eMeeting on June 2, 2020

Rotary Club of Kent meeting minutes
Zoom Meeting on June 2, 2020
 
President Roger Sidoti welcomed the group.
 
Patriotic song God Bless America was arranged by David Dix.
 
Olivia Plion led the Pledge of Allegiance.
 
The Invocation was offered by Rick Bissler.
 
Brian Bialik handling Rotareminder duties.
 
Visiting Rotarians
 
None.
 
Guests
               None.
Announcements
  • Larry Lohman announced that he will be stepping off the district grants committee due to his upcoming district role.He will be replaced by Shawn Gordon.
  • Carol Crimi announced that the next foundation meeting is one week from today from 5:30pm to 7:00pm.Requests to the foundation should be made immediately to be considered.
 
Birthdays
 
  • Tom Hatch – 6/4; Dave Sommers 6/17; Nancy Whitehead 6/18; Bruce Hansford 6/24; Sue Hettrick 6/25.
Speaker
 
Member David Myers introduced our speaker, Oliver Everett.
 
Mr. Everett is a Librarian Emeritus of the Royal Library of Windsor Castle; served as secretary to the Prince of Wales and Princess Diana; and was the keeper of the Royal archives.  He has lectured widely in Britain and around the world and is here today to share some of his experiences working for and amidst the Royal family.               
Windsor Castle, one of several residences of the Queen Elizabeth, is considered her favorite home, states Everett.  She and her family (King George VI, the queen mother and her sister, princess Anne) lived there through all of World War II.  It was a place that helped her develop a strong sense of family, as well as nurture her love of dogs and horses.
 
Acquiring the job of secretary/librarian was a bit unconventional as Everett asserts.  It came about as the result of a recommendation by a friend of his when he was in the foreign service, to the Prince of Wales, who was on a U.S. tour in honor of the queen’s silver jubilee.   Everett played polo (as did the prince) and the friend reasoned that this would make for a good fit…hence the job.
 
Over the course of that time, the Prince of Wales, now engaged to Lady Diana, asked Everett (serving as temporary secretary) if he would watch over Lady Diana leading up to their wedding.  It was not long thereafter, that the job of permanent secretary became his.
 
The actual library at Windsor Castle consists of three rooms that the current queen uses as a “cabaret” of sorts.  When she entertains dinner quests, often from outside the country, she arranges for an exhibit specific to her guests, in these rooms.  The rooms represent additions to the castle since the 15th century: 1- 1583 Queen Elizabeth 1st built a gallery that was used more as a gymnasium; 2 – 1490’s King Henry 7th constructed a bedroom for his queen; 3 – King Charles II constructed a bedroom for his wife, replete with portraits of his mistresses.
 
Other facts / matters of interest about the castle…
  • The castle contains an expansive collection of drawings and water-colorings (30 thousand pieces in all).
  • The shirt worn by King Charles I that he was executed in, is on display.
  • A gold clock presented by King Henry VIII to his wife Anne Boleyn is there and still ticking.
  • Pamphlet authored by King Henry VIII denouncing Martin Luther and his teachings, signed and sent to the acting pope.The irony to this was that later on, King Henry VII and the catholic church had a falling out which led to the very beginnings of the Church of England.
  • Several publications including a book (whose name, due to audio quality, could not be discerned) whose flyleaf had an inscription by Queen Victoria in honor of her husband Prince Albert; the biography of the Duke of Marlborough written by former PM Winston Churchill; 9 copies of a rare publication (name could not be discerned); 49 copies of the Guttenberg bible.
  • Rare maps including one from 1775 of Boston Harbor; Bunker Hill; a map from 1260 found accidentally in a book; piece of currency – 2 pound coin from 1937 with the head of King Edward VIII with a left-to-right profile; and writings from the current queen when she was eleven about the coronation of her father King George VI.
Tom Hatch provided the club’s response.
 
Remaining programs for June:
               June 9th                Roger Hoover.
               June 16th              Kent Rotary Foundation presentation.
               June 23rd              Amanda Rabinowitz – WKSU.
               June 30th              Club Assembly – Installation of Randy Smith and Board of Directors.
              
Respectfully submitted,
Brian K Bialik
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