The Society's Autumn meeting took place on 16th October 2010 in London - the pattern being that London alternates with Birmingham as a venue. The big disappointment was that Tony Pilson (the Thames Mudlarker) who was booked to address the meeting was too ill to attend. This would have been picked up by those who look at our website.

We had a very friendly and informative afternoon: Muriel Higgs showed us a unique London & North Western Railway Company button with the inscription pressed in to the brass. Jan Farrow showed us shaped buttons made in the 1980s which were sewn on to garments to help blind people with the colour co-ordination of their clothes. Jenny Swindells and Jane Perry reported on their trip to the American Button Convention in New Hampshire. Their trip was most rewarding and we were all urged to visit the USA button members at some point in our lives.

Regrettably, however, attendance at the meeting totalled 24; 4 of whom were visitors, most selling. 5 people left before the speakers, leaving 19 and 5 of those were on the committee. With the cost of the hire of the hall and, where appropriate, the speaker's fee, serious consideration has to be given by the committee to the future viability of Autumn meetings.

Angela Clark, Secretary, BBS