Budleigh Salterton Probus Club
For more details of each event , just click on the speaker’s name.
For a look at the events that took place over 2023/4 click here and for 2022/3 click here.
| Date | Title | Speaker |
| 05-Sep-24 | Scott Joplin | Roger Browne |
| 19-Sep-24 | Quickies, Crimes and Cowboys The history of B movies | Martin Fisher |
| 03-Oct-24 | Bee keeping as a hobby | Robert Pascall |
| 17-Oct-24 | RAF in Exeter 1937-1945 | Chris Wiseman |
| 07-Nov-24 | Topsham as a port | Jan Betteridge |
| 21-Nov-24 | Winter lunch | |
| 05-Dec-24 | Devon inns and their signs | Robert Heskith |
| 19-Dec-24 | 5000 years of cancer medicine from East to West | Prof David Radstone |
| 02-Jan-25 | “A 21st Century Court Jester – working in the Royal Household” | Geoff Mackrell |
| 16-Jan-25 | Protecting seniors from scams/fraud | Mark McGlade Sharon Coombe |
| 06-Feb-25 | The Life and Death of Stars | Harold Mead |
| 20-Feb-25 | Balloon debate | |
| 06-Mar-25 | Auctions speak louder than words | Graham Barton |
| 20-Mar-25 | Understanding English Silver Hallmarks | Brab Hallowes |
| 03-Apr-25 | British Antarctic Survey Expedition | Michael Malling |
| 17-Apr-25 | I K Brunel | Brian Porch |
| 01-May-25 | Cyber Security | Mick Harrison |
| 15-May-25 | 40th anniversary Dartmouth steam train and river cruise | |
| 05-Jun-25 | The Second Voyage of The Beagle | Chris Woodward |
| 19-Jun-25 | Glimpses of Wildlife Behaviour | Simon Martyn |
| 27-Jun-25 | David Reed, Member of Parliament for Exmouth & Exeter East |
19th December 2024 Guest talk – Prof. David Radstone with a subject entitled ‘5000 years of cancer medicine from East to West’.
The talk traced the history of cancer treatment from the time of the Egyptians to the present. The use of radiation therapy was described in more detail highlighting the importance of physicts and work at Exeter’s RD&E.
2nd January talk – Geoff Mackerell, ‘A 21st Century Court Jester – working in the Royal Household’.
Geoff’s talk was about his 10 years as Superintendent of the Palace of Holyrood House based at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh. It was a most informative and interesting talk. A peep behind the curtain of the running of the Queen’s Royal Palace in Scotland. Geoff in addition to explaining his responsibilities shared some amusing anecdotes about his time in the role.
16th January guest talk – ‘Protecting seniors from scams/fraud’, presented by Mark McGlade & Sharon Coombe’
Mark McGlade introduced himself as the co-owner of Home Instead Exeter and East Devon. Older people tend to be targeted by scammers for several reasons but notably because they are more likely to have accumulated wealth. Mark has multiple scam examples and advice on what to look out for to avoid being scammed. The talk elicited a lot of questions and Mark kindly agreed to share the Senior Fraud Protection kit which has now been circulated to all members.
6th February talk. The Life and Death of Stars – Harold Mead’
The talk started with a description of our sun and the chemistry that generates the energy to sustain life on earth. Graham then elaborated on the importance of gravity and how all the elements found on earth beyond iron, which occupies the 26th place in the periodic table, are the result of gravitational forces over time and the discovery of black holes and how these result from strong gravitational forces that absorb light.
6th March talk. Auctions speak louder than words – Graham Barton MRICS
Graham Barton has been an auctioneer for over 40 years. After studying Estate Management in Southampton, Graham forged a career as a qualified Chartered Surveyor and Auctioneer. He currently works for Symonds & Sampson in, working from our Axminster Office.
Decked out in his trademark striped blazer, he has made countless appearances on national television as the favoured West County auctioneer on the BBC’s ‘Homes Under the Hammer’. He has sold thousands of residential, commercial and development properties and many lots of agricultural and amenity land that have amassed him sales of an estimated half a billion pounds!
20th March talk. Understanding English Silver Hallmarks – Brab Hallowes
Brab Hallowes talked about ‘Understanding English Silver Hallmarks’ and how he had launched his hobby when as a policeman during Maggie Thatcher’s premiership he had received a significant pay rise. He explained the assay process, and how to investigate items on www.silvermarks.co.uk. He explained the differences between Pure, Brittania and Sterling silver, and how the revenue from silver sourced from Coombe Martin financed the 100 years’ war. He had brought along a quantity of silverware and explained their significance and relative values.
3 April guest talk – British Antarctic Survey Expedition – Michael Malling
Michael Malling had spent a year as base commander of the British Antarctic Survey base at Rothera which houses 21 staff during the winter months but many more in summer. His talk was supported with some stunning photos both landscape and the environment and were used to highlight some of the unique dangers of operating in such an extreme environment. He stressed the collaboration with other countries to better understand weather and climate and the unique contribution of the UK through analysis of ice cores highlighting the very recent peak in Carbon dioxide levels as a result of human activity.
17 April guest talk – Isambard Kingdom Brunel by Brian Portch
Brunel’s early education was guided by his engineering father and included a period of study in France that was considered a centre of engineering excellence at the time. He worked with his father on the construction of the first tunnel under the Thames and was later chosen to construct the first London to Bristol railway. Several of his engineering works still stand and are in regular use today, including the railway bridge over the Tamar connecting Devon and Cornwall, and the imposing Bristol Temple Meads Station.
1 May guest talk – Cyber Security by Mick Harrison
Budleigh Salterton Probus Club 