Final Report for the Baronial Inquiry Committee

June 16th, 2010

Greetings unto the Populace of Lionsdale:

On June 1, 2010, we had our forth and final meeting for finding out about becoming a Barony.

We have looked at the process and the criteria that we need to meet to become a Barony. We pretty much have everything in place for petitioning the Crown. However, we have another issue to consider in this.

Eisenmarch council has officially become interested in joining with Lionsdale as one branch to carry on with us in this adventure. They would bring devoted people to the group and help boost the membership numbers. There is still some unknowns as to how this might happen and I am still in contact with both the principality seneschal and kingdom seneschal regarding this matter. It is the opinion of the committee that such partnership would be a good thing for the branch as well as for the area at large.

The intent at this point would be that there will be polling regarding this as directed by kingdom. That we can’t maintain the all the lands of Eisenmarch and Lionsdale well, and there are areas that we believe to be big cross over sections for Lions Gate. (Namely: New West. , Po.Co., Coquitlam, Port Moody and the lands on the west side of the Pitt River, and Fraser River) It is being suggested that those areas might be better with Lions Gate. Again we are just figuring out the process possibilities and are asking questions to Kingdom and Principality over this matter. We would later on be looking at the possibilities of changing things like our devise perhaps to allow for Eisenmarch to maintain some of it’s traditions and such.

Part of the process that is being involved with this is time set aside for populace consulting. At both Lionsdale and Eisenmarch’s council meeting for June, July and August, as well as sometime to be set aside and Lionsdale’s Champions Tourney in July, there will be time to ask questions and make comment on the matter of combining the branches and the bigger picture.

Until we find out about this matter, we are holding off petitioning for our polling to become a Barony. That way if we do combine everyone will have an opportunity to participate in the matter.

Beyond that process of the Lionsdale-Eisenmarch “blending”, we will petition to become a Barony and there will be populace polling for all SCA members within our boundaries. If from that polling, the King and Queen at that time see fit to make us a Barony then we start looking at all the rest of it. At that point there will be more opportunities to get involved. There will be regalia, fundraising, heraldic things and ceremonials, etc. to start to put together. Then and only then will there be open candidate discussions.

This process will take time to be sure. It is really important that if you have anything to say on this that you do so in the proper forums. There is a place on the Lionsdale Forum for comments to the council and for questions to be raised. Please take time to answer the informal poll on the website regarding if you support bring the two branches together and stay tuned for updates on the information we discover and progress that we make. You can also direct comments and questions to seneschal@lionsdale.net.

To conclude: there are some interesting decisions that will have to be made in the next while. We feel that the committee has done its part to discovering the process and see if we are at a point to consider it. We find that we are ready and so now would like to have any more discussions happen at council. The process is underway!

My personal thoughts on this are that we were a child of the Barony of Lions Gate when we were a canton. Then we grew up and left home to become our own shire. Right now think of this as a courting time with the exciting possibilities of being married (with Eisenmarch). Who knows maybe someday we might even have children of our own (Cantons)!

Yours in Service,

HlaefdigeThora Golvik
Seneschal of the Shire of Lionsdale

To the many dedicated citizens of Eisenmarche and Lionsdale, the councils of your fair Shires’ send their Greetings.

Some of you may have heard whispers regarding the future of our branches.  We send you this missive to officially inform you of the aspirations of your council.

It is our wish to join Lionsdale and Eisenmarche to form one branch, with the prospect of becoming a Barony.

This, of course, is not a decision for the councils alone.  You, the citizens of our Shires’, have the responsibility of making many informed decisions to determine this outcome.  To present you with the information and opportunity to discuss the joining of the two Shires, ALL are invited to attend your local Shires’ council meetings in June, July and August.  Eisenmarche and Lionsdale will then poll their respective memberships in August for the official response of joining Lionsdale only.  (This will not be a Baronial polling).

We look forward to your input and questions.  Please contact your branch Seneschale for more information.

Regards,

Council of Lionsdale,
Thora Golvik email: seneschal@lionsdale.net

Council of Eisenmarche,
Elphin o Flaithbheartaigh email: elphinoflaithbheartaigh@gmail.com