At this meeting the topic was “The National Trust.It was founded and launched by, Octavia Hill, Robert Hunter and Cannon Hardwicke Drummond Rawnsley on 12th January 1895,
But was later re-incorporated by a private Act of Parliament and the National Trust Act of 1907 and subsequent Acts since.
All the above plus many more- especially Octavia Hill had been concerned and involved for many years before in the preserving of old historic land and property, especially Octavia with her many housing projects in London for the poor with many backers including the Earl of Westminster.
The National Trust Acts also granted the trust the unique statutory power to declare land “ inalienable”. This prevents the land from being sold or mortgaged against the Trust’s wishes without special parliamentary procedure.
In one case only has the inalienability of Trust land been overridden by Parliament in the case of the proposal to construct a section of the Plimpton - by -pass through the park at Saltram, on the grounds that the road proposal had been known about before the park at Saltram had been declared inalienable,
Since its start the Trust has grown, acquiring open land, parks, old houses and nature reserves and their battle is still going on to preserve as much as possible for future generations,
The first building it acquired was the Alfriston Clergy House, its first Nature reserve was Wicken Fen, and the first land acquistion was the Brandelhow Estate on the west shore of Derwentwater in the Lake District.
And finally the Trust’s symbol, a sprig of oak leaves and acorns is thought to have been inspired by a carving in the cornice of the Alfriston Clergy Houses- the first property it acquired in 1896.
The next meeting will be on Monday the 21st May, and the topic will be
“A local history item or event”.
Michael Page.
