Main Club Rules
THISTLEWORTH CLUB
R U L E S
(Revised May 1988)
1. NAME
Thistleworth Tennis and Social Club.
2. ADDRESS
The Pavilion, 129a Ridgeway Road, Isleworth, Middlesex.
3. OBJECTS
a) To play tennis and to encourage sport and the playing of games.
b) To encourage social activities.
c) To provide and maintain tennis courts, club house and other requisite accommodation.
d) To provide meals and refreshments.
4. OFFICERS
The officers of the Club shall be Chairman, Hon Secretary, Hon Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer who shall retire annually and be eligible for re-election.
5. TRUSTEES
All Building Funds and Properties of the Club shall be vested in four Trustees who shall hold such Funds and Properties on behalf of the Club. Any purchase, sale, transfer, mortgage or legal charge of the Property shall be executed by the Trustees only on the authority of a Resolution of the Members (whose subscription for the current year shall have been paid) by postal ballot yielding a majority of 75 per cent of the votes cast. Any votes shall be delivered by hand or by post to the Club premises addressed to the Hon Secretary and any vote so delivered later than a date two months after the date of despatch of voting papers to be Members shall be invalid.
The appointment of any or all the Trustees may be determined by a Resolution passed by a majority of the members present and voting thereon at an Annual or Special General Meeting, otherwise Trustees shall hold office until their resignation or death.
Vacancies among Trustees shall be filled by Resolution of the Committee, subject to confirmation at the next General Meeting.
The Trustees shall be indemnified by the members of the Club against all or any expenses that may be properly incurred by them or any of them for or on behalf of the Club.
6. ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
The Officers and Committeemen shall be elected by ballot at the Annual General Meeting.
Nominations, in writing, proposed, seconded and accepted by the Nominee, must be handed to the Hon Secretary at least five clear days before the Annual General Meeting and shall be posted immediately on the Club notice board.
The Committee shall have power to fill vacancies arising amongst their number provided that the number of the members of the Committee who become members other than by election shall at no time excess one-third of its total number. Members so appointed shall hold office only until he next Annual General Meeting.
Any member of the Executive Committee who:
1. fails to attend 3 consecutive meetings, or
2. fails to attend at least 50% of the Committee Meetings held during the course of a year, shall be removed from the Committee unless he/she has provided reasons for such absences which are collectively satisfactory to at least two-thirds of the Committee in attendance at the first properly convened Meeting following his/her being in breach of these regulations.
7. MANAGEMENT
The management of the Club shall be vested in the Committee who shall be responsible for the election and expulsion of members and shall regulate the working of the Club.
All disputes arising shall be referred to the Committee, whose decision shall be final and binding on all members of the Club.
Should any question arise which is not provided for in the Rules, the Committee shall have power to deal with the same at their discretion.
The Committee shall consist of six members, two of whom shall retire each year at the Annual General Meeting and shall be eligible for re-election. Two members to replace those normally retiring shall be elected at each Annual General Meeting to serve for three years. If there are other vacancies caused by registration or other reasons, additional members may be elected to serve for the remainder of the period up to three years, which the person or persons they are replacing would otherwise have served.
In addition, the Tennis and Bridge Sections shall nominate each year a member of their respective Committees to serve on the Executive Committee.
The Officers of the Club will be ex-officio Committeemen.
A Committeeman may at any time summon a Meeting of the Committee either orally or by post.
Seven Committee members personally present shall form a quorum.
The Committee and sub-Committees may co-opt members and others for the furtherance of the Club's interest provided that the numbers of members of the Committee who become members other than by election shall at no time exceed one-third of its total number.
Sub-Committees
The following Sub-Committees shall be appointed from among Committee members at the first meeting of the Committee held after the Annual General Meeting: Finance, Wine, Sports and Social, Secretarial and such other Sub-Committees as the Committee may deem necessary and will be subject to control by the Committee.
