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EDITORIAL - THREE SCORE YEARS AND TEN News and Views is celebrating its 70th birthday. At the rate of three issues a year that makes it over twenty three years since the first edition was published. That is quite an achievement I think and a tribute to all those who have contributed over the years and of course to the editors who have made each issue a reality. In a later article, Francis Miler refers to the newsletter having "survived" for 70 issues. I don't know what it was like when the first few issues were published, but at times over the last three years of my editorship it has been a struggle sometimes to assemble enough to make publishing N&V worthwhile. Yet I am told that N&V is well received and that members look forward to the next edition, although no one has ever expressed that view directly to me! In fact there have been times when I wondered if anyone actually ever reads it. By the way I am sure your new editor would really like to hear from you if you do. Because I could see that getting sufficient material for each edition in its traditional format was going to be difficult, one innovation that I suggested quite early on in my editorship was to make two editions a year a simple A4 illustrated newsletter without articles, something that would keep the members in touch with Branch news and events and other activities. One edition each year would be in the traditional A5 magazine format, with articles and all other features it currently has. The Committee rejected that proposal because it was felt that you, the members, wanted the same N&V that you had grown to love over the years and that it was particularly the case for overseas members. So N&V has survived in its current form for 70 editions, despite my best efforts to change it! In the three years I have edited N&V I have been very grateful for contributions from a great many people and the support of two in particular. Before he died, Peter Horne was a great source of inspiration and always had a few contributions for each edition. I am sure that all members who used to read his articles miss them. The second is Francis Miller. Francis has always been prepared to write an arcticle, sometimes two, and has been a valuable source of advice and support. Thank you to both of you. It was not so long ago that three score years and ten was regarded as a "good innings", nonetheless having reached that grand old age, Francis looks forward to the 75th and 100th editions of the newsletter. If future editors publish three editions a year, N&V will be 100 in ten years time. I hope the members will still want to read N&V in ten years time. But in order for them to do so, the contributions that make up the magazine will be required. One of the real benefits of N&V, especially for overseas members, is that it enables those who are unable to attend meetings to read a summary of each one. They can only do that if someone is prepared to write up each meeting. That is a tradition the branch seems to be struggling to keep up and yet this has been the core of N&V for many years. The task has often fallen to committee members, but any branch member can write up a meeting and send it in and I hope that more will do so for our new editor. Members are always welcome to contribute articles and for any that fear they may be trespassing on the province of a small circle of people that do write for N&V let me tell you that it was always a pleasure to get that unexpected article, the one I had not had to chase up, the one that just arrived without any prompting. I think your new editor would like the same! Turning now to our new editor, Don Jessop. I have known Don for many years, mainly in my previous life as an architect who actually built things rather than an architect that sorts out the mess when it all goes wrong. Don is a long standing member of the CIArb and a party wall and rights of light surveyor by profession. I shared an office with Don for a period of time and his intellect and sense of humour made him great company. I am sure that you will find him great company as he takes N&V on its continuing journey over the next few years. Thank you, Don and I wish all the very best. Murray Armes |
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