OLD DOVORIAN CLUB RULES
Adopted at the General Meeting held at Dover College on 7th June 1981, amended 2nd June 1991,
31st May 1992, 3rd July 1994, 25 June 1995, 27 June 1999, 3 July 2011 and 1 July 2012.

1  The association shall be called the OLD DOVORIAN CLUB.
2. The OBJECTS of the Old Dovorian Club are:
(a) to maintain and foster friendship among Members;
(b) to keep Members informed in matters concerning Dover College and the Old Dovorian
Club;
(c) to put such sports teams into the field as may be desirable from time to time;
(d) to promote social activities in connection with Dover College and the Old Dovorian
Club;
(e) to support the objects and activities of Dover College and to give direct or indirect
support, pecuniary or otherwise, to any objects or purposes that may be considered
deserving of it and that are shown to be connected with Dover College or the Old
Dovorian Club; and
(f) to promote, administer or support such funds as may be considered desirable.
3. The Old Dovorian Club has seven classes of MEMBERS as follows:
(a) Old Dovorians being past pupils of Dover College in good standing who shall be
eligible for life membership for a payment of such subscription as may be determined
from time to time by General Meeting;
(b) Old Dovorians being past pupils of Dover College Junior School in good standing and
over the age of eighteen years who shall be eligible for life membership for a payment
of such subscription as may be determined from time to time by General Meeting;
(c) members of the teaching staff permanently employed at Dover College for so long as
they remain so employed;
(d) members of the Governing body, not otherwise members of the Club, while in post;
(e) former members of the teaching staff who were permanently employed at Dover
College who shall be eligible for life membership for a payment of such subscription
as may be determined from time to time by General meeting; and
(f) such Honorary Members as may be so elected by the Committee being individuals who
in its opinion have rendered special service to Dover College or to the Old Dovorian
Club or who for other reasons are invited by the Committee to accept honorary
membership; and
(g) Anyone connected with Dover College, and not within categories (a) to (f) above, who
wishes to retain a connection with the Club, may be offered Associate Membership for
payment of such subscription as may be determined from time to time by general
meeting, (and/or) at the discretion of the Committee of the Old Dovorian Club.
provided that:
(i) a pupil who has been expelled from Dover College shall not be a member of
the Old Dovorian Club for a period of five years from the date of expulsion,
or such a period as shall match the period of exclusion from College premises
set by the Headmaster if shorter. Such a pupil may, on application for
membership, be eligible for life membership thereafter for a payment of such
subscription as may then be in force and during the period as aforesaid shall
be entitled to claim repayment of any subscription previously paid in respect
of his or her prospective membership;
(ii) the Old Dovorian Club may in General Meeting terminate the membership of
any member, suspend such membership for a specified period or restrict all
or any of the benefits of such membership for a specified period (without
being obliged to repay all or any part of the membership subscription paid by
that member) for any reason associated with such member which adversely
affects the interests of the Old Dovorian Club or its relationship with Dover
College, but only after the member concerned has been given the opportunity
to express his or her views on the proposed expulsion, suspension or
restriction either in person or in writing to the General Meeting;
(iii) the Committee of the Old Dovorian Club may restrict all or any of the
benefits of membership of any member until the next General Meeting of the
Old Dovorian Club for any reason associated with such member which
adversely affects the interests of the Old Dovorian Club or its relationship
with Dover College and the Committee shall notify that member of the extent
and nature of the restriction, the details of any resolution relating thereto to
be put to the next General Meeting and his or her right to express his or her
views thereon to the General Meeting.
4.1 All Members of the Old Dovorian Club as defined in 3(a) to 3(f) above are ENTITLED:
(a) to attend or participate in functions or other occasions organised by the Old Dovorian
Club upon such terms as the Committee shall direct;
(b) to receive (to the extent not already listed on the website of the Old Dovorian Club)
such periodic circulars and reports concerning future and past activities at Dover
College and in the Old Dovorian Club as the Committee shall direct;
(c) to receive (to the extent not already listed on the website of the Old Dovorian Club) a
copy of the rules and such other publications as the Old Dovorian Club may issue from
time to time. For the avoidance of doubt a copy of the rules shall be deemed to have
been made available to every Member if such rules are listed on the official website of
the Old Dovorian Club;
(d) to attend and vote at General Meetings; and
(e) to wear the colours and other insignia of the Old Dovorian Club.
