25 October 2008: Meeting and Luncheon,
Historic Christ Church, Bayne Center, Irvington, Virginia

The newly redone Bayne Center at Historic Christ Church faces what can only be described as a new plaza in between the building and the newest building on the Christ Church campus and an impressive expansion of the older building which housed the museum and visitor center. The historic old church building remains the anchor of the site, presiding with a calm countenance that has seen changes come and go since the 1730s, completely unperturbed.

Members of the Chesapeake Bay Company met here on October 25, 2008. Thanks go to Camille Bennett, the Director of Historic Christ Church Foundation, who, with her staff, helped make the setting just perfect for our gathering. Nancy Tripp catered the wonderful luncheon, and thanks go to her for a flawless performance.

Newly installed officers of the Company for the term 2008 to 2010 are Jean Booth McKenney, Governor; Virginia Felts Brown, Lieutenant Governor; Katherine Lucina Crittenden, Secretary; Mary Elizabeth Stewart, Treasurer; Judith Blackburn Conner, Registrar; Beatrice Jenkins England, Historian, and William Buchanan England, III, Chaplain.

The speaker for the meeting was Susan Godman Rager, outgoing Governor who has served the Company in that capacity from 2006 to 2008. Thanks go to other outgoing officers for their assistance: Lieutenant Governor Jean Booth McKenney, Secretary Margaret Glenn Taylor, Treasurer Mary Elizabeth Stewart, Registrar Clyde Ratcliffe, Historian Beatrice Jenkins England, and Chaplain Cora Sue Elmore Spruill.

The topic of the talk was the year "1603," and speaker Susan Rager explained that the information came largely from the book "1603," by author Christopher Lee, which features as its full title: "1603: The Death of Queen Elizabeth I, the Return of the Black Plague, the Rise of Shakespeare, Piracy, Witchcraft, and the Birth of the Stuart Era."

Shown below, are, first, photos of those in attendance and the events of the day, and secondly, photos from the book that were shown in a PowerPoint presentation to those assembled.

LOTS OF PHOTOS - TAKES A LONG TIME TO LOAD, BUT WORTH IT!

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Shown below: The impressive new "plaza" which fans out from the Bayne Center, looking toward Christ Church sanctuary. The building on the left is new, and the building on the right incorporates the former museum and visitor center.

Shown below: The swearing-in of the new slate of Company officers. Left to right, Susan Godman Rager, Governor for 2006-2008, administers the oath of office to incoming Governor for 2008-2010, Jean Booth McKenney, Beatrice J. England, Historian, William Buchanan England, III, Chaplain, Mary Elizabeth Stewart, Treasurer, and Judith Blackburn Conner, Registrar and Organizing Governor. Sworn in absentia were Virginia Felts Brown as Lieutenant Governor, and Katherine Lucina Crittenden as Secretary.

Shown below: New Governor Jean Booth McKenney addresses the membership.

Shown below, left to right: Anne and  Charles Warner, Kathy Waltermire, Don Rager, Louise Kelley

Shown below, left to right: Kathy Waltermire, Don Rager, Henry Kelley, Louise Kelley, Beth Williams, Janice Shanks

Shown below, left to right: Jean McKenney, Bea England, Will England, Mary Stewart, Marty Taylor, Judith Conner

Shown below, left to right: J. B. Waltermire, Kathy Waltermire, Henry Kelley, Louise Kelley, Beth Williams, Janice Shanks, and at the podium, Susan Rager

Shown below:  Organizing Governor Judith Conner and Historic Christ Church Foundation Director Camille Bennett at the luncheon in the Bayne Center

Shown below: Henry and Louise Kelley with Janice Shanks at the conclusion of the meeting

Shown below: The cover of Christopher Lee's book, "1603"

Shown below, illustration from the coronation of James I

Shown below, panorama of London about 1600

Shown below, Richmond Palace, where Elizabeth I died

Shown below, the Tower of London

Photographs of the October 25, 2008 Meeting by D. D. Rager and J. B. Waltermire - thanks to both!