Quotations from P G Wodehouse are copyright of, and reprinted by permission of, the Trustees of the Wodehouse Estate © 2012 The P G Wodehouse Society (UK)

Society Meeting and AGM, 30 October 2007

First report by Paul Rush

Tuesday, 30 October saw the Society’s combined autumn meeting and AGM at the new venue of The George on The Strand, central London.

Those who had taken advantage of the Wodehouse Walk before the meeting joined the early arrivals full of tales of the location of Jeeves’ “Junior Ganymede Club” and Aunt Dahlia’s London house. (If any member would like the opportunity to be similarly amused, informed and entertained in the company of like-minded Wodehousians, details of further walks will be published in the new year.)

The AGM was conducted with a smoothness and alacrity that would impress even the Efficient Baxter. The edited highlights being that the society continues to flourish with some 1,000 members and remains financially solvent. The committee continues to enjoy the support of the membership. The website editor did not stand for re-election and a vacancy exists for this position. If any member would like to help to keep our website reflecting the ethos and activities of the society, please contact any committee member.

After a pause to recharge glasses, Dr Sophie Ratcliffe enthralled the audience with a talk about her research into Wodehouse’s letters for a forthcoming new book. This prompted a goodly number of questions and was fully deserving of the ovation it received from all those present.

Society members then took the opportunity to mix with each other and enjoy the convivial atmosphere of this new venue on this, its inaugural hosting of our meetings.

All members (especially those who have not previously attended a society meeting) are invited to the next meeting, which will be held at the same venue at 6pm on Tuesday, 19 February 2008.

By Sophie, by George!

Second report by Andrew Woodger

There was a change of scene for the Society's tri-annual social gathering in London as members wandered up and down The Strand in search of number 213 aka The George public house. It's easily found as it stands directly opposite the Royal Courts of Justice. Also noted were the churches which stand in the middle of the road – as alluded to by Bertie Wooster when he addresses a girl's school on the subject of betting in one of the Jeeves short stories (I know it's in Carry On, Jeeves but I've mislaid my copy so can't enlighten you with its precise title at the moment).

After leaving the rarefied surroundings of the Savage Club near Charing Cross railway station, it was with some trepidation when the Society moved "down a rung" from a gentlemen's club to a pub. We shouldn't have worried – it's a fine venue and around 40 members took over the first floor rooms and had our own bar staff upstairs. Initial reports on the pub's menu are good with several members ordering food after the talk.

The evening started with the AGM. Everyone who was up for election was re-elected and there were speeches to say how marvellous we all were from the chairman Hilary Bruce, treasurer Alan Wood, membership secretary Christine Hewitt, Wooster Sauce editor Elin Murphy and the website editor – my good self. However, invitations were made to any willing volunteer to take over as website editor. I've decided someone else could probably devote more time to it and do a better job. Please email chairman@pgwodehousesociety.org.uk if you're interested!

Alan Wood was getting quite distressed that no-one was picking up the copies of the accounts that he'd printed off.

However, the main entertainment of the evening was a talk by Sophie Ratcliffe (pictured below) – an Oxford graduate who's compiling and editing a new book of Wodehouse letters. Sophie explained her reasons for taking on the project, what would be different about this compilation of letters and what areas of Wodehouse's life she would be shedding light on. If you weren't there, Sophie will be writing a feature about her forthcoming work for this website in the near future. So watch this space – if the talk was anything to go by, the book will be very interesting.

Sophie also took questions from the floor – a lot of them! She also hung around to talk to members after the formal part of the evening was over.

All in all, it's a great new venue. Although it doesn't have the Woosterian/Dronesular ambience of a genuine club, it does feel like you're in a genuine historic pub on one of London's most historic streets. Buying a house here would set you back slightly more than £100 or so these days of course.

The George was also showing the football downstairs – so if you're worried you might be missing an important match if you come in future – fear not.