Wishing Members and their Families a Happy New Year
December Lunch: Chairman, James Dearlove, welcomed 17 members, 10 ladies and our special Christmas guest Reverend Malcolm Newman. £46 was raised for the Chairman’s Charity, Cystic Fibrosis Trust. The Raffle raised £45 which was donated to the Rev. Malcolm Newman’s charity, ‘Purley Food Hub’.
News of Members: The sad loss of Owen Kelly was reported at our December meeting and a short silence was held in Owen’s memory. See obituary page 2.
John Morgan has a lung condition and is struggling to speak without severe coughing. He’s to become a Companion Member.
Birthdays in January: Andrew Banfield.
Outings/Events: Terry Ribbens is planning a visit to the ‘Magic Circle HQ’ in February/March. He is also planning a river trip to Hampton Court for the New Year. Please Contact Terry Ribbens on tribbs42@gmail.com for ideas on outings. Ian Payne is organizing a quiz night for 6th February.
Speaker today: Andy Thomas ‘Lewes and Bonfire Night’.
Gaye Illsley
5th February 2026:.‘Lasting Power of Attorney Made Simple’.
Welfare Secretary: Please contact Tony Farrell if anyone knows of a member in difficulty: tonyfarrell1953@gmail.com
Lunch changes by 10.30am the prior Tuesday to chris@moniz.co.uk T: 020 8660 6063. Please email vincentfosdike@gmail.com with articles for the Newsletter.
Owen Kelly: 1932–2025
Owen grew up near Stirling with his seven siblings. He left school aged 14, and he started work as an apprentice painter and decorator.
National service in the RAF followed and a move to London to join the Metropolitan Police in 1953. Over 40 continuous years later in 1994, he left the City Police for a comfortable and active retirement with Sheila – they had been together for 67 years.
His first station was Hyde Park, where he wore the white cotton gloves of a constable directing the swirling traffic around Hyde Park corner. In his later years he wore the finest white gloves of his ceremonial uniform upon the finest horse to lead London’s Lord Mayors Show as Commissioner of the City Police. Owen moved through several London boroughs eventually as commander and then to the City first as Assistant and then Commissioner of the City of London Police from 1985 to 1994.
During this time, Owen had to tackle an IRA car bomb. It caused enormous damage with glass flying everywhere. Owen introduced roadblocks, and one-way systems for security – something we’re all used to nowadays. As Owen’s son put it at his funeral: “They speak of his brave, and innovative leadership to restore the peace and security of the City. Of how he used his authority, experience and grasp of detail to take decisions others dare not. That his judgement was fair and correct and ensured loyalty with admiration from those he mentored in all ranks.”Owen used the same principles in raising his five sons. He taught them not by lectures or lessons but by example. Kipling’s poem might have been written for him: “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you; if you can trust yourself when all men doubt you . . . yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, and which is more, you’ll be a Man, my son!
Owen was very much a self-taught man particularly studying language and how to use it. He thus excelled in City traditions and ceremonies such as the Lord Mayor’s banquet, and meeting royalty. Some ceremonies were on horseback so he had to learn horsemanship. He also taught himself conveyancing, investing and bricklaying. Owen loved poetry and going with Sheila to classical concerts.
Owen joined Probus in December 2004, was Vice-chairman of Purley Probus 2010-11 then Chairman 2012-13 and Membership Secretary both before and after until 2022. Owen used to cycle to committee meetings, latterly on his tricycle, which he continued until he was 89 or 90. He was generally quiet spoken but intervened in a firm and fair manner when he needed to. His stories of his police experiences were reserved for those at his table.
Owen had a great sense of humour and delighted in sending weekly anecdotes to fellow members picked up from the internet and contacts around the world. He continued for several years after he became too ill to attend luncheons.
It was a privilege for we Probeans to have such a distinguished member in our midst.
Christmas Speaker: Reverend Malcolm Newman
‘Aspects of Christmas’ edited by Ian Payne
An atheist at a wedding: “let’s have a miracle”. Malcolm obliged. The atheist didn’t see the swap with the young lady’s wine.
