PROBUS CLUB OF KINGSTON UPON THAMES NEWSLETTER July 2010

PROBUS VISITS

Spring Ramble

Friday 30 April 2010

Wey Navigation

On an overcast but dry morning some 17 members and partners gathered at the New Inn at Send anticipating a brisk walk under the direction of John Kelly. We set out at a brisk pace along the Wey Navigation Canal , past the distinctive locks and into the open countryside. Having surveyed the route earlier in the year John Kelly strode purposefully on to take us on a circular route to Send Church which had appeared recently in the BBC’s production of “Emma”. Unfortunately John’s forward planning had not taken into account the recent heavy rains which had washed away the bridge over the Wey. Its remains were clear to see but there was little possibility of Probus members wading knee deep across the water meadows. However Plan B was invoked and we set off further along the canal before turning for “home “ and retracing our steps to the New Inn. This was a welcome sight and we were joined by another half dozen members for lunch which lived up to the usual “Kelly “ standard. The weather had held from the start and apart from not having seen Send Church members departed in high spirits for the weekend. As ever thanks to John Kelly for masterminding the event.

Bletchley Park

Thursday 6 May 2010

This was a long awaited visit organised by the Ham Amenities Group . Little did we know when we signed up for this visit ,that it would be an auspicious day in the Parliamentary life of the country. A dozen or so members and wives boarded the coach at either Ham or Surbiton Library for the journey round London and up the M1 to Milton Keynes( which has subsumed Bletchley ).Bletchley Park was of course the site of the secret wartime operation which was instrumental in breaking the secret codes used by the Germans in World War 2.The most famous of the codes and cyphers broken at Bletchley was the Enigma code. The Poles in fact had broken Enigma in 1932 but at that time the cipher altered only once every few months . With the outbreak of war it changed at least once a day giving 150 million million million ( that’s some total !) possible settings to choose from. With the arrival of more personnel operations moved into wooden huts known only by their hut numbers . We visited some of these original huts on our tour. We were fortunate in our guide Tony Carroll who was not only informative and knowledgeable about all aspects of the work on site but he had an easy style and a sense of humour which made the day pass quickly. We toured the site including the old Post Office ( still in use) and the original huts . After lunch we were taken round further parts of the site and saw the enormous machines which churned out endless possible solutions in the search for success. There was so much to absorb in a day and many felt that a return visit would not come amiss. The day’s outing included coffee , lunch and tea and a welcoming and informative reception . These few lines cannot do justice to the experience we all had - and we had behaved ourselves so well that the Ham Amenities Group are prepared to invite us on further outings they have planned . Thanks to Michael Davison for organising this trip – memorable in its own right , but on election day .....

FUTURE OUTINGS

Thursday 22 July

RAF Museum Hendon

Geoffrey Gammon is planning a visit to the RAF Museum at Hendon. This is a Museum of national importance and contains much of the early history and artefacts from the RAF and its predecessors. More details from Geoffrey at the July meeting.

Wednesday 27 August 2010

Loseley Park Guildford

John Bird is organising a trip to Loseley Park and House for a guided tour. Travel to Loseley Park by own transport ( parking free ). Coffee/tea will be provided at 11.00a.m. on arrival ( cost £1.50 payable to John Bird ) A Guided Tour has been arranged for 12.00p.m. and will last c. 45 mins. Those with limited physical ability will be accommodated on the ground floor. The cost of the tour is 37.00 per person for both House and gardens. Lunches , packed lunches and teas available throughout the rest of the day but are best booked personally with the catering staff before the tour starts. Lunches available at £8.00 and afternoon tea at £4.00. Further details from John Bird.

LUNCHTIME SPEAKERS

Tuesday 11^th May 2010

“An Expatriate in the Tropics”

John Metzner

Our outgoing President John Metzner saw his year out with a slide presentation of his time working in Brunei. Shell Oil was developing the area for its natural resources since the 1920s and John was sent out by his employer Costain as one of the engineers building an airport in Brunei.He was there for three and a half years( 1969-72) and although his slides from that period are 40 years old there was a remarkable clarity to them. Life in the far east was to be immersed in a different culture and we had some fascinating insights into life in the Malay Peninsula with Morene and their two daughters. The backdrop was very different from the green countryside of Surrey with jungle and mangrove swamps and mountains in the interior. Beach barbecues were the order of the day and this is where John first developed his love of sailing .Monsoon seasons brought the rains which posed its problems both for everyday life and the airport project. This was built on a 500acre site which had to be levelled first. A high point of the stay in Brunei was the visit of the Queen to open the airport in 1972.

