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The Probus Club of Huntingdon and St Ives

Meetings Programme 2015-2016

Date	Speaker	Title
7th April	Capt John Daniels	Dynamic positioning of vessels
5th May	Dr Bill Block	Bother with bees
2nd June	David Embling	Hornby Dublo trains
7th July	Dr Pat Doddy	Huntingdonshire wildlife
4th August Ladies' Summer Lunch	Richard Todd	Anglesey Abbey through the seasons
1st September	James Blackwood	Pathfinder Squadron
6th October	Don Hill	Thomas Clarkson – another force against slavery
3rd November	Bryan Basketter	Further travellers’ tales
1st December Christmas Lunch	Dr Evelyn Lord	Town gown and loose women
5th January 2016	Sarah Wilson	Flag Fen
2nd February President's Lunch	No Speaker
1st March	No Speaker	Annual General Meeting

Hampstead, A London Village

24th September 2019

On a very wet but fairly warm morning, 38 members and guests left St Ives, Cambs, by coach for the trip to Hampstead - A London Viilage.

We met our guide at the King William IV pub in Hampstead for morning coffee. We then went for a short guided walk, enjoying the village atmosphere of attractive lanes of old Hampstead, lined with beautiful houses which attracted artists and writers to form the Montmartre of London. We also visited St John-at-Hampstead Church where the famous landscape painter, John Constable is buried.

We returned to the King William IV pub and enjoyed a roast lunch.

After lunch, we boarded the coach and headed for Kenwood House in Hampstead via a scenic route through the old embassy district of Bishops Avenue, one of the UK’s first millionaire rows.

Kenwood House is one of London’s last remaining grand country houses with wonderful views over London. Our tour of the house allowed us to enjoy the extensive and fabulous art works including Gainsborough and Turner.

The visit concluded with afternoon refreshments in the old coachhouse before heading home.

A very enjoyable day was had by all. Furthermore, we were lucky enough to keep mainly dry with the heavy rain and thundery showers falling whilst we were were on the coach.

(Click on [Enlarge] under an image to open it in a new window)

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Some of the group during the guided walk of old Hampstead [Enlarge]

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John Constable’s grave at St John-at-Hampstead Church [Enlarge]

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Autumn flowers in bloom in the graveyard [Enlarge]

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Inside the wonderful Church [Enlarge]

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A member taking a photo of London from Kenwood’s gardens high above the City [Enlarge]

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Outside the front of the stately Kenwood House [Enlarge]

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The Library within Kenwood House [Enlarge]

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Admiring some of the fabulous art works [Enlarge]

Meetings Programme 2017-2018

Synopses of Talks

Jeff Turner

4^th April 2017

The Bobby Team

Reducing crime, promoting peace of mind in Cambridgeshire.

Brian Scovell

2^nd May 2017

Famous Footballers & Cricketers

Brian Scovell, 40 years with the Daily Mail and Daily Sketch, talks about the footballing and cricketing stars he worked with.

Sarah Russel

6th June 2017

The Norris Museum

The history and redevelopment of the Norris Museum in St Ives.

John Wright

4^thJuly 2017

The American Civil War

Events leading to the conflict, the major battles, key personalities and repercussions
of the war.

Mark Davies

1^st August 2017

The Origins of Hot-Air Ballooning

"King of all Balloons": James Sadler, Oxford pastry cook & first Englishman to fly; his 'double first' ascents from Oxford & Cambridge; and his aeronautical 'queens'.

Keith Walters

5^th September 2017

Flying the Vulcan Bomber

Flying this awesome bomber during the Cold War.

Jim Blackwood

3^rd October 2017

World War 2 Photographic Reconnaissance

The development and expansion of photo reconnaissance, covering both strategic and tactical, with examples of imagery from that period.

Corinne Galloway

7^th November 2017

The Cromwell Museum

The history and redevelopment of the Cromwell Museum in Huntingdon.

Doreen Reed

5th December 2017

Amusing Tales of Everyday Events

A mixture of humorous and nostalgic tales.

Alex Alexander

2nd January 2018

The Victorian railways of Peterborough

The development of the Victorian railways giving rise to Peterborough’s second townships.

Nicole Davies

(A volunteer speaker from
the charity, WaterAid)

6^thFebruary 2018

Water, Water……. Everywhere???

How safe water and toilets transform communities around the world. WaterAid’s aim is for everyone, everywhere to have access to these vital services by 2030. Examples of work witnessed in Uganda.