A dozen members gathered at Kinder House on Sunday afternoon for the AGM and then were privileged to hear Edward Bennett tell stories about the castles that have materialised in Auckland over the years, many of which still exist, notable examples being the High Court, Mt Eden Prison, Fort Takapuna and Clifton House, aka as Firth’s Castle. Many other buildings throughout the city have less spectacular features but nonetheless can be included in the category of castle architecture. Edward inspired us to visit these fascinating buildings we did not know about and/or have a closer look at the ones in our neighbourhood and search out details that had previously escaped our notice.

Most of us stayed after the talk to reflect upon the past year and to enjoy the rest of what the sunny afternoon had to offer, including strawberries and cream.

Board elected members for 2021 are: Margaret Barriball, Munroe Graham, Chris Grove, Allan Matson, Bill Rayner, Gary Russell and Audrey van Ryn.