4.2 All Associate members as defined in 3(g) above are only ENTITLED:
(a) to attend or participate in functions or other occasions organised by the Old Dovorian
Club upon such terms as the Committee shall direct;
(b) to receive such periodic circulars and reports concerning future and past activities at
Dover College and in the Old Dovorian Club as the Committee shall direct;
(c) to receive (to the extent not already listed on the website of the Old Dovorian Club) a
copy of the rules and such other publications as the Old Dovorian Club may issue from
time to time. For the avoidance of doubt a copy of the rules shall be deemed to have
been made available to every Member if such rules are listed on the official website of
the Old Dovorian Club;
(d) to wear the colours and other insignia of the Old Dovorian Club.
5. The COLOURS of the Old Dovorian Club are French grey, red and dark blue, which shall be
available in such form as the Committee shall determine from time to time, and only from such
persons as Dover College or the Committee approve, and be supplied only to Members
registered in the lists held by the Old Dovorian Club or otherwise registered on the database of
members on the Old Dovorian website from time to time and there shall be such other insignia
of the Old Dovorian Club available on the same terms as the Committee shall determine from
time to time.
6. Each SPORTS TEAM shall be selected by the Captain of that sport from amongst the Members
or other individuals, including pupils at Dover College, if the Captain considers it desirable.
7. The OFFICERS of the Old Dovorian Club shall consist of the following:
(a) President, Chairman of the Committee, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer;
(b) Vice-presidents; and
(c) such other officers as may be determined by General Meeting from time to time.
8. The COMMITTEE of the Old Dovorian Club shall consist of:
(a) the Officers specified under paragraph (a) of rule 7; and
(b) such other Members as shall be elected from time to time by General Meeting who
shall each serve for a period of three years and who shall be eligible for re-election for
consecutive periods. There shall be a maximum of nine such members at any one time.
9. The OFFICERS (with the exception of the President) shall be elected from the Members by
General Meeting and shall serve for the following periods:
(a) the President for two years; (see 10.1 below)
(b) Vice-Presidents for life; and
(c) all other Officers for one year, provided that any Officer shall be eligible for re-election
(or re-appointment) for consecutive terms.
10. Officers and Committee members, with the exception of the President, are elected as follows:
10.1 A Member wishing to stand for election as an Officer, or to the Committee (an Applicable
Candidate) must be nominated for such position by another Member. (i.e. a Member cannot
nominate himself as an Applicable Candidate) Members are defined as under Rules 3(a) to 3(f).
Any such nomination must be made by the applicable nominating Member to the incumbent
Honorary Secretary at least five weeks prior to the date scheduled for the applicable General
meeting. A Member cannot nominate more than one person for the same Officer position.
( although nothing in this rule prevents, for the avoidance of doubt, a Member from nominating
different persons for different Officer positions) Any nomination for President shall be made by
the incumbent (who may only serve one term of two years) or failing that, another Officer, and
such nomination shall be ratified by the Committee before publication.
10.2 Where only a single nomination is received for a given post, such appointment shall become
valid by a vote (on a show of hands, see Rule 14) at the General Meeting. In the event that there
is more than one nomination for one or more posts, the Honorary Secretary shall advise the
President that a formal election is required, and proceed in the following manner;
the Honorary Secretary shall promptly (i) publish any such nominations on the official website
of the Old Dovorian Club, (ii) ensure that any manifesto put forward by an Applicable Candidate
is (upon request by such Applicable Candidate) duly published on the website and notify by
email all Members registered thereon instructions (see below) as to how Members may vote for
the Applicable Candidates together with a voting ballot form. The voting instructions shall state
that Members are entitled to vote in any one of the following manners;
(a) by printing off, completing, signing and posting the voting ballot form to the President of the
Old Dovorian Club to such address as may be specified in such form and/or in the voting
instructions;
(b) (should the technology of the website permit, and should the President have so approved) by
voting electronically through the website itself;
(c) (should the President have so approved) by sending an email to the President to such email
address as may have been specified in the applicable voting instructions; or (but not and)
(d) by physically attending and voting in person at the General Meeting in accordance with Rule
14 below.