A very interesting talk which gave us an insight not only to a different culture but also proved an entertaining slant on our President’s earlier life.

Tuesday 13 April 2010

The Thames from source to Teddington

John Wright

John Wright is a lock keeper at Hampton Court but has a wealth of knowledge about the Thames.This he shared with us as he told members about the upper reaches of the river and some of the tales of the locks along the Thames. The source of the Thames is at Cirencester – but there is no water there!.The highest lock is at Lechlade which is 123 miles upstream from Teddington. The last 10 locks are the original locks which are beam operated. All 44 locks on the river are controlled by the Environment Agency. From Abingdon down the lcks are modern pound locks. The original lock keepers were millers or farmers but it developed into a career in itself in the early 1800s. The Doomsday Book records 16 mills on the Thames.The Thames was to start with a commercial river but in the 1880s with Bazalgette’s improvements to the lower reaches ther was n increase in the more leisure type of activity ( down from Clivedon). Boulter’s Lock became popular as an outing from the Edwardian watering spas of Henley and Maidenhead. It was not unusual to see over 800 skiffs etc and 300 steamers through the lock on a busy Sunday after Ascot. But there has been more modern history made on the Thames with the local Tough’s Boatyard used as a marshalling point for launches gathered for the evacuation of the troops from Dunkirk.

A fascinating talk touching on different aspects of a river we all know but which always seems to yield up some more surprising stories.

Tuesday 8 June 2010

The Ladies Lunch

There were almost 60 members and partners who sat down to our Ladies lunch. The Hotel provided us with one of their best meals and it was good to socialise in the summer atmosphere. Unfortunately our planned speaker was unable to carry out the commitment, but as ever with Probus members resourcefulness won the day . Bob Belton stepped nobly into the breach at 24 hours notice to produce one of his quizzes ( and this was a real belt(on)er).With questions ranging over every topic from A to Z we were really tested. With 21 out of 26 points the winners were well rewarded with some liquid spoils !

Future Speakers

Tuesday 13 July 201

A History of Menageries

Cherryll Sands

Tuesday10 August 2010

The Banquenting Hall

Siobhan Clark

Tuesday 14 September 2010

Rolls Royce Merlin Aero Engines

Colin Gent

Tuesday 12 October 2010

All Saints Church – Restoration

Rev. Jonathan Wilkes

People and Places

It is with regret the death is reported of one of our members Bob Greaves Bob had been ill for some time and bravely survived to celebrate his birthday at the end of May.

Thanks

Bob Belton writes “ I am grateful for this opportunity to be able to write a few words of thanks to all Probus members and their wives for the tremendous support given to me following the loss of my beautiful Betty.It is difficult to speak or write to everyone individually and I hope you will accept these my thanks both for the letters I received and your support at the cremation service. You have no idea how very much this helped me through this difficult period..I did make some inadequate remarks at the Ladies lunch but I felt I wanted to follow it up with something more permanent. Finally to those who so generously contributed to her memory, a significant sum has been made available both to Galsworthy House – whose care and dedication to Betty I cannot praise too highly – and also to Princess Alice Hospice who supported Betty so well before she went permanently into Galsworthy House. Thank you all so much . Bob.

The Annual General Meeting –Tuesday 11 May 2010

The Club’s AGM was one of potentially historic importance. Members present voted for a secret postal ballot of all members on the issue of opening up the Club to ladies. The result of this ballot will mould the nature and character of the Club over the next few years.

The Treasurer’s Report indicated that the Club’s finances are in a very healthy state with the bottom line being that the Club’s assets now stand at just over £2000. A full set of the accounts can be obtained from Les Green the Club’s Treasurer.

The election of officers to the Committee was completed and those serving the Club for the forthcoming year are as follows :

President : Chris Shires

Immediate Past President : John Metzner

Vice President : Vacancy

Committee Secretary ;: David Culley

Visits Secretary : Geoffrey Gammon

Treasurer : Les Green

Membership Secretary : Mike Hounsome

Publications Secretary : Michael Dale

Speakers’ Secretary : Don Jordan

Welfare Secretary : Keith Poulton

Committee Members : John Bird : George Wyatt

The President ,John Metzner , reviewed his term of office outlining the highlights of meetings , speakers and visits before inducting the new President , Chris Shires.

Chris paid generous tributes to John and particularly pointed to two achievements during his term of office. Firstly the launch of the Club’s new website. This has not been an easy task and John has seen this through with dogged determination. The second feature of John’s Presidency had been to raise the question of the Club’s future membership , its potential decline and solutions to resolve the matter.

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Last Amended: Tuesday, April 27, 2010