Except during the Covid pandemic the Probus Summer Pub lunch has been held every year since 1996. Started by the then president David Carwardine, who had retired from a senior position at the Basingstoke fork truck manufacturer then known as Lansing Bagnall, each incoming president has been responsible for arranging this event where wives and lady friends are involved. This year president Paul Klinger, a retired solicitor, had the responsibility of ensuring that all guests received their specified lunch selections which was managed successfully by the staff at Barton’s Mill in Old Basing. Situated under the large awning the setting allowed a gentle breeze to keep temperatures down to a comfortable level during the heat spell.
August sees many of the local magazines take a break which leaves a few that carried our reports. In the circumstances four publications is considered a good result.
The Kempshott Kourier is behind with our reports as they ran with the trip on the Basingstoke Canal. The three others gave a full page to the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence including the Loddon Valley Link in Sherfield on Loddon, a rare but welcome change.
Mayor of Basingstoke & Deane BC Cllr Jacky Tustain with President Paul Klinger
The Mayor of Basingstoke & Deane BC, the Worshipful Cllr Jacky Tustain, was the guest of honour at the latest meeting of the Probus Club of Basingstoke. She spoke about her aim to be more community focussed with charities that are trying to improve circumstances for young people especially in the job market. Basingstoke has a positive image with 7,000 business employing 85,000 people generating £8 billion per annum for the local economy.
The Probus Club of Basingstoke was please to make a donation to the mayor’s charity appeal.
President Paul Klinger with Dr Stephen Goss
The guest speaker was historian Dr Stephen Goss whose subject title “America is Lost” was topical as it was 250 years ago, on 4th July 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed on behalf of the thirteen colonies situated on the eastern side of America.
Declaration of Independence signed on 4 July 1776 Author Thomas Jefferson owned hundreds of slaves
The principal author was Thomas Jefferson, a member of the Continental Congress. It was a statement of universal rights with the famous phrase “all men are created equal” that set the tone for the world’s first modern republic.
The American War of Independence began as tensions between Great Britain and its North American colonies escalated beyond repair. What started as disputes over taxation, representation, and imperial authority that included the demand that locals provide quarters for up to 10,000 Red Coats soon grew into a full‑scale struggle for self‑government.
Driven by a rising sense of political identity and resentment toward British control, the colonies ultimately chose to fight for a new nation built on principles of liberty and democratic rule.
An example of intervention by foreign powers was the smuggling of tea by the Dutch was seen by the British as a loss of tax revenue which brought about the closure of Boston harbour. The infamous Boston Tea Party took place in December 1773 as locals dressed as native American Indians threw over 300 cases of tea into the Boston harbour to the value of £10,000, a fortune in yesterday’s money.
The Boston Tea Party had colonists disguised as native American Indians
The colonists resisted what they saw as escalating tyranny by Britain whereas Britain saw things differently, as was the case with many proposals during what became a seven years’ war that involved other countries. France, Spain and the Netherlands sided with the colonists while the Prussians were on Britain’s side as were most native American Indians who supported Britain’s view that the colonies should not be permitted to expand westwards of the Mississippi river.
The Americans had an unequal split of opinion as to the merits of fighting for recognition. This was also the case in Britain with an increasing appreciation of the difficulties and cost in fighting a war at least 3,000 miles away that was spreading into the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and even as far as India.
The colonists saw things in simplistic terms – liberty versus tyranny, the new world versus the old world, citizen farmers versus professional Red Coats.
10,000 Red Coats were stationed in the colonies
George Washington led the Continental Army but did not normally attempt frontal assaults against members of the most powerful army in the world at that time but relied on short skirmishes to harry the British. Bunker Hill, Lexington, Concord, Germantown and the defeat of the British at York Town by the combined forces of the Continental Army, supported by the French military and French navy, are names made famous in this revolutionary war.
Final agreement was made in the Treaty of Paris in 1783 being signed by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, and others, on behalf of the colonists. British policy was to be generous to the colonists, formally recognising the United States as an independent and sovereign nation. It set boundaries between British North America, later known as Canada, and the United States. The purpose was to establish good trading links with the expanding market in north America without having the responsibility and cost of governing the country.
As part of the reparations and settlements on all sides the Spanish regained Menorca but gave up all claims to Gibraltar. A situation that in very recent times has seen Spain dismantle all border controls between itself and this British Overseas Territory.
Another good month for support of our activities by the local media. This is mainly concerned with the 46th AGM and the appointment of Paul Klinger as president.
Some magazines carried earlier reports which is due to a combination of calendar variances in their final copy dates being before our meetings, others not being monthly publications and this month the Kempshott Kourier was so late that a decision was reached not to have a July edition.
Thursday 18 June was a self drive trip to the Bovington Tank Museum, just west of Wareham in Dorset. Organised by Chris Perkins MVO, in his usual professional manner, this was a splendid visit augmented by the use of a guide for our tour.