(a) Finance - is empowered to deal with all matters connected with the finances of the Club, including borrowing or raising money in such manner as the Finance Sub-Committee shall think fit.
(b) Wine - the purchase for the Club and the supply by the Club of intoxicating liquor shall be managed by the Wine Sub-Committee which shall be an elective Committee within the meaning of the fifth schedule of the Licensing Act, 1961, or any amendment thereof for the time being in force. No persons shall received at the expense of the Club any commission, percentage or similar payment on or with reference to the purchase of intoxicating liquor by the Club, nor derive any pecuniary benefit from the supply of intoxicating liquor to members or guests, apart from benefit accruing to the Club as a whole.
(c) Sports & Social - this shall deal with all matters connected with Games, Amusements, etc, which shall be arranged by them.
(d) Secretarial - This shall assist the Hon Secretary.
(e) The Tennis and Bridge Sections shall form their own Committees for the regulation and management of their Section. They should maintain proper accounts for any monies raised within their Sections and submit an annual audited statement of account each year to the Club Treasurer.
They should submit any written rules for the management of their Sections to the Executive Committee for approval.
Any other Section within the Club which holds money raised in furtherance of its own activity is also required to maintain proper accounts and to submit an annual audited statement of account to the Club Treasurer.
8. ELECTION OF MEMBERS
The election of all members shall take place at a properly convened meeting of the Committee. Every candidate shall submit to the Hon Secretary a form of Application for Membership giving all particulars as required by the Committee, together with an undertaking, if elected, to be bound by the Rules of the Club.
No person may be admitted to membership or be admitted as a candidate for membership to any of the privileges or membership without an interval of at least two days between his application for membership and his admission. The name and address of any person proposed for election shall for not less than two days before the election be prominently displayed in the Clubhouse.
9. TEMPORARY MEMBERSHIP
(a) The Committee may elect as Temporary Members, visitors for special occasions, provided at least two days elapse between the time of nomination and the election.
Temporary Members shall enjoy the privileges of the Club, but shall not have the right of voting at any meeting nor have any interest in the property or assets of the Club.
(b) Visitors to be Club for the purpose of playing matches, tournaments, competitions and the like shall be Temporary Members for the day.
10. VISITORS
Each member may introduce friends as visitors to the Club and shall enter the names and addresses of such visitors, together with his name as introducing them, in the Visitors' Book. Visitors must not remain on the Club premises after the introducing member has left.
No visitor may be introduced more than seven times in any one year. The Committee may restrict the number of visitors and shall have power to refuse admission to any visitor without assigning a reason for so doing. No rejected candidate for membership may be introduced as a visitor, nor any former member removed from the Register of Members by virtue of the application of Rule 12 (b) and (c).
11. ENTRANCE FEE AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
(a) All subscriptions and entrance fees shall be determined by the Committee.
(b) Subscriptions shall be due from 1st April. Members elected after 1st October shall pay half subscriptions for that year. The subscription of members after 1st March has been received as due on 1st April following.
12. CESSATION OF MEMBERSHIP
(a) Any member intending to withdraw from the Club shall signify his intention so to do, in writing to the Hon Secretary before the 31st March; failing which he shall pay his subscription for the ensuing year.
(b) Each member not paying his subscription before the 12th June shall be written to by the Hon Secretary informing him of his neglect; and if the subscription be not paid within 28 days from the date of such letter, the Committee may order the member's name to be removed from the Register of Members; and he shall thereupon cease to be a member.
Upon the payment of all arrears of subscription due and not before, the Committee may at their discretion restore membership.
(c) The Committee may by the vote of eight of its members cancel the election or terminate the membership of any member at any time on repaying to him any fees and subscriptions paid by him in respect of the current year, and shall not be required to give any reason for so doing.
13. CLUB HOURS
a) The Clubhouse shall be open to members from 9 am to 11.30 pm daily. The Committee shall have power to extend or restrict these hours.