Malcolm related nativity play mishaps. The innkeeper was asleep and didn’t hear the knock – a quick-witted Joseph: “no answer, we’ll go to the stable round the back and dump in there”. Modern improvisation: “Got any rooms mate – donkey’s on double yellow lines”. “Welcome to ???? (prompt) School”.The Puritans cancelled Christmas, but customs were revived in Tudor times until by Victoria, all the modern trimmings were in place. Father Christmas in red (previously green), turkey, fruit/porridge/currents/cake became Christmas Pudding.
And an alternative 12 days:
On the first day of Christmas my true love said to me: I`ve bought a big fresh turkey and a proper Christmas tree.
On the second day of Christmas much laughter could be heard as we tucked into our turkey – a most delicious bird.
On the third day of Christmas came the people from next door. The turkey tasted just as good as it had done the day before.
On the fourth day of Christmas came relations, young and old. We finished up the Christmas pud and had the turkey cold.
On the fifth day of Christmas, outside the snowflakes scurried, but we were nice and warm inside – we had the turkey curried.
On the sixth day of Christmas, the Christmas spirit died as the children fought and bickered – we had turkey rissoles, fried.
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love he did wince, when he sat down at the table and was offered turkey mince.
On the eighth day of Christmas the dog had run for shelter. He’d seen our turkey pancakes and the glass of Alka Seltzer.
On the ninth day of Christmas by lunchtime Dad was blotto. He knew that bird was back again, this time as a risotto.
On the tenth day of Christmas we were drinking home-made brew. As if that wasn’t bad enough, we were eating turkey stew.
On the eleventh day of Christmas the Christmas tree was moulting. With chilli, soy and oyster sauce the turkey was revolting.
On the twelfth day of Christmas we had smiles upon our lips. The guests had gone, the turkey too – we dined on fish and chips!
Malcolm wished all a Happy Christmas and a Healthy and Peaceful New Year.
Patient Ping Pong by Vincent Fosdike
We don’t drive many miles these days. When friends mention the figure they give for annual insurance renewals ours is often the lowest to the extent that they may ask why we still have a car! The answer is visiting grandchildren and hospital journeys which between them seldom exceed 40 miles a week (sound familiar)?
Even this is declining as the national health re-assigns its workload and communication systems, coupled with ever increasing parking restrictions.
Last week I sent a request to my GP at the local health centre online. I then expected a day or two whilst I waited for a reply with an appointment date. Within 20 minutes a reply was pinged back, I had been triaged and must make an appointment with a prescribing chemist about twice the distance away. Five minutes latter whilst recovering from the speed of response my wife’s mobile pinged with a message for me to call the nominated pharmacy to make an appointment! The NHS once got my wife’s number as a contact and the AI refuses to use an alternative, so the chain of communication is lengthened.
Not wanting to miss a chance I phoned and was given an appointment twenty minutes latter. Parking would be impractical. So walking was the way. Of I went to a strange
chemist one mile away. The same diagnostic questions were used as the original GP request form and an examination was done. Whilst I waited; an email went off to the GP confirming the chemist found nothing. I trundled a mile back home, had a cup of tea, opened the computer to find I would get an appointment at the GP surgery when I emailed to request it. So far it was still mid morning. Knowing GP appointments are collector’s items I responded immediately and was offered an appointment that afternoon!
Surely I was not that ill? The chemist said nothing to be found. Well after lunch the walking boots were back in action and I was seen on time by real doctor, not a nurse with a title. He wanted to know what I wanted!!!!! Same questionnaire and after a thoughtful silence his best shot was that I might try stopping one of my medications for a couple of months as it was only a small dosage and possible causing an allergy. On reaching home I had done three miles of walking and a lot of phone and email time. It may have saved the GP a few minutes on the pharmacy consultation. Otherwise I had been given two miles of unneeded walking and of course screen and phone time.
Not sure what the balance of cost benefit was. But like 111 phone calls you still finish up with a GP or finding your way to casualty in any event as the peripheral health care functionaries can’t take responsibility for marginal cases. Still the walking has lengthened my life but the extension has been absorbed in the NHS outsourcing system.