Year of publication 1960 - Fell and Rock Climbing Club

94 LONDON SECTIONmost of the day we were in sight of the sea. After tea at Findon,the two miles back to Steyning were prolonged by some blackberryingforays.On 15th November David Ferguson again led us on the Surreyuplands around Reigate. It was a typical November day, but he hadcarefully planned a walk to suit the time of year and the autumn tintswere still in evidence. As the foggy evening closed in we were gladto reach the Bridge House on Reigate Hill, a sybaritic road-housewhich accepted our muddy boots with equanimity. Perhaps thesubdued lighting had something to do with this!So once more to the Section's Annual Dinner on 12th December,held as usual at the Connaught Rooms. This year our numbers hadincreased to seventy-two. Everyone was particularly pleased tohave Dr. Hadfield with us again in the Chair; it will be rememberedthat, on account of illness, he had to miss the previous dinner—hisfirst absence for many years. The business of the Annual Meetingwas dealt with in the usual expeditious way, but one important itemwas the election of Mabel Burton to the post of Hon. Secretary andTreasurer of the London Section, in place of Robert Tyssen-Gee,who has served for no less than twelve years. At 9 o'clock we drankthe time-honoured toast of Absent Friends. We were delighted tohave with us our President, H. P. Spilsbury, and Mrs. Spilsbury.During the evening the President entertained us with some of hisdelightful songs familiar to many members of the Club. Mrs.Spilsbury was the skilled accompanist and everyone joined in thechoruses. We were also pleased to have with us as guests Sir EdwinHerbert (Alpine Club) and Lady Herbert, George Starkey(A.B.M.S.A.C), Mary Starkey (Ladies' Alpine Club) and VernonChapman (Rucksack Club). The toast to the guests was proposed byRobert Tyssen-Gee to which Sir Edwin Herbert gracefullyresponded. A toast to Dr. Hadfield was proposed by E. W. Hamilton.The speeches were all short and there was plenty of time forfriends to meet; this, together with the President's musical entertainments,made it a particularly jolly evening—one of the best we hadhad in recent years.The year ended with the Dinner Walk led by the Walks Secretary.It was, unfortunately, foggy and the going heavy. But the route waspurposely a short one and although the party trod the paths ofBerkhamsted and Ashridge without seeing very much, a happybuzz of conversation enlivened the stillness of the fog. Luckily theleader did not lose the way and all were within the portals of theKings Arms Hotel by a roaring fire soon after 4 p.m.ROBERT TYSSEN-GEE.E. W. HAMILTON.