Month: February 2013

 

The Probus Club of Basingstoke has conferred a Life Membership on Dr Frank I Tovey OBE, ChM, FRCS as he and his wife Winnie will be leaving their Crossborough Hill home early in February for pastures new in Lymington.

Dr Tovey has been a member of the Probus Club in Basingstoke for many years and was President in 1997/98.

Although the announcement was made at the last evening meeting the presentation of a framed certificate was made at their home by Probus Club President Gerry Anslow. A reporter and photographer from the Basingstoke Gazette were there to capture the event and it is hoped that a feature will appear in the edition to be published on Thursday 7 February, the day before Frank and Winnie leave our town.

Frank Tovey is well known in Basingstoke as for 20 years he was a Consultant Surgeon at the North Hants Hospital, retiring in 1986. Previously he was 16 years at the Holdsworth Memorial Hospital in Mysore, South India and prior to that for over a year at the Methodist Hospital in Zhaotong, Yunnan, south west China. He was appointed OBE in 1966 for services to surgery and leprosy in India.

Other appointments include Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of Surgery, University College Hospital, London and Honorary Senior Research Associate, Department of Surgery and Interventional Science at University College, London. For eleven years he has been a member of the Editorial Board of the World Journal of Gastroenterology where he reviewed submissions of medical papers and published many articles of his own.

We all wish Frank and Winnie well in their new home.

At the first speaker evening meeting of the year 2013, the Probus Club of Basingstoke saw and heard Jonathan Jones giving it loud in his guise of the Town Crier of Farnham.

Arrayed in his splendid regalia Jonathan outlined his various roles to the audience of retired professional and business men who were fascinated to learn that the position of Town Crier goes way back to the Norman Conquest. In those days few people could read and the Town Crier had to impart the latest legislation and news to the populace. The well known opening phrase of “Oh yez, oh yez” can be traced back to Norman French.

The position of the Town Crier of Farnham was resurrected a decade ago when the council set up a competition for the post which carries on honorarium of £500. Having been declared the winner, Jonathan Jones has the security of the position for life or until he resigns.

The Town Crier has specific civic duties in supporting the elected council of Farnham including attending the full council meetings fully attired in his uniform. He is also involved in supporting some local commercial activities and charities. He explained that the uniform can be very hot on some occasions especially outside in the summer where he is often mistakenly identified by young children as a pirate. Although he has a tricorn hat he carries a bell rather than a cutlass.

At the conclusion of his talk Jonathan Jones gave an example of a shout which clearly demonstrated why he won the competition.

The Probus Club of Basingstoke has a full diary of events and interested potential members should initially look at their website http://www.probusbasingstoke.wordpress.com or ring their secretary Bryan Harvey for an informal chat on 01256 321473.