This expansive modern facility has examples of tanks and other armoured vehicles from the introduction of the first tank in 1916, which changed warfare from mounted to mechanical, through to the latest Challenger 3 tank currently being developed by Nato. The museum claims to house the only German Tiger tank in working order.
Founded in 1979 the Probus Club of Basingstoke has elected a new president and committee at its 46th AGM on 9th June 2026.
As the Probus name suggests its membership is made up of retired professional and businessmen who enjoy meeting regularly for lunch where they have a range of interesting speakers as well as a social monthly pub lunch accompanied by their wives or lady friends. Mixed specialist lunches are taken several times each year and organised outings are arranged to interesting venues. The next, later in June, will be to the Bovington Tank Museum.
The new president is Sherfield on Loddon resident, Paul Klinger, a retired solicitor, while the other officers are a mix of working experiences. In fact, the glue holding the club together is the spread of members working across the spectrum of all the local commercial and industrial employers as well as medical, nuclear, police and military services.
Stephen Thair hands over the chain of office to new president Paul Klinger
Paul Klinger President for 2026 -2027
President Paul Klinger and elected committee (missing is Gareth Lewis – Lunch Steward)
An excellent month for support from our local magazines and from the Basingstoke Gazette.
Nine publications ran with the trip on the Basingstoke Canal, including that rarity. the Loddon Valley Link, while the ever late Kempshott Kourier ran with our previous report about Black Broadcasting.
It was good to see that the Chineham People and Hook Focus carried our report. There was no report from the CommunityAd stable of magazines due to calendar variances with their publishing dates.
The Probus Club of Basingstoke held its Spring Ladies’ Lunch at the Test Valley Golf Club where the guest of honour was Alison Wood, President of the Basingstoke Ladies’ Probus Club. Thirty nine dined well and enjoyed good company. Organised by Vice President/Lunch Steward Paul Klinger ensured that everyone received their chosen menu selection although it appeared the most popular main course was the roast lamb. A brain testing puzzle had been also set by Paul Klinger leaving attendees with a range of words to add to their lexicon.
The ladies were pleased to receive a spray of flowers.
President of Basingstoke Ladies’ Probus Alison Wood with Probus President Stephen Thair
With nine publications in May means it is one of the best months for coverage about the Probus Club of Basingstoke in the local printed media.
With differing publishing dates means that we have three different subjects this month and we have more eastern area coverage with the Hook Focus giving us a full page, while the CommunityAd for Church Crookham carried our Military Medical report which was a very local subject for their readership
It was also good to get coverage in the Chineham People magazine where they have a style of splitting up a report across several pages.
A warm, fine sunny April day greeted our group of twenty-three members and partners of the Probus Club of Basingstoke for a cruise on the Basingstoke Canal from Odiham to Church Crookham. A number of us met up beforehand and enjoyed a good lunch and chat in the Waterwitch Pub alongside the canal.
The first plans for the development of the Basingstoke Canal were drawn up in 1776, as a means of transporting agricultural produce from central Hampshire. Approved by an Act of Parliament the construction contract was awarded to John Pinkerton, and his local family of contractors: his memory lives on to this day with one of the barges bearing his name. The waterway was completed in 1794 and connected Basingstoke with the River Thames at Weybridge via the Wey Navigation.
It has had mixed fortunes ever since, not least tunnel collapses, bankruptcies, falling demand and constant limited water supply. It was never a commercial success and, starting in 1950, a lack of maintenance allowed the canal to become increasingly derelict.
In 1966 the Surrey and Hampshire Canal Society (now renamed the Basingstoke Canal Society) was formed by a group of local enthusiasts, with a view to reopening the derelict canal. Restoration commenced in 1977 and on 10 May 1991 the canal was reopened as a fully navigable waterway stretching for 32 miles.
Today, the Canal provides a superb facility for water activities, a haven for wildlife (it is an SSSI), an amenity for recreation and well-being, and a heritage asset. It is run by the Basingstoke Canal Authority (BCA), using public money from the Surrey and Hampshire County councils and from local councils along its restored length. Notwithstanding modern-day financial constraints, the Society works with the BCA to make the most of opportunities to promote the Canal with its owners, users and the General Public.
All told, it was a wonderful afternoon on the canal aboard the “John Pinkerton”. The crew of four volunteers, led by ‘Skipper’ Tony Welsh, were extremely friendly and well informed, pointing out points of interest and wildlife en-route. An on-board galley served hot and cold drinks including alcoholic along with snack items. They were well priced too. The weather was absolutely perfect and the boat was beautifully presented and comfortable too. It was indeed a very pleasant and relaxing afternoon and a most calming experience for all of us.
Probus Club of Basingstoke 
You must be logged in to post a comment.