Holt Probus Club is a vibrant social club that has been bringing together like-minded individuals for over 50 years. We offer a welcoming environment where members can connect, explore new interests, and engage in meaningful discussions.
At Holt Probus Club, we pride ourselves on our diverse range of activities and events. From thought-provoking guest speakers to local outings and social gatherings, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Our members come from various backgrounds, bringing a wealth of experiences and perspectives that enrich our community.
We meet on the first Wednesday of each month at The Feathers, Holt at 12:30pm for a 1:00pm two-course lunch. A guest speaker will give a presentation or talk on a diverse range of interesting subjects.
History
A BRIEF HISTORY OF PROBUS SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM IN 1965
Although the ‘Campus Club’ in Welwyn Garden City is sometimes regarded as being the first club of its kind, the first ‘Probus Club’ was formed in Caterham, Surrey in 1965/6.
Harold Blanchard the chairman of Caterham Rotary Club Vocational Service Committee retired from business there and, in trying to be helpful got under his wife’s feet in the kitchen. His wife is reputed to have made a comment to the effect that she was grateful when he attended a Rotary lunch once a week and added “Why can’t you do something for the wives of retired men who are not Rotarians?”
The members of the Rotary Club Vocational Service Committee decided that the least that could be done was to organise perhaps a monthly lunch to enable them to meet for fellowship and social activities in their own club and the idea was put to the Rotary Club Council who agreed with the suggestion and told the Committee to see it through.
The committee decided to publicise their proposals and called a meeting at a local hotel for all retired professional and businessmen aged 60 and over living in the local area, in February 1966 and 42 prospective members turned up. A monthly lunch was arranged so that the men could widen their range of acquaintances. At the initial meeting it was agreed to a monthly luncheon.
The inaugural luncheon of the first PROBUS Club in the United Kingdom therefore took place on the 2nd March 1966 and in May of that year a Committee was formed under the Chairmanship of the late Harold Blanchard who is now accepted as the ‘Father Figure’ of Probus.
It was felt that members had suffered too many rules and regulations during their working lives and for this reason very simple Probus Club rules were adopted. The Chairman should serve for one year only and Committee members on average only occupy their posts for two years. This encouraged volunteers to come forward and helped to ensure a continual current of fresh ideas in the club.
Members were asked for suggestions for a name for the club and many names were suggested until one member came up with the idea of PROBUS taking the first three letters from ‘PROfessional and BUSiness’. He assured everyone that Probus was a Latin word from which ‘Probity’ was derived and the new name was adopted with enthusiasm.
Incidentally there is a village in Cornwall near Truro called Probus and its name is derived from Saint Probus after whom the Church, along with Saint Grace is named. The church has the highest tower in Cornwall and is visited frequently. The village is also famous for its gardens, which attract visitors from Europe and further afield and featured regularly on the television programme ‘Gardeners World’.
Probus was also the name of a Roman emperor who apparently devoted himself to developing the internal resources of the empire, but fearing that the army would deteriorate with inactivity, he employed the soldiers on public works. Such occupations were deemed degrading and excited discontent and a body of troops engaged in draining the swamps about Sirmium murdered him in AD282. He was also reputed to be famous in his day for cultivating vines, which a number of Probus members then and since have considered to be right and fitting.
The success of the Probus Club of Caterham very soon became known among neighbouring Rotary Clubs and the whole concept being so simple snowballed and new clubs sprang up everywhere.