TO MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF THE NATIONAL SOCIETY MAGNA CHARTA DAMES AND BARONS, POTENTIAL MEMBERS AND THOSE WHO SHARE OUR INTEREST IN THE PRINCIPLES OF CONSTITUTIONAL LIBERTY
FROM LEWIS L. NEILSON JR., CHANCELLOR
DATE: OCTOBER 26, 2004
We continue to significantly increase our e-mail list. To those of you who are new to our list we welcome you to receive our Electronic Newsletter and hope that you will find our Society and our mission to be interesting. Since a primary mission of our Society is to develop awareness of Magna Charta we wish to expand the circulation of our Electronic Newsletter by increasing our e-mail address list particularly including those who are members of lineage societies and/or who might share our interest in the principles of Constitutional Liberty. I would like to thank those who have shared their email lists since our last Electronic Newsletter.
We encourage you to check our Website regularly for new developments and information. The link to the Newsletter on the Website is: http://www.magnacharta.org/enews102004.htm The link to the Website is: http://www.magnacharta.org. Please also refer to OUR E-MAIL LIST at the end of this Newsletter.
This Electronic Newsletter features information about video of Minnie Churchill. It also includes information about an additional speech, presented by Lord Phillips, from the Magna Carta Celebration in Bury St. Edmunds, England, in June, 2004.
I am pleased to announce that Mrs. Rose Mary McKeown, an experienced genealogist, has joined our office staff. Our processing time for well documented Applications For Membership has been significantly enhanced. Our normal office hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9:30AM - 3:00PM.
Topics:
Greetings - Please send new email addresses
New Program Ideas - Please suggest
State and Local Activities - Please participate
Philadelphia Luncheon - November 9, 2004
New York City Reception - February 2005
Minnie Churchill Reception - October 7, 2004. Information about
the evening.
Bury St. Edmunds June 2004 - additional talk by Lord Phillips
PLAN AHEAD April 16, 2005 - DC Reception and Dinner - University Club
Tour Program - 2005 - Ascot at York in June, 2005.
Potential Members
Contributions
OUR E-MAIL LIST
Greetings
On behalf of the Officers and Council of the Society, I bring greetings with this Newsletter. We continue to develop awareness of Magna Charta and its message. We ask each of you to participate with us in continuing the long tradition of friendship and fellowship which has continued over many years. We need to increase the number of members and friends on our email listing. Please ask your relatives or friends to send us their E-mail address. Please also send us the E-mail addresses of friends who are interested either in lineage societies or in memorializing Magna Charta. For the future, please propose new members for our Society. Please also attend your local meetings and include your children and grandchildren. We have a very special organization and I hope that you will help us to maintain its traditions.
When we sent the postcard to members earlier this year we received an extraordinary mail and email response, primarily with current addresses and email addresses. I believe that I have entered all of the email addresses to our email list and the address updates continue. In addition, following the last newsletter the end of June, I experienced a computer crash the end of July during the process of backing up the information and unhappily lost several weeks of email. For those who sent new addresses or email during July please resend the information. I apologize for the inconvenience.
Current world events continue to validate the actions of the Barons in 1215 as tyrants like Saddam Hussein are brought to justice. We applaud the bipartisan efforts of the United States to encourage the Rule of Law throughout the world.
New Program Ideas
The internet is providing an extraordinary way to present information about
the Magna Charta. We welcome suggestions for new, innovative and economical ways to enhance
our mission. We continue to encourage biographical information about the
immigrant ancestors from whom our members descend.
Division, Colony and Chapter Meetings
Our Society Divisions, Colonies and Chapters meet throughout
the United States. The efforts of our dedicated leaders provide a vital service
to our members and we encourage participation in the excellent programs which
they offer. The dues to the Divisions, Colonies and Chapters are modest if
charged at all. Our members should contact our Office for the names of your
nearest
Regent. If your State or area does not have a local organization and you are a
member who is interested in the formation of one please let us know and we will
let you know when we have developed model By-Laws and can furnish a copy of the
Instructions and Guidelines.
Philadelphia Area Luncheon-November 9, 2004
We are planning a luncheon for our members in the Philadelphia area on November 9, 2004 with the location to be announced. While we have tentatively selected a location, I would appreciate advice from those who plan to attend so we make sure that there is enough space. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss programs for the Philadelphia area.