The permitted hours for the supply and consumption of intoxicating liquor on the Club premises shall, as from 1st March 1962, be such as may from time to time be determined by the Committee in accordance with the provisions of the Licensing Act 1961 or any amendment thereof for the time being in force, and as notified by the Magistrates' Clerk; provided that if an order is made under Section 5 Sub-section 3 or 4 of the said Act, the proviso to Sub-section 8 shall apply.
b) No member or visitor under the age of 18 shall be entitled to remain in the bar.
14. GENERAL MEETINGS
a) The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held in April of each year:
1. to receive the Committee's report;
2. to receive the Accounts;
3. to elect Officers, Committees and Auditor, and
4. to transact any other business.
b) A copy of every resolution intended to be brought forward at a General Meeting shall be sent by the proposer in writing, to the Hon Secretary seven clear days before the date of the Meeting and shall be exhibited on the Club notice board for at least five clear days before the Meeting. Bona fide amendments to such resolutions may be moved at the Meeting. The decision of the Chairman on this point shall be final.
c) A Special General Meeting:
1. may be demanded on application in writing to the Hon Secretary stating the reasons and signed by at least 12 members, or
2. may be called by the Committee.
d) At least 14 days notice of a General Meeting must be given in writing by the Hon Secretary to each member.
Any notice or document may be served on any member either personally or by sending it through the post in a prepaid letter addressed to such Member at his address as appearing in the Register or Members. Any notice or other document, if served by post shall be deemed to have been served at the time when the letter containing the same is posted, and in proving such service shall be sufficient to prove that the letter containing the notice or document was properly addressed and duly posted.
15. BOOKS
The books and accounts of the Club shall be audited each year by an Auditor who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Auditor shall retire annually and shall be eligible for re-election.
The books of the Club shall be available for inspection by any member on application to the Hon Secretary, providing reason is given to the satisfaction of the Committee.
16. CONDUCT OF MEMBERS
The Officers, Wine Committeemen or the Steward have power to refuse refreshment and to ask members whose behaviour is in any way calculated to injure the character or interest of the Club to leave the premises. Such action must be reported to the Hon Secretary within 24 hours.
17. COMPLAINTS
Any complaint shall be addressed in writing to the Hon Secretary and submitted by him to the Committee at its next meeting. No member, other than an Officer, shall personally reprimand nor give instructions to any of the Staff.
18. CHANGE OF ADDRESS
A member chancing his address is requested to give notice of such change to the Hon Secretary, failing which notices sent to his previous address shall be deemed to be duly served.
19. CHANGE OF RULES
These Rules (except Rules 5, 20 and 21) may only be revoked, altered or added to at a General Meeting by Resolution voted for by at least two-thirds of the members (whose subscription for the current year shall have been paid) present at the Meeting and voting.
20. Rule 5 and this Rule (Rule 20) and Rule 21 may only be revoked, altered or added to on a Resolution of the Members (whose subscription for the current year shall have been paid) by postal ballot yielding a majority of 75 per cent of the votes cast. Any votes shall be delivered by hand or by post to the Club premises addressed to the Hon Secretary and any votes so delivered later than a date two months after the date of despatch of voting papers to the Members shall be invalid.
21. Dissolution of the Club may be resolved only by postal ballot yielding a majority of 75 per cent of the votes cast.
If a Resolution for the dissolution of the Club shall be passed a Resolution of the members (whose subscription for the current year shall have been paid) by postal ballot yielding a majority of 75 per cent of the votes cast (any votes to be delivered by hand or by post to the Club premises addressed to the Hon Secretary and any vote so delivered later than a date two months after the date of despatch of voting papers to the Members shall be invalid) the Committee shall thereupon, or at such future date as shall be specified in such Resolution, proceed to release the property of the Club and after the discharge of all liabilities shall divide the same equally among all the members (whose subscription for the current year shall have been paid) and upon the completion of such division the Club shall be dissolved.