THE ANNUAL DINNER​
The annual dinner has been a constant feature of the Society.
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Traditionally, the dinner has been the occasion when the Society’s industry and University prizes have been presented. In the early days, the annual dinner preceded the Annual General Meeting and was held at Heywood’s Café.
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Following the decision, taken in 1964, to have separate events, the dinner was moved to Whiteley’s Café and then to Greenhead Masonic Hall, the Ladbroke Mercury Hotel and the Pennine Hilton National Hotel (now the Cedar Court Hotel).
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In 1948, the dinner was held at Whiteley’s café, the cost being 4s 9d (about. 24p) per head.
In 1952, the AGM and dinner were held at Heywood’s café at 6s 6d (about 32½p) per head, with a £3 3s room charge.
This had risen to 7s 6d by 1957, to 8s 0d by 1958, to 9s 6d by 1960 and to 10s (50p) by 1964.
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Initially, the dinner was provided at no cost to members. The question of charging members was first raised in relation to the 1955 dinner.
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Past speakers at the dinner include Peter Docherty, Ted Moult, Peter Moloney (ex-Trappist monk), Fred Trueman and Billy Thompson (rugby league referee).
The 1948-1949 Journal reported the address by the President (Fred Haigh – also Chairman of the Wool Textile Delegation) at the annual dinner on:
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• Exports
• Nationalisation
• Standards of manufacture
• Presentation and labelling
It was agreed that year that the Journal should be mainly a record of the lectures for members to keep as a record.
The 2016 Huddersfield Textile Society Dinner
In 1963-1964 it was agreed that holding the AGM and Annual Dinner on the same evening was causing major problems. There were difficulties in fitting the proceedings into the time available and there was the risk of boring the Mayor and other guests with the intricacies of Society business. It was agreed that the events should be held on separate days, the new venue for the dinner being Whiteley’s café, with a small charge being levied.Since there would no longer be a dinner to attract members to the AGM, it was suggested that a film show be held to ‘entice’ members to attend the AGM.
One of the highlights of the Annual Dinner has always been the guest speaker. However, a committee member thought that the guest speaker at the 1969 Dinner spoke for too long and suggested that 30 minutes was sufficient.
In 1976, it was noted that a new venue would have to be found for the Annual Dinner, following the closure of Whiteley’s café. The Committee Dinner was held initially at the Scape House Inn and then at the Moorland Lodge Hotel.
After a decline in numbers, the attendance at the annual dinner topped 200 in 2012, for the first time in 4 years.