IN my time as a member nobody has been ejected from a meeting for disorderly conduct," chuckled Dennis Bolton.

Mr Bolton is the 21st president of the Club and is adamant members are a well behaved orderly lot.

Geoff Bryan, former president and Club historian, said he could only recall one occasion where a president had had to caution a member for bad manners.

This is a not a secretive, black-balling type of club.

It is simply made up of 75 very enthusiastic members with a diverse range of interests.

When Rotarians retire from active work they are no longer eligible for membership of Rotary Clubs, but many of them want to keep in touch with their friends and a 'sister' organisation of clubs for retired or semi-retired professional and business men was set up.

These clubs are known as Probus Clubs.

Such a club was formed in Ilkley, but by 1977 it had become over subscribed and had a growing waiting list.

Members decided a club should be formed in Burley-in-Wharfedale. At a meeting on November 1, 1977, Roger Oglesby became the Club's first president. It was from Mr Oglesby's records that Mr Bryan (using a chronological list of events compiled by fellow member Max Alsford) was able to produce a history of the Club, at the request of the first president's widow.

Mr Bolton and Mr Bryan joined the club in 1991 and 1984 respectively.

Both were delighted at the speedy way they were invited to join the Probus ranks.

Mr Bryan, a pharmacist by profession, said: "I had not been in the village five minutes when I was approached to become a member," he said.

"It is the fellowship and friends I have made which I really value. Through the club I have been able to meet a lot of people and build valued friendships," said Mr Bryan.

Mr Bolton said: "As a relative newcomer myself, I feel it is a great honour to have been elected as the president of the club."

Both men said part of the club's continued success was the lack of a 'clique' atmosphere.

This is certainly not a club with narrow views and a reluctance to accept change.Mr Bryan said: "At the beginning of the fifth year of the Club's existence, disquiet was being voiced by some members about the restriction to membership to retired professional and business men. Presumably on the grounds that there were retired men in the district who had neither professional nor business qualifications and who would have been precluded from joining."

Although the Club is men only, a variety of outings and events are organised each year (to which women are are welcomed). These vary from lunches, coach outings and the marking of 90th birthdays.

However, these celebrations are not always as straightforward as they might seem.

Mr Bolton recalled one occasion where the Queens Hall was unavailable so one member's 90th celebrations had to be switched to a church hall.

"We were all set to mark this member's 90th birthday when it was pointed out we couldn't consume wine on church premises," he said.

Various attempts to rearrange the festivities proved fruitless. Mr Bolton joked: "I think by the time we did mark the occasion, it ended up being more of a 91st birthday celebration than a 90th one."

During 1985 the committee became concerned at the growing length of the membership waiting list and recommended a further increase to 75 as the maximum membership number. At the same time consideration was given to the creation of an honourary life membership to reduce the pressure on the maximum membership number.

The committee recommended that honourary life membership should be offered to members aged 85 or more.

What members clearly value is the strong links they enjoy with the community.

A variety of charities have benefited from Burley members' generosity since 1977 and one aspect which delights both Mr Bolton and Mr Bryan is the annual visit to Burley Middle School.

"Every year we visit the school, the children are the perfect hosts. They provide us with coffee and biscuits and lay on some form of entertainment," said Mr Bryan.

The number of speakers, subjects, club characters and events are too numerous to mention but one aspect both men are clearly proud of is the Burley Probus Club Male Voice Choir.

"I imagine we must be one of the few Probus clubs with such a choir," said Mr Bolton.

Probus member Colin Smith made the first attempt to form a choir in 1982 but there was insufficient support.

A year or two later he tried again, with more success. However, no accompanist could be found.

Mr Bryan saved the day - not altogether by choice!

The Club's history book reveals a one-off appearance by Mr Bryan at the Club's Festive Morning in 1984, where he accompanied the carol singing, paving the way for the now thriving choir.

'Colin realised that within the membership he had found someone capable of enabling his dearest wish to come to fruition. Geoff was persuaded, against his better judgement, to accept the responsibility of accompanying such voices as Colin was able to gather.'

Mr Bryan has since handed over the reigns but remains a keen fan of the choir - despite retiring from 'active duty' in the late eighties. In 1988 he decided he could not continue as accompanist if the choir insisted on increasing its public performances. He had undertaken the job when the choir's stated objective was to sing for their own enjoyment, but he realised his technique was not up to repeated exposure, added to which the choir's penchant for singing exerpts from 'popular musicals' was not really his style.

Since the choir's formation, numerous concerts have been given by members, both for enjoyment and to raise funds.

Although a very happy bunch, members are not above criticism. The Club's history does frown on those who would not support club outings for one reason or another.

However, the odd cancelled trip has not thrown the Club into crisis - far from it.

The Club continues to play an important part in village life. It has supported community led projects such as the village green - probus members provided the village map which stands on the green.

At the 500th meeting itself, members enjoyed a light hearted talk by John Baggaley titled Goodbye Mr Chips. This was followed by a performance from the Probus Club choir, the cutting of a specially decorated cake and a toast to the club's health with a glass of wine.

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