Record Number: 31727

---

Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'Meeting held at Gower Cottage, Elm Road.
18–7–40
M Stevens in the chair.
1. Minutes of last were read and signed.
[...]
3. The Treasurer (V. W. Alexander) gave a statement of accounts up to the end of 1939, which showed the astonishingly large balance of £4/10/2. The statement was accepted.
4. The Secretary (also V. W. Alexander) reported having received a letter of resignation from Howard and Elsie Sikes who are no longer able to attend our meetings. We are sorry to lose them.
5. Mary S. W. Pollard read a letter of resignation from Victor W. and Elizabeth Alexander, who are leaving Reading. A telegram had been received from Elizabeth Alexander during the day, wishing the Club “goodbye & good luck, with thanks for many merry meetings.” Howard Smith expressed our gratitude for the very valuable services of V. W. Alexander & his wife as Secretary and Treasurer, & afterwards drafted a letter of thanks & good wishes to Elizabeth Alexander, which was signed by all present.
6. As his last duty for us, V. W. Alexander wrote a letter of affectionate greeting to Charles Stansfield who has been ill for many weeks. This was signed by all.
7. M. Stevens was asked to write minutes for this time.

[signed as a true record by] A. B. Dilks
20 Aug 40.'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

20 Aug 1940

Country:

England

Time

evening

Place:

city: Reading
county: Berkshire
39, Eastern Avenue

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

---

Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Bruce Dilks

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

1904

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

n/a

Religion:

Quaker or associated with the Friends

Country of Origin:

n/a

Country of Experience:

England

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

---

Text Being Read:

Author:

M. Stevens

Title:

Minutes of the meeting of the XII Book Club held 18 July 1940

Genre:

Minutes

Form of Text:

Manuscript: Notebook

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

reading group

---

Source Information:

Record ID:

31727

Source:

Manuscript

Author:

M. Stevens

Title:

XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 4 (1938-1943)

Location:

private collection

Call No:

n/a

Page/Folio:

67–9

Additional Information:

The author of this set of minutes is identified in Minute 7.

Citation:

M. Stevens, XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 4 (1938-1943), private collection, 67–9, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=31727, accessed: 09 May 2025

---

Additional Comments:

This is the reading, possibly brief and cursory, implied by the Chair's act of signing these minutes. It probably followed immediately after listening to the public reading of the minutes by the Secretary.
Material by kind permission of the XII Book Club. For further information and permission to quote this source, contact the Reading Experience Database (http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/contacts.php).