THE FIRST 25 YEARS.

Probus Clubs owe their existence to Rotary, who recognised the need for a meeting point to provide fellowship among those who had retired. The exact origins are difficult to trace, but they are said to have begun with the 'Campus" Club founded by the Welwyn Garden Rotary Club in 1965 and the Probus Club founded by the Rotary Club of Caterham in 1966

Probus Clubs in Bristol owe much to our member Leslie Pearce, who brought the concept with him when he moved to Bristol from Kent. He was instrumental in the decision of The Rotary Club of Bristol to promote our Club in 1970.

The Rotary Club of Bristol held an "interest" meeting on the 8th. March 1971, and at a further meeting on the 24th, under the Chairmanship of Arthur Bowden, then President of the Rotary Club, a Steering Committee was formed to create, form and launch a Probus Club in Bristol. Arthur Mackness Chaired this Committee and Dickie Ware was it's Secretary. The other members were Charles Gorvett, Bill Goodwin, Geoffrey Rudall and Bill Whalley. The name was agreed as 'The Probus Club of Bristol" with a membership confined to retired and semi-retired business and professional men from the City.

The first lunch took place on the 27th. April 1971, with 44 members including Albert Clarke and Leslie Pearce, who were members of The Rotary Club. The next lunch on the 25th May included the First General meeting at which Arthur Mackness was elected the first Chairman. The first lunch was held at the Beckett Hall, but the Balcony Buffet at the Colston Hall was used from May, where the cost of a meal was 70p a head. Although the meetings were transferred to the Ground Floor Buffet in 1979 the accommodation still proved insufficient, so in 1981 the Club moved to the Redland Tennis Club. This did not prove entirely satisfactory either and when in 1982 the caterer increased his price from £3 to £4 for the meal, it was decided to move to Ashton Court, where the meals were priced at £3.50. This has been an excellent venue ever since. The cost of meals has of course risen from the £3-50 in 1982 to £6.20 in 1993 and will rise to £7.20 in 1996.

Between August 1983 and September 1984, coffee mornings were held on the Second Tuesday in the month but they were not well supported and were abandoned. The membership of the Club, originally limited to 60, was soon increased to 75 in 1972, 85 in 1974, to 90 in 1986 and to l00 in 1989- regarded as the maximum for Aston Court when the Ladies are invited. By the beginning of 1992 this limit had been reached and 12 were on the waiting list. The situation did not improve, and in 1993 with the waiting list over 20, it was decided to form another Club. On the 9th November 1993, The Bristol Brunel Probus Club was inaugurated and Eric Jordan was elected it's first Chairman, with some 28 members of this Club becoming Founder Members.

Our Chairman's Badge of office was presented by Frank Arney in 1974 and is still worn by the current Chairman. A Chairman's Gavel was also presented in 1974 hut was mislaid and the replacement provided by Douglas Railton was used until John Flemming provided the Bell in 1986. Many Probus Clubs have Presidents instead of Chairmen but the Club has always remained loyal to its founders and resisted the temptation to conform. A proposal to elect a President to "honour members for outstanding service" was rejected in 1981, but such service has been recognised since 1984 by the award of Honorary Membership. Dickie Ware was the first among 12 to be so honoured since 1984.

Ladies Evenings were arranged until 1979 but because of declining support they were replaced by the now familiar Ladies Lunch in September. Ladies were not invited to other meetings until 1983, when the practice of inviting them to the April meeting, which at that time coincided with the induction of the new Chairman. Invites to the Christmas Luncheon were not extended until 1987. In May of 1972, Canon Percy Gay, a Rotarian, invited members and their wives to a Church Service at St. Georges, Brandon Hill and similar services were held for several years. Canon Gay composed a .special Grace for our Club which is used from time to time.

The Club Finances have always been well administered. The current subscription of £5 compares favourably with the original 11, when inflation is taken into account. The position of Honorary Auditor did not appear until 1987. Auditors have been Geoffrey Rudell, Staff Stafford and recently Hamilton Keen. Committee meetings were originally held in Bill Goodwins house until he left the Committee in 1974, when they were moved to the Church Rooms at St. Mary's, Stoke Bishop. In 1981 the rent was considered too much and since then they have been held at committee member's homes in rotation.

Social activities started in 1971 with a visit to the Zoo, followed by many other day-trips over the years.

Sunday Lunches with the Ladies were first held in 1992 and, proving popular, they have been repeated at regular intervals. Longer trips from Bristol do not seem to have had much support until recently. A weeks trip to Strasbourg and Brussels in 1984 required the support of adjacent Clubs to make up the numbers. However the 5-day trip to York in 1992 was well supported by members and their ladies and subsequent trips have been made to Cambridge in 1993, Chester in 1994, Portsmouth in 1995 and this year- 1996, the Club will be going to Kent and will take a day-trip to France through the Channel Tunnel.

The Rotary Club of Bristol maintained close contact during our earlier years and a number of Rotarians were present at lunch meetings. Many of our current members have been Rotarians. It was not until 1985 that an Annual Exchange of Visits was started. At the same time the practice of making the Rotary President an Honorary Member of our Club for his year of office, and our Chairman becoming an Honorary Member of the Rotary Club was begun.

The Club marked its 20th. Anniversary year by dining with our ladies at Ashton Court in June 1991.Our 25th anniversary this year is being similarly marked on the 23rd. April 1996, 25 years almost to the day that the first lunch meeting took place. The aim of Probus Clubs is to provide fellowship among retired and semi-retired business men, by stimulating thought and. Interest, and providing opportunities to make new friends at a time of life when horizons are narrowing. The success of The Bristol Club can be measured by the continual demand for membership, and the high percentage attendance at our monthly meetings. There has been a worldwide expansion of Probus Clubs since the 1960's. Long may they prosper as our Club strides toward its 50th Anniversary.

G.F.Clarke 23rd. April 1996.