The Origin of Probus Clubs

Probus clubs owe their existence to Rotary, who foresaw the need to provide a meeting point for fellowship for men who had retired. The first Probus club was formed in 1966 in Caterham, Surrey on the initiative of Harold Blanchard, a Past President of the Rotary Club of Caterham, who had retired the previous year. The club was established to sponsor the interests of retired professional and business men and takes its name from the first three letters of PROfessional and BUSiness.

The original members decided that they had been subjected to rules and regulations all their lives and that a club formed by them would be based on the absolute minimum of simple and essential rules.

The idea spread and there are now more than 500 Probus clubs in Great Britain. The Probus Club of Bristol is one of the oldest having been formed in 1971. Probus, unlike Rotary, has no formal affiliation; each Probus club operates independently.