1. That the Club shall begin and commence on this day, the 4th Wednesday in June and shall continue for the space of one year.
2. That every old member entering into the said Club shall advance the sum of Twelve Pounds and every new member the sum of Twelve Pounds Twenty Five Pence or more as a majority of the members may agree, to be laid out in books as a majority of the Club may judge proper. Members joining at any time during the year shall pay a proportional subscription. The number of members of the Club shall be limited to thirty.
3. Every member shall appear on the fourth Wednesday in each month at the White Horse Inn Dalton at 8.00pm for the dispatch of business and pay his club of three pence.
4. Every member not so appearing shall notwithstanding pay his club of threepence for the first time he does not attend and sixpence for every subsequent time that he shall neglect to attend the club, to be spent by the members present at each meeting. If a member has been absent for six consecutive months he shall be notified unless he attends the next
meeting and pays up his dues, or gives a reasonable excuse his name shall automatically be erased from the list of members.
5. He that does not appear personally shall send in the book or books he is charged with by some member or other person.
6. Upon neglect of bringing or sending such books at every meeting the person so offending shall forfeit and pay five pence per volume per month for the benefit of the club. Books to be on the table not later than 7.45.p.m. under penalty of three pence.
7. If any person shall lose or destroy any books belonging to the Club such person shall forfeit and pay into the Club the prime cost of such book and in the case of more volumes belonging to it then he is to take the remaining volumes and pay the prime cost of the whole.
8. If any book shall manifestly appear to be ill-used or any other way abused the person in whose hands it is found shall pay the prime cost and take the book into his hands and if other volumes belong to it then he is to take all the volumes and pay the prime cost of the whole or otherwise (if a majority of the Club shall think proper) to pay such fine as a majority of the Club shall inflict.
9. No person shall lend any book belonging to the Club to any but members thereof upon pain of paying ten pence for every such offence to be applied for the use of the Club.
10. Books to be drawn out by lot or ticket.
11. Every person not appearing before the drawing of such lot or ticket shall forfeit the benefit of the first choice, then any one present may draw for such absent members as shall send their books in time and in case any books should remain after these two drawings they are to be chosen by the present members in the reverse manner of their choosing the first time but any member who does not send in his book is not allowed to take any other book out of the Club.
12. None but members shall be admitted into the Club room till the business of the Club be ended.
13. No members to desert or leave the Club during the said term of one year without first making application to the members thereof for his dismission upon pain of forfeiting all his rights and claims to the books and all other privileges of the Club.
14. The surplus books shall twice a year be disposed of among the members to such as will give the best prices for the same, and the money arising by such sale to be appropriated to getting new books and every member that does not purchase a book is to forfeit the sum of One pound.
15. All Misdemeanours Irregularities or Abuses committed by any of the members during the sitting of the Club shall be punished as a majority of the members shall think proper.
16. No member shall allow his dog to remain in the Club room during the sitting of the Club under the penalty of three pence for each offence.
17. Any member of the Club for the future entering into Deacon or Priest’s Orders or any other office of profit shall pay a full bottle of whisky for the use of the Club when required.
18. A member whose wife bears him a son and heir pays a bottle of rum to be consumed by the members present.
19. Every member of the Club who happens to marry is to spend in the Club room for a full bottle of spirits for use of the Club.
20. Any member offering a wager and also any member accepting such offer are to pay a fine of a bottle of rum each to the members then present, the offeror to pay though the same may not have been accepted.
21. Any member with a membership of fifty years shall provide a bottle of brandy.
22. No new member be voted for unless notice of intention of proposal be given at the meeting before the one at which he is voted for. Voting shall be by ballot and four votes against will reject.
23. The “Simpson Dinner” to be held on or about the first Friday in February annually. All members failing to attend “Simpson Dinner” be fined One pound and all fines for non attendance to go the Box instead of the Bank fund.
24. A dinner shall be held each year during the summer months to be called the “Forster Dinner”.
25. Lastly all difficulties and disputes arising concerning any of the above articles and every other thing concerning the Club shall be decided and ended by a majority of members present at any meeting.
20.12.77 The President’s tenure to be 2 years and that the office be offered to the senior who is not a past President. Vice Presidency to be offered to the senior who has not been President.