New York City Event - February, 2005
We are planning to encourage our New York area members to attend a reception in late February with another organization. More information will be available after the event is scheduled. If you are a New York member and wish to serve on a committee for our Society please let me know and I will forward your name to Dr. Lucas, Regent, and Mr. Hilliard, Vice-Regent.
Minnie Churchill Reception - October 7, 2004
On October 7, 2004 The English Speaking Union - Philadelphia Branch, Deborah Smith Webster, President, hosted Mrs. Mary Churchill, Co-Author of Sir Winston Churchill His Life Through His Paintings. Mr. and Mrs. Alan B. Miller and Oliver St. Claire Franklin OBE were joined by the following organizations: The International Churchill Society - Philadelphia Branch, Bernard Wojciechowski, President, The Society of the Sons of St. George, J. Charles Stacks, President, The Daughters of the British Empire, Susan J. Gerrity, President, The St. Andrews Society of Philadelphia, John F. McDonald, Jr. President, The British Officer's Club of Philadelphia, Capt. C. Stewart Patrick, President, The Welsh Society, David A. Walker, Jr., President, The National Society Magna Charta Dames and Barons, Lewis L. Neilson, Jr., Chancellor, The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, J. Thomas Showler, Past President, and the Royal Heritage Society, Jean M. Roberts, President.
I am pleased to inform you that you can watch her remarks as streaming video.
The link for the video is: http://www.magnacharta.org/Video2004/ChurchillOct72004a.wmv
Bury St. Edmunds June 2004
We are pleased to include the text of the speech given by Lord Phillips on
June 13, 2004.
The text is given at:
http://www.magnacharta.org/phillipslord2004.htm
This completes our publication of the speeches given at the Magna Carta Celebration this past June.
More information concerning the celebration can be found at:
http://www.magnacharta.org/BuryStEdmunds2004/BuryStEdmundsPage.htm
Washington DC Dinner - April 16, 2005 - at the University Club - We provide the date so that you can plan ahead.
We have been very fortunate to have enjoyed exceptional speakers and we welcome suggestions for speakers or programs.
Tour Program - June 2005
We are continuing to plan for an Educational Travel Program for June 2005. Our initial plans provide for visits to Bury St. Edmunds, the site of the 2004 Celebration, Lincoln Cathedral and Royal Ascot at York. Please let us know if you might be interested or have suggestions. I will shortly be planning the itinerary with the travel professionals and suggestions would help with the planning. A possibility which we have not considered, for example, would be to try to arrange for a short course at one of the English Universities or arrange for a research day.
The purpose of our educational tours is to visit locations of cultural and historical significance primarily relating to the Magna Charta. We are undertaking to reduce the cost while maintaining quality.
Potential Members
If you are not a member of our Society and are eligible I hope that you will join. If you are not eligible but share our interest in history and genealogy we encourage you to remain on our Email list. We also welcome your participation in our ongoing genealogical research projects and our Tours. We welcome and encourage new members and remind those submitting lineage information to include copies of referenced material.
As mentioned in prior E-Newsletters, membership continues to be of vital importance to our Society. If you wish to speed up or facilitate the membership process, please include with the Proposal Form a well documented lineage (including copies of the documentation) to either a known ancestor or to one of the qualifying Barons. If you have sent lineage information without the copies you may also speed up the process by sending copies of the documentation. Lineage Forms are provided on the Website.
Contributions
We rely on member contributions for our Society operations and we plan to build our endowment in connection with the 100th Anniversary of the founding our Society in 1909. We hope you will consider year end contributions, including contributions of appreciated securities. Our Society is a public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
OUR E-MAIL LIST
Our E-mail list is made up of those who have sent us e-mail, of members and friends of the Society who have responded to our Newsletter request for E-mail addresses and others who we believe might be interested in our Society or mission. If you would prefer not to receive future Electronic Newsletters, however, please let us know. If you have friends who you believe might be interested in our Society, please forward this e-mail. If you have received this as a forwarded e-mail, please visit our Website at for more information about our Society. You may also contact our Society Office at 215-836-5022.
Do not hesitate to contact me with questions or suggestions. Chancellor@magnacharta.org