The clinical precision with which the decision was arrived at would have pained many an urban history buff. After 40 years of operating from St Xavier's College, the Bombay Local History Society wound up its operations in its birthplace at a meeting held in the college yesterday.

This was decided upon after the assembled members agreed that the society should not be wound up but be moved to an alternative address. Saturday's meeting was held to arrive at a decision after an emergency meeting had been called on August 20 by the BLHS Secretary Dr Joan Dias to discuss the future of the society. City chroniclers, all members of BLHS, like Sidharth Bhatia, Rajan Jayakar, Deepak Rao, Meher Marfatia and Sameera Khan, were present at the meeting.