10.3 Any vote provided through the operation of rules 10.2(a) (voting by ballot), 10.2(b) (voting
electronically) or 10.2(c) (voting by email) shall only be valid if and/or to the extent that the
following criteria are met;
(a) that the applicable vote is duly received by the President at least seven days before the
General Meeting;
(b) that the voting Member has clearly stated his or her name, his or her former House, if
applicable ( or, in the case of a former member of staff, the fact that he or she was a member of
staff) and the years he or she attended (or taught at) Dover College. Non-OD governors of
Dover College and others (ie Honorary Members) must state the relevant details to give proof of
membership of the Old Dovorian Club and their eligibility to vote;
(c) that the Member has clearly stated which Applicable Candidate he or she wishes to vote for
with respect to each Officer position available;
(d) that the President is satisfied (acting reasonably) that as far as he or she can determine
(without the need for the President to independently verify) the vote received is a genuine,
non-fraudulent, vote of a Member;
(e) the President and all other incumbent Officers shall ensure that all Applicable Candidates are
treated fairly and equally in all respects.
11. A QUORUM of four Committee Members is required for the purpose of taking decisions at
meetings of the Coimmittee. Minutes of each meeting shall be recorded in writing. An
Officer, being the Chairman, the Honorary Secretary or the Honorary Treasurer, shall chair each
meeting. Meetings shall normally be held at least four times each year and the conduct, form,
place and time of each meeting shall be as agreed from time to time by the Committee.
12. A GENERAL MEETING of the Old Dovorian Club shall be held annually at Dover College at
such time as the Honorary Secretary shall specify in a notice to Members given at least four
weeks beforehand and also at any other time if a requisition for an extraordinary general meeting
is made. The requisitioner(s) must state the purpose of such extraordinary general meeting in
writing, that is signed by at least five Members, and delivered to the Honorary Secretary for the
time being of the Old Dovorian Club. If that Honorary Secretary does not convene such general
meeting within six weeks from the receipt of that written requisition, then the requisitioners
themselves may convene the meeting at such time and place as they shall indicate in writing to
that Honorary Secretary.
13. A QUORUM of six is required for the purpose of taking decisions (except under rule 26) at all
General Meetings, minutes of each meeting shall be recorded in writing, and the conduct and
form of meetings shall be as agreed from time to time by General Meeting or, in default thereof,
as directed by an Officer at the General Meeting.
14. (a) RESOLUTIONS of General Meeting (except under rule 26) shall be proposed and
seconded, and passed by simple majority as ascertained by the chairman of the meeting on a
show of hands together with any votes cast by Members giving written notice thereof to the
President or Honorary Secretary at least one week before the General Meeting, except in the case
of doubt when such chairman may ascertain the voting by such other means as such chairman
considers reasonable in the circumstances, each Member having one vote in accordance with
Rule 10 above.
(b) RESOLUTIONS of the Committee shall be passed by simple majority and ascertained by
chairman of the meeting on a show of hands, together with any votes by Committee members
giving written or electronic notice thereof to the Chairman or Honorary Secretary at least 48 hours
prior to the meeting.
15. FUNCTIONS of the Old Dovorian Club shall be carried out as follows:
(a) the Committee shall manage the affairs of the Old Dovorian Club and take any action
it considers necessary to fulfil the objects of the Old Dovorian Club;
(b) the President shall, whenever possible, preside at General Meetings and represent the
Dovorian Club in any contact with the public and in any matter or manner the
President or the Committee considers desirable from time to time;
(c) The Chairman of the Committee shall, whenever possible, preside at meetings of the
Committee;
(d) the Honorary Secretary shall keep the minutes of meetings of the Committee and of the
General Meeting, give and receive notices relating to such meetings, issue circulars,
reports (including an annual report of business transacted at General Meetings) and
other publications to Members, prepare agendas and resolutions for meetings, keep the
Officers informed of matters relating to the Old Dovorian Club and conduct
correspondence with Members on such matters as may from time to time seem to the
Honorary Secretary to be necessary;
(e) the Honorary Treasurer shall attend to and keep accounts of all subscriptions,
donations, expenditure, investment and other financial affairs of the Old Dovorian
Club and prepare a statement of accounts for presentation at each Annual General
Meeting;
(f) The Vice-Presidents shall assist the President in such manner as the President may
from time to time request;
(g) other Officers of the Old Dovorian Club shall act in such a manner or matter as the
Committee may direct, subject to the terms of appointment by General Meeting.
