A Brief history of the Society

Without much ado, the Salt Hill Society was founded at the Three Tuns Inn, Salt Hill, Slough, one Tuesday in April 1783.

Since that day, members have convened every year - with the exception only of two World Wars. The society can claim to be older than Republican France - and almost as old as the United States of America. To further place things into context: Mozart was just 27 years old; Napoleon, Wordsworth and Wellington were mere teenagers; London had just 900,000 inhabitants and the cost of the society’s first dinner, which included food and wine for 40 members, totalled £5.

The society can also claim to have royal ties. Salt Hill, from which the club takes its name, was the place where Eton boys waylaid travellers to collect 'salt money' - an annual ancient ceremony known as 'Montem', which traces its roots all the way back to the 1400s. As a patron of Eton College, King George III was an enthusiastic supporter of the Montem ceremony, although an excess of unruly behaviour brought the tradition into disrepute and it was abandoned in 1844.

Originally functioning as a personal service to its members - the very first words on the first page of the first minute book read “for protection of persons and property from thieves, vagabonds and footpads.” - the society had support of many local gentry.

Despite this, the Society has served the local community for more than seven generations. Although the earliest members will have greatly relished the fellowship as a means of renewing acquaintanceships, which poor communications may have otherwise rendered lost, it is perhaps even more important in today’s world, where time is increasingly precious and hard to come by.

Rules

The Society has been running since 1783. It retained some interesting, if somewhat arcane, rules, such as:-

"THAT the Money so raised shall form a Fund, to be applied and disposed of towards paying the several REWARDS hereinafter mentioned; and defraying all such reasonable Costs, Charges, and Expenses… in advertising, taking, and prosecuting such Person or Persons as shall be (or be strongly suspected to have been) guilty of the Crimes hereinafter specified."

The various rewards that were available also make interesting reading e.g.

A copy of the complete rules from 1908, showing the membership of the time, can be seen here:

Committee

Ian Anderson (Treasurer)
Philip Astles (Secretary)
The Lord Burnham (President)
Jo Davis
William Emmett
Ian Friend
John Frost
Andrew Hillier
Robert Lidstone (Chairman of the Committee)
Nigel Pausey
Mark Thomas

Honorary Life Members

John Barker

Robert Farr

Clive Lidstone MBE

The committee are always looking for members to join them. If this is of interest, please contact the Secretary Philip Astles.

Joining the Society

We are always pleased to welcome new members. There are no particular qualification required, other than an interest in the local community. Membership entitles you to attend the AGM, book your own tickets for dinners and obtain them at a cheaper rate than non-members. If you would like to apply for membership of the Salt Hill Society, please download and complete the forms below and return them to the Secretary - Philip Astles. The annual subscription is £10. Please note that your application requires a Proposer and a Seconder. If you do not already know a member of the Salt Hill Society, please contact the Secretary – Philip Astles, who will be happy to help arrange a meeting for you with members of the Committee.

Our 'Next Merry Meeting'

The 240th annual dinner will be held on Thursday 7th March 2024 at the Marriott Hotel, Langley, SL3 8PT (Junction 5 of M4). At 6:45 for 7:15pm. Bookings may be made online below.

Speakers

Julian Walker TD DL

Julian runs A.B. Walker and Son Funeral Directors, a multi-branch fifth-generation family business that has served central Berkshire since 1826. He attended Reading Blue Coat School and Sheffield University and was commissioned into the Army Reserve, serving for over 15 years, including full-time service He is now Honorary County Colonel for The Rifles Regiment in Berkshire. Julian is a member of the Worshipful Company of Glovers of London and was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for the Royal County of Berkshire in 2023.

Alex Denman

Alex Denman is an experienced horticulturist and was the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Manager from 2006 to 2014. During this time, she curated the horticultural content of this world famous show, overseeing hundreds of exhibits and working closely with designers, charities and sponsors to manage the complexities of exhibiting. She is now Show Director for the Royal Windsor Flower Show and is passionate about what this show can do to support young people and the surrounding communities.

Alistair Barrie

Alistair Barrie is one of the top headliners on the international comedy circuit. A regular at London’s world-famous Comedy Store, he has performed in over 40 Countries. He has made countless appearances at UK music festivals plus regular shows at the Edinburgh Festival, where he has been repeatedly nominated for ‘Best Show at The Fringe’

Contact Us

SECRETARY:
Philip Astles
392 Edinburgh Avenue
Slough SL1 4UF
T: 01753 532541
E: PAstles@kiddrapinet.co.uk