our sincere gratitude to Dick and Jane for their wonderfully hospitable welcome.

Convenor Dr. Ian Maitland Hume and Secretary Stephen J. Hume

Dr Ian Maitland Hume took the Chair and announced some 16 apologies from members unable to attend including our President The Earl of Home. He then gave a very upbeat report on our Clan’s participation in the Home Coming, the great Gathering of all the Clans in Edinburgh in July. In particular he explained that we had entertained many of the Clan Chiefs from the Scottish Borders at the Clan Home tent. This meeting, at which the Duke of Buccleuch offered the services of his administrative team, agreed that from now on the Border Clans would work together to ensure that we shared ideas and information in order to stimulate interest in the Borders and to harmonise plans for the future. This is a far cry from the days of old when the Clans often wasted precious resources fighting each other! This was a momentous moment as such a meeting has probably never been held before.

The Scotts of which the Duke is Chief were having a Muster on September 26th 2009 at Bowhill near Selkirk to which all other Border Clans were warmly invited.
Plans to set up a Newsletter were in hand and Dr Maitland Hume outlined news of further voluntary help with this and with the website from American Members.

The Membership Secretary reported with pie charts on the healthy financial position of both the Hume Castle Preservation Trust and the Clan Home Association as well as the steady growth in membership and the increasing interest in joining from the USA and Australia and New Zealand.

Ian also reported on the growth in participation in the DNA project and the surprising truth that many Homes were related to Humes, surprisingly people in the two main groups spell their name variously as Homes. Humes.Holmes illustrating the fact that spelling has nothing to do with relationships.

Council Members and Officers were all re-elected by members and William Charles ( a nephew of the late Cardinal Hume) kindly volunteered his services to take on the role of Secretary.

View the Annual General Meeting Photo Album