Report of the Annual General Meeting, lunch and tour of the Tropical Botanical Garden in Belém

The Annual General Meeting of the Society was held on Saturday 28 June 2025. Well-equipped with Panama hats on a very hot day, we began with a tour of the Belém Tropical Botanical Garden and then walked a short distance to the home of Isabel Lowndes Marques for lunch and the AGM.

Our member, Gerald Luckhurst (above), is an experienced landscape gardener, having worked for several years at Monserrate Palace in Sintra. He expertly guided us through parts of the gardens, although the visit was rather truncated by the heat and the need to find shady spots to listen to his presentations. Gerald pointed out that the site had been a garden since the reign of D. Joao V. In 1906 D. Carlos founded the ‘Jardim Colonial’, which was located where the zoo is currently found, and the garden was moved to Belém in 1914. During the 1930s it was known as the Jardim do Ultramar (‘Colonial Garden’) and in 1940 was part of the Portuguese World Exhibition (an Estado Novo propaganda exercise to celebrate the founding of Portugal in 1140 and the Restoration of Independence in 1640). As part of the exhibition, members of a tribe from the Bissagos Islands of Guinea-Bissau lived on an island in a lake in the Garden, effectively being a human zoo.  The 14 concrete busts of African and Asian people by Manuel de Oliveira can still be seen.

The garden was first laid out in 1906 by Henri Navel, a French landscape gardener who had trained at Versailles and Kew and who had been contracted by Sir Francis Cook as the head gardener at Monserrate the same year.  It now forms part of the Tropical Research Institute of the University of Lisbon.  

Gerald pointed out several trees is the park. The main avenue is lined by Washingtonia Palms from California. It is inspired by the avenue in the Jardim Botanico in Rio de Janeiro, although they are not the same type of palm. We also noted Araucaria Pines from New Caledonia and also a massive, rarer, Araucaria from Queensland in Australia (with ‘pom poms’).  Gerald also showed us the Californian Sequoia Redwoods and a massive Rubber Tree (above, with fluted roots above ground), as well as a Moreton Bay Fig tree and an Azores Laurel tree.

We then made our way to the exit and the short walk back up the hill to the delightful home of Isabel Lowndes Marques.  The tree-shaded garden, surrounded by flowers, and the dining room proved more than adequate to accommodate the many members who attended. After an excellent lunch and, for some, too much of Filipe Lowndes Marques’ excellent Sangria, the AGM convened at 14:45 with a quorum in attendance.

As Chair of the General Assembly, Filipe Lowndes Marques, opened the proceedings. He introduced the Society's Chairman/Treasurer, Edward Godfrey, who delivered a report on the activities of the Society for the year 2024. He highlighted the trip organized by the Society to visit the old mine at Urgeiriça, with side trips to Belmonte, Gouveia and Conimbriga, which took place in September. He also noted the completion of the major project of the digitalisation of the Anglo-Portuguese News, thanking Filipe for the work he did to achieve this. Edward noted that the term of the present Council will end next year and encouraged members to consider standing for a position on the Council or asking other members to do so.

The Vice-Chairman, Mark Crathorne, then outlined the plans for the remainder of 2025, which includes tentative plans for a visit to the island of Bugio on 2 August, a visit to see the Paineis de Almada Negreiros in the former liner terminals (Gares Marítimas) at Alcântara and Rocha do Conde de Óbidos in September and a visit to mark the Lines of Torres Vedres Day on 18 or 19 October.

Andrew Shepherd, the website manager, encouraged members to use the new Wild Apricot system to book participation in events and pay subscriptions (preferably by credit or debit card), noting that it would make such actions more streamlined. Patience may be required initially, but he hoped members would adopt the new system, particularly as this would reduce the present heavy workload on the Council.

Edward opened the floor for questions. One member asked about another weekend trip this year. Edward replied that the Council has some ideas in mind for next year. Given the work required to arrange the trips, only one trip per year is realistic unless the number of Council members can be increased. One member wanted to know how to propose possible outings/visits to the Society. Curtis Stewart commented that suggestions from members for future events are most welcome and that the Society would be in touch.

Edward then made a presentation of a book, Portugal and the Invention of a New World to Isabel Lowndes Marques and thanked her again for hosting the Society at her home.

The Chair of the AGM then asked Members for comments regarding the Report and Annual Accounts and the Report of the Fiscal Board. No comments being forthcoming, both were then put to the vote and approved unanimously. No other business being raised, the Chair closed the meeting.