The aims and objectives of the Navy Records Society (“the Society) shall be to foster and facilitate an understanding and appreciation of the history, organisation and social life of the navy by:
selecting, editing and publishing documents (including images, film etc) that are relevant to these themes and appropriate to scholars, serving personnel and the general public,
reproducing rare or generally inaccessible works of naval interest,
reproducing translations of similar manuscripts or works in foreign languages.
Governance
The management of the affairs of the Society shall be vested in the Vice-Presidents as Trustees (“the Trustees”); to be elected for individual four-year terms by the members of the Society in attendance at an Annual General Meeting (AGM) to be held each summer. No fees in relation to the role of Trustee will be payable to any Trustee. Trustees will consider recommendations from Council as soon as possible after such recommendations are made and advise their formal response. Two Trustees and an Officer will form a quorum.
Council will act as an Advisory Body to the Trustees and shall comprise up to 24 members of the Society: neither President, current Trustees nor Officers. Members of Council will be elected for individual four-year terms by the members of the Society in attendance at an Annual General Meeting (AGM) to be held each summer. Council will provide recommendations to the Trustees, who will consider whether or not to ratify each recommendation.
A quorum of Trustees may remove the Patron, the President, a Trustee, member of Council and/or an Officer from his/her position in the event of any action those Trustees feel may prejudice the standing of the Society.
The Trustees and Council will be supported by the Officers of the Society, including some or all of the following: a General Editor, an Online Editor, a Secretary, a Treasurer and a Membership Secretary. Each Officer role shall have a Job Specification, prepared by the Secretary or nearest equivalent, and may have a retainer. All Job Specifications and retainers shall be subject to approval by the Trustees.
On appointment, each Trustee shall assume a specific role as Chair of one the Society’s Committees. He/she should be expected to fulfill that same role for the duration of his/her term as Trustee unless or until he/she is appointed Senior Trustee. The role of the Senior Trustee shall be the overall co-ordination of the Society’s activities.
In order to effect election of Trustees and members of Council, the Secretary, or nearest equivalent, will prepare a list of members of the Society who have been proposed, and such list (including appropriate contact details), together with an announcement of the AGM, shall be made available to every member of the Society two weeks in advance (if possible) of the date of the AGM.
The Trustees may appoint Committees, with such deputed powers, as they may deem advisable. Each such Committee will have Terms of Reference approved by the Trustees and will be chaired by a Trustee. Each Committee will include the Secretary (or nearest equivalent) and the relevant Officer, if applicable together with at least two members of Council.
The Trustees and Council shall meet when necessary for the dispatch of business. The Senior Trustee will convene and chair such meetings, or delegate this role to a fellow Trustee. Decisions will be determined by a majority of the Trustees in attendance, with the Chair having a casting vote if necessary. Minutes will be taken.
The Trustees shall draw up a Report on the activities and financial status of the Society, to be presented at the AGM, and to be made available to every member two weeks in advance (if possible) of the date of the AGM.
The Trustees shall submit to the appropriate Regulator the annual report, statement of accounts and any other information required by law.
At the end of each four-year term members of Council will be ineligible for re election for a period of one year.
Similarly,Officers will be appointed for terms of no more than four years. Appointments can be terminated, subject to 30 days’ notice except in the event of gross misconduct. Officers will be eligible for immediate re-appointment at the end of each four-year term. Appointments can be resigned, also subject to 30 days’ notice save in the case of termination in the event of ill health or serious personal problems.
Officers have delegated authority to contract on behalf of the Society subject to the prior approval of at least one Trustee. However, general authority for Officers to enter into minor obligations on behalf of the Society, without such prior approval, can be granted in the relevant Job Specification, subject to an appropriate cap.
Should the office of President, any Trustee or any Officer become vacant, the Trustees shall have the power to appoint a replacement to fill such office until the next AGM when a proposed replacement will require ratification by members of the Society attending the AGM.
The Trustees may elect one or more Corresponding Members to represent the Society overseas. The parameters of any such appointment should be agreed by the Trustees in advance of the appointment.
