PRESIDENT’S REMARKS – February 2019
Gentlemen,
It has been a quiet month so far, so we look forward to a short break in April to the Evans Hotel in Llandudno. Also, there has been a good response for the holiday in July to Scarborough.
We had a reasonable attendance for our social evening at Kidsgrove Cricket Club. Many thanks to Frank Timmis and Peter Lloyd for their DJ duties. It was a very pleasant gathering.
Graham Tunnicliff and I attended an award giving ceremony hosted by the Rotary Club of Kidsgrove in early February on behalf of the Reindeer Committee. As you may know, a number of members, including Graham and I helped to collect monies outside Home Bargains in Kidsgrove last December.
Finally, our thoughts go out to Bill Booth, whose wife Brenda, passed away on the 31st January.
Norman Hankey, President.
TODAYS SPEAKER
Alan Eastwood – ‘The Lost Beers Of England’.
BiIRTHDAYS In MARCH
Peter Davenport, Norman Hart and John Vardon.
SOCIAL REPORT FOR FEBRUARY
Names will be taken at the February meeting for the weekend break to the Evans Hotel Llandudno on Friday 5th April 2019. Deposits of £20.00 per person will be collected at this meeting.
A list will also be circulated for a visit to the Gladstone Pottery Museum in April this year.
A further list will be circulated for an outing to Bala and Llangollen in May.
Presidents Evening will be held at the Manor House Hotel Alsager on Friday 31st May 2019.
40 Members and friends are booked in for the 7 days Holiday to Scarborough with Alfa Travel departing on Sunday 21st July 2019. There are still some places available to fill the coach.
Another weekend break has been arranged at the Evans Hotel Llandudno on Friday 1st November 2019.
The Christmas Luncheon will be held at the Lawton Memorial Hall on Friday 6th December 2019.
In conclusion my thanks to all who telephoned, called, sent cards or enquired about my well-being following my excursion to the A & E at the North Staffs University Hospital. I am pleased to be home feeling much better and hopefully resuming my normal lifestyle.
Ken Williamson.
BILL BOOTH
Bill and family would like to thank everyone for their messages, cards and donations following the passing of my wife, Brenda, on January 31st. It was also a comfort to see so many of you at the funeral. Best Regards Bill.
PROBUS WALK FEBRUARY 2019
This month’s walk centred on Ford Green Hall (The oldest building in Stoke on Trent) and included the many surrounding paths over the old Chatterly Whitfield area
There were nine of us on the walk on what was a very pleasant day. I will not add any more about the walk as there is already plenty of detail in earlier walk reports around the area. But you may well be interested in some historical and surprising information –
The hall is thought to have been built in 1624 for Hugh Ford, a local yeoman farmer, remaining in the Ford family for some 200 years. A brickwork extension was added to the property sometime in the 17th century, most likely replacing or renovating a previous structure. The Fords had left the area by the 19th century, and after a series of tenants, it was split into three separate dwellings, which included some 30 acres of adjoining land.
Chatterly Whitfield colliery was comprised of eight coal outcrops mined by the Monks of Hulton Abbey before becoming what we would call a mine. In 1881 there was an explosion, caused by the underground blacksmiths, that killed 24 men and boys. In 1937 it was producing a million tons of coal a year but within a few years production slumped and the mine was eventually linked by a four-mile tunnel underground to Wolstanton Colliery. This in turn stopped production in 1981 due to flooding and the quantity of methane gas. All pumps were then switched off flooding the 50 miles of underground roadways forever.
The present rounded hills which were the waste products of the mine owe their rounded shape to the Welsh mining disaster at Aberfan which killed 144 children and men, after which all such slag heaps were reduced in height and rounded to prevent such occurrences happening again. Graham Tunnicliff..
INDOOR BOWLS DATES AT BIDDULPH LEISURE CENTRE 2019
Tuesday March 12th. Len Dale.
SNOWDROPS AND SPRING FLOWERS AT RODE HALL
AND ALL SAINTS CHURCH, ODD RODE/ SCHOLAR GREEN.
Thanks to members and their families who have visited All Saints’ Church, Scholar Green, during the snowdrop walks at Rode Hall.
Rode Hall gardens will be open for the snowdrop walks until Sunday 3rdMarch. Entrance charge, £6. For senior citizens the charge is £5.
All Saints Church (opposite the main entrance to Rode Hall) will also be open between the hours of 12.30pm to 4pm. except on Monday. The Church will again be decorated with seasonal flowers and candles. Refreshments will also be available. There is no entrance charge. Come and enjoy an afternoon in this beautiful peaceful church. John Lowe.
Are You Lonesome Tonight
Are you lonesome tonight?
Is your bra much too tight?
Are your corsets all falling apart?
Does the size of your chest
Wear big holes in your vest?
Does your spare tyre reach up to your heart?
Are your stockings all wrinkled, your shoes wearing thin?
Are your knickers held up with a big safety pin?
Are your dentures so worn?
They drop down when you yawn?
Then no wonder you’re lonesome tonight! Submitted by John Dunn.
THE AMATEUR PHILOSOPHER
I am delighted to be with you.
In fact, at my age
I am delighted to be anywhere!
Ronald Reagan President of the United States.
Newsletter Editor
Chris Brough compiles and publishes the Probus Newsletter.
Articles of interest to members should be sent by Email to Chris at chrisjbrough@talktalk.net Or phone 01782 784075 in the first instance. For an inclusion in the next newsletter, articles should be delivered to the editor at least
7 days before the monthly meeting.
Our next Probus meeting is on Wednesday 27th March 2019 at Kidsgrove Cricket Club, 9.30 for 10am