16. The Old Dovorian Club shall be entitled to operate, maintain and pay for a website for the
benefit of its Members. Members shall be entitled (to the extent the website permits) to register
such information with respect to each such Member as such Member deems fit, recognising (and
therefore providing consent in relation thereto) that other Members registered on the website
may be able to view such information.
17. The Committee may impose such CHARGES for attendance at social activities of the Old
Dovorian Club as it shall consider necessary from time to time and subscriptions and any other
charges shall be determined by General Meeting.
18. The Committee and General Meeting shall both have power to APPOINT standing committees
for such purposes as may from time to time appear desirable.
19. The Committee shall give POWER to invite to its meetings such individuals as it considers
desirable for particular purposes and to conduct investigations and other matters relevant to the
Objects in such manner as it may from time to time deem expedient including the employment
of paid or unpaid agents. The Headmaster of Dover College shall be entitled to attend or be
represented at (but shall have no vote) meetings of the Old Dovorian Club, unless the Committee
shall resolve otherwise.
20. NOTICES, circulars or other information shall be deemed to be properly delivered if (i) they are
listed on the official website of the Old Dovorian Club and/or (ii) they are duly stamped and
posted to Members at the addresses registered with the Honorary Secretary, provided that the
Honorary Secretary may (except for the purpose of rule 26) discontinue the posting of notices,
circulars and other information to any Member if the Honorary Secretary has reasonable cause to
believe the same is not likely to be received by the Member.
21. ALTERATIONS may be effected to this and any other of these rules, except rule 26, by specific
resolutions passed by General Meeting, provided that notice of each such resolution has been
posted or delivered to Members at least four weeks before that General Meeting, and such
alterations passed in accordance with rule 13 shall be binding on all Members as from the date of
that General Meeting.
22. PROPERTY belonging to the Old Dovorian Club or its income shall not be subject to any right
of withdrawal or distribution to Members at any time and shall be applied only for the Objects
specified in rule 2 or upon dissolution as provided in rule 26.
23. Property belonging to the Old Dovorian Club may be VESTED in such person or persons
(whether as trustees, nominees or otherwise) and upon such terms (including remuneration) and
in such manner as the Committee or General Meeting shall from time to time by resolution
direct and in pursuance of any such direction
(a) such person or persons as aforesaid shall be entitled to accept the written instructions of the
Honorary Treasurer as to the disposal of or other dealing with such property without further
enquiry but without prejudice to their liability to account for the same to the Old Dovorian Club
and
(b) the power of appointing trustees, including replacement or new trustees, shall be vested in
the President and be exercisable by deed.
24. Except where otherwise provided and except in the case of dealings with property already vested
in others (pursuant to rule 23), the Honorary Secretary and the Honorary Treasurer shall each
have power, exercisable jointly or severally, to EXECUTE such receipts and other documents
(contractual or otherwise) and in such manner on behalf of the Old Dovorian Club as the
Committee or General Meeting shall from time to time direct and any party thereto (not being a
Member) shall not be concerned to enquire as to the propriety or otherwise of the exercise of this
power.
25. The Old Dovorian Club shall not be DISSOLVED except by a resolution to that effect passed by
three quarters of the Members whose written votes can be obtained, six months notice having
been delivered to all Members at the addresses registered with the Honorary Secretary
requesting their written votes on the resolution specified, and upon dissolution the property of
the Old Dovorian Club (after discharge of all liabilities) shall be transferred to such charity or
charities and in such manner as the Members in General Meeting shall direct or, failing any such
direction, to Dover College.
26. A COPY of the rules shall be made available to every Member and every Member shall be
bound by the rules as from time to time in force. For the avoidance of doubt a copy of the rules
shall be deemed to have been made available to every Member if such rules are listed on the
official website of the Old Dovorian Club.
ANNEX A
Pursuant to rules 2(f), 8(c), 14(g) and 18, there shall be an honorary treasurer and a committee for the
purpose of administering the DOVER COLLEGE WAR MEMORIAL AND ENDOWMENT FUND
under an indenture dated 30th September 1926. The committee shall consist of four Members who shall
each serve for a period of four years and be eligible for re-election by General Meeting for consecutive
periods.