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President 2007
The President 2007 Mrs Eileen Galbally
Acceptance Speech
It came as a complete surprise to me early this year to be invited to become President for 2007; for once I was at a loss for words. I am deeply honoured to have been elected for a second time; my sincere thanks to all.
During the Society’s existence this double honour has been conferred on only five previous occasions. Three recipients, in the early 1960s, were Mr Eric Engelmann, Mr C J Norwood and Captain T A Combe, all at the time proprietors of large commercial cut-flower carnation nurseries. The fourth was Mr F R McQuown, a much-respected amateur grower, a Pinks exhibitor and breeder of the ‘London’ laced pinks. He was also the author of two books on the Dianthus family. Last, but by no means least, was Mr Edgar Tickle, originally a member of the old British Carnation Society. Edgar, another keen amateur grower and successful exhibitor of both pinks and perpetual-flowering carnations, was for some years custodian of the Society’s trophies, making the arrangements also for the engraving and distribution of these. Edgar was in fact elected as President on three separate occasions, and it was he who, in 1957, exactly fifty years ago, donated the splendid Chain of Office to our Society. Incidentally it was in that same year that I was first invited to serve on the Executive Council, as a border carnation representative.
This great honour now bestowed on an enthusiastic grower of border carnations is therefore very much appreciated. I have been delighted to hear from some of our newer members that they are keen to grow these, and hope that many others will also find space in their gardens for these beautiful flowers, even if they do not aspire to exhibit them.
Throughout my year of office I shall do my utmost to attend all the Society’s shows, and look forward with pleasure to meeting and chatting with those members who are able to visit these, whether as exhibitors or just keen to meet others who share the same interest.
Mrs Eileen Galbally