ActivitiesOlympic London Explorer Tour
18th October 2011
A coach load of 49 members and guests enjoyed a glorious clear sunny day for viewing the Olympic Park and Stadium and had an excellent roast beef lunch. In the afternoon we crossed the Thames on the Woolwich Ferry providing spectacular views upstream towards the Thames Barrier and visited the Woolwich Arsenal. After tea we headed home into a colourful sunset.
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Just after arriving at the Olympic 'building site' our guide, Sarah (arrowed) from City & Village Tours, explains where we shall be walking.
Building of the Olympic Stadium is complete, but construction of the access loop road is still in progress.
Our Group viewing the Stadium while the guide (centre hidden) points out various details.
Plan of the Olympic Park showing our viewing point.
Masses of flowers were growing at the viewing point.
After lunch we drove to Woolwich Arsenal. The flanged tube outside the FIREPOWER Museum is a single section of the Iraqi 'Super Gun' (1990-91).
Big guns on display included the Gibraltar Gun (right) which is 38 feet long, weighing 40 tonnes and firing a 9.2 inch calibre shell with a range of 16 miles.
This tank was another well preserved Firepower exhibit.
Display board giving some of the history of the Royal Arsenal.
London panorama from the Woolwich Ferry at sunset.
Sunlight glinting on the Thames Barrier piers against a backdrop of Canary Wharf and the O2 Dome.
The Woolwich Ferry at its landing stage on the North side of the Thames.
Burghley House and the Gardens of Surprise
19th July 2011
A small group of members and guests enjoyed an informal trip to Burghley House and Gardens on Tuesday 19th July. The weather was glorious in the morning as we walked round the Sculpture Garden and the ‘Surprise’ Water Garden. After lunch, as an approaching thunderstorm turned the sky black, we completed our visit with a walk inside the House. The journey home was like driving through a waterfall, but we had a very enjoyable day.
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Sculpture Garden - Teddy Bears' Picnic.
Sculpture Garden - Unusual dry stone wall!
Sculpture Garden - Some of our group puzzling over one exhibit!
Sculpture Garden - "Vertical Face".
Sculpture Garden - Aluminium Spiral. (With support from Probus members!)
Sculpture Garden - The Neon Ice House.
Sculpture Garden - Neon Ice House details.
Sculpture Garden - "Standing Man" (or Lightening Strike?).
Sculpture Garden - Covered Tractor or Not??
Near the entrance to the Garden of Surprises - Looking at the Copper Tree Fountain.
Garden of Surprises - The Copper Tree Fountain.
Garden of Surprises - Heron and the Copper Tree Fountain.
Garden of Surprises - The Three Fountains.
Garden of Surprises - Fountains everywhere (Watch your back!!).
Garden of Surprises - Neptune's Grotto.
Beechwood Beauty Boat Trip
30th September 2010
On a pleasant Autumn morning some 30 Probus members and guests plus a number of local WI members boarded a coach for Marlow. After a stop for elevenses, we continued on to Henley, Queen of the Thames, for a long lunch break with plenty of time to explore the riverside and town. In the afternoon, we drove through Quarry Woods to Cookham and then to Boulters Lock near Maidenhead where we boarded a pleasure cruiser for 'the Beechwood Beauty Boat Trip'. The cruiser wound its way upstream, where the Thames cuts through the Chiltern Hills, giving beautiful views of the hanging woodlands of Cliveden. Finally we arrived back at Marlow as the sun was setting and boarded our coach for the return home.
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Arrival at Marlow opposite the Compleat Angler.
The River Thames at Marlow.
The Grave of Dusty Springfield at Henley.
The Chantry House, Henley. This important building, Henley's only grade 1 listed structure, has stood in a prominent location near the church and river wharfs for about 500 years. From the churchyard it appears to have only two storeys but from the riverside a lower storey can be seen (see picture below). In 1444 the church sold this site but the building was bought back, in memory of Canon John Maul, for use as the Parish Rooms for St Mary's Church in 1922. The earliest purpose of this building is unknown. The fine doorframes with four centre arches and hollow spandrels suggest a construction date of about 1500. Analysis of the timber frame, during conservation work in 2004, has shown that the eaves probably projected to support an overhanging roof. On the elevation facing the river, there is evidence to suggest a long row of windows on the top storey.
The Chantry House from the riverside.
Interior of the Chantry House, Henley.
Wall panel showing a historical timeline of the Chantry House.
The River Thames at Henley.
The Leander Club, Henley. Founded in 1818, the Leander Club is Britain's oldest surviving rowing club. Originally based beside the Thames in Putney, London, the Club moved to Henley in 1896. It's members are drawn from the ranks of distinguished rowers, coaches and those who have served the world of international rowing with distinction. The club's emblem is a pink hippopotamus!
The river Thames upstream of Cliveden.
Return to Marlow and the Compleat Angler.
The waterfront at Marlow.
Evening sunshine spotlighting the waterfront at Marlow.
The Probus Club of Huntingdon and St Ives
Rules
1. TITLE The Club shall be called ‘The Probus Club of Huntingdon & St. Ives’.
2. MEMBERSHIP Membership shall be open to all business and professional men aged fifty-five and over who have fully or partially retired, or are twelve months from retirement from their normal business or profession. The restriction regarding age may be waived at the discretion of the Committee. An applicant for membership shall be proposed and seconded by existing members and an official application form shall be completed for consideration by the Committee and members. Any objection from an existing member or members shall be notified to the president within three weeks of the publication of the applicant’s intended election.
3. CONSTITUTION There shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Lunch Secretary and Welfare Officer, all of which are honorary. In addition there shall be Secretaries for Speakers' Programme, Members' Handbook, Outings and Raffles, which again are all honorary. The affairs of the Club shall be managed by a Committee consisting of all the above officers and three others, all to be elected by and from the members at the Annual General Meeting and to serve in such office for one year, commencing on 1st April each year. Five members of the Committee shall have the power to co-opt and to appoint one or more sub-committees. The retiring President shall automatically become an ex-officio member of the Committee for the following year.
4. MEETINGS An Annual General Meeting shall be held in March of each year at such time and in such place as may be determined by the Committee and at least three weeks notice shall be given to members. The Hon Secretary shall call a Special General Meeting on the request of not less than 25% of the membership and shall give at latest three weeks notice of such meeting. Voting at all meetings shall be by a show of hands or by ballot if so determined. In the event of an equal division of votes the chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote. If unable to attend, members must advise the Lunch Secretary, preferably on or before the Friday before the Tuesday Luncheon - and certainly no later than the Sunday evening before the lunch.
5. SUBSCRIPTION The subscription shall be £20.00 per annum, unless otherwise determined at the Annual General Meeting, payable on 1st April annually.
6. ACCOUNTS An Income and Expenditure Account for the period to the end of January each year shall be prepared and presented for approval at the Annual General Meeting, after audit by a member appointed at the previous Annual General Meeting.
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