Finance
The Trustees shall have control of the funds of the Society. They:
may sanction such disbursements as may appear advisable for furthering the objects of the Society
will ensure the maintenance of appropriate accountancy records
will decide a policy on reserves
An Annual Budget, including a projection of income, expenditure and cashflow for the forthcoming year, will be prepared by the Treasurer, or nearest equivalent, for discussion and approval by the Finance Committee prior to submission to the next meeting of the Trustees.
The Trustees may delegate day to day control of the Society’s investments to the Finance Committee. The Committee shall recommend a policy on the maintenance of reserves, and will be authorized to invest in any investments for the time being permitted by law.
Subject to the foregoing, and with due regard to the objects of the Society and the requirements of the appropriate Regulator, the Finance Committee shall be charged with full power to make such changes in, additions to, and disposals of the Society’s investments as it shall from time to time consider advisable.
The Society’s accounts shall be audited each year by an Independent Examiner who is reasonably believed by the Trustees to have the requisite ability and practical experience to carry out a competent examination of the accounts. The Independent Examiner, who cannot also be a Trustee or an Officer, is to be appointed by the Trustees, may receive an appropriate retainer and should submit any formal reports directly to the Trustees.
If the office of Independent Examiner shall become vacant the Trustees shall, at their discretion, appoint an appropriately qualified individual to fill the office.
Membership
Anyone wishing to become a member of the Society may be admitted subject to payment of the appropriate membership subscription. The Trustees reserve the right to refuse an application, or withdraw membership, from any member on the grounds of deeming him/her to have acted against the interests of the Society.
Each member of the Society shall pay a yearly subscription, due on admission and each succeeding anniversary.
All members belonging to a membership category that confers entitlement to a hard copy Volume shall be eligible to receive a hard copy of any standard Volume issued by the Society in any year in which his/her subscription is paid and up to date. There may be a charge for any additional material offered by and ordered from the Society.
Any member who wishes to withdraw from the Society, or who shall not pay his/her subscription for the current year within one month after it has become due, shall thereupon cease to be a member of the Society.
The Society may collect subscriptions or other payments due to the Society in any appropriate manner. Officers may give any appropriate indemnity required by the entities administering such payments subject to the prior approval of at least one Trustee. Once implemented, any indemnity must be reported to the next Trustee meeting.
Publications
All Society publications shall be subject to the approval of the Trustees, although the power to grant that approval may be delegated to a Publications Committee. The editor of any work published by the Society shall receive an appropriate number of copies in an appropriate format, to be agreed with the General Editor, or nearest equivalent, in advance.
Members or others willing to undertake the editing of any work, or wishing to recommend any work for publication, are requested to communicate with the General Editor, or nearest equivalent.
The Trustees shall determine how Society publications will be distributed. Publications available to non-members shall be sold in such manner and at such prices as shall be fixed by the Trustees, the proceeds being carried to the account of the Society.
Changes to Rules
Alteration to these Rules can be made only at an AGM. Any member of the Society can propose an alteration but only such alterations seconded by a Trustee will be considered. Proposed alterations must be made available to every member of the Society at least two weeks in advance of the date of the AGM. A copy of the current Rules will be available to all members at all times.
A copy of these rules and details of recently changed resolutions can be downloaded as PDF:
A guide for social media use for the Navy Records Society’s (NRS) channels and for individuals using social media in a personal capacity as a representative of the NRS.
This policy will be reviewed on an ongoing basis to reflect the changing online environment and technologies. The NRS will amend this policy, following consultation with its council members where appropriate.
This policy is intended for all representatives of the Society, including the President, Vice-Presidents (VPs), council members, officers, committee members, and associated volunteers. Before engaging in social media activity on behalf of the NRS, you must read this policy, which contains guidance that will help you adhere to our standards. Failure to comply with this policy could expose the NRS to reputational damage and put members at risk.
Any questions relating to this policy should be addressed to the Society’s Social Media Editor.
RULES OF THE NAVY RECORDS SOCIETY