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US/Canada |
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Probus clubs were first
formed in the 1920s in Saskatchewan, Canada and New Haven, |
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Connecticut,USA.The latter
was devoted to helping people with learning and mental |
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disabilities . Because
they were not restricted to retired
individuals, they are not |
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associated with
the mainstream worldwide Probus Organisation |
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UK |
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The name was first used for a Club in 1966. The first non-sectarian Probus |
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club was formed by the Rotary Club
of Caterham to allow individuals to continue to |
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meet after retirement .The previous year the
Rotary Club of Welwyn Garden City formed the "Campus Club" |
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that had the same purpose. The two soon
merged and flourished under the sponsorship of |
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the Rotary Club of Bromsgrove, Birmingham. |
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The original relationship between Rotary and Probus was based on
individuals |
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leaving the former when they reached retirement age and joining the
latter. |
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However with reduced numbers in Rotary, the necessary move to
Probus was cancelled |
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and the links to Probus broken. |
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While Rotary have a national and international structure, Probus clubs
are now automonous. |
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World |
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In 1974 Probus expanded
into New Zealand and two years later spread to Australia. |
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The first Probus club for
seniