The June lunch was the occasion for celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Club. To ensure all 74 members and guests could be accommodated, the event was held at Kingswood Golf Club, the dining room giving a fine view of the parkland golf course, made all the better by being bathed in sunshine. After all had taken their seats following the drinks reception, the Chairman welcomed the members and their wives and partners, and gave a particular welcome to the President of Ewell Probus Club and his wife, the guest speaker, and to the widows of former members, who were also present for this special lunch. Before the meal got under way, there was another event to celebrate: the 80th birthday (on the morrow) of one of our longer-established members, who received the customary bottle of claret and was then invited to say the Grace. The meal itself consisted of a starter of gin-and-tonic cured salmon and parmesan-thyme cracker; a main course of grilled medallion of beef fillet with gratin dauphinoise potato, carrot hash, broccoli and confit onion sauce; and a dessert of granny smith apples and frangipane tart with clotted ice cream and tropical fruit puree. In addition to the good food and good company, the diners were entertained by Tony Charles, a magician who moved round the room from table to table performing a wide repertoire of tricks with considerable skill. Following the Loyal Toast and the toast to the Club, those present were entertained by the guest speaker, Julius Bannister.
The subject of his talk, which also involved his playing the violin, was "A Day at the Races, a Night at the Opera", was a lively résumé of his musical career, from the time in 1966 when his practising his scales made him miss England winning the World Cup, to his time as a professional musician ranging from his first job with Max Jaffa at Scarborough, to being a member of the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Festival Ballet. Julius finished off a memorable and very enjoyable occasion with a fine rendition of the Ashokan Farewell.
John Gilbert
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