THE club's 220th meeting was held at the Hollybush pub on September 28.

The vice president, John Buchanan, opened the meeting in the absence of the president, Bob Woodfield, and welcomed all members, stating there were nine apologies.

Grace was offered by Horace Jobson and an excellent meal was served. He then introduced the speaker, Vernon Menton, a club member, with a talk entitled "A Treasure from the Town Hall".

He started by talking about treasures within the Town Hall. There was an original door of the old jail with windows and bars, a pair of stocks, an ensign (flag) a model of HMS Monkshood and a huge, highly detailed ordinance survey map of Alcester and District, dating from about 1837.

Mr Menton went on to talk about an important oil painting that hangs over the chimney breast upstairs. In 2000 he volunteered to oversee the cleaning of the painting, known as the "funeral hatchment". It was given to the Apollo Lodge of Freemasons or the people of Alcester (it is not clear which) in 1937.

To find out about the painting a full search and survey was carried out by Clarenceau King of Arms. The arms found on the painting are that of the second Marquis of Hertford (Francis Seymour Conway), which was much earlier than originally thought.

The present Marquis is the ninth and his is Henry Jocelyn Seymour. The seniority of the British hierarchy is King, Prince, Duke, Marquis, Earl, Baron and Knight, so the residents of Ragley are pretty high up in the pecking order.

The picture can be dated to after 1807 and before 1822. Mr Menton described the detective work involved in researching the heraldry to discover the details of the arms on the painting.

There is no signature on the back and no known artist or reason for the painting.

It is too big to be a proper funeral hatchment and it is the wrong shape and size for a coach panel.

He went on to describe a chart which he has made up on the back of the picture which includes dates and information about the Marquis's family.

He told members about the restoration process describing the damage the painting had sustained over the years and the processes used to restore it to its former glory.

A vote of thanks was given by Peter Robinson on behalf of members. The vice president wished everyone a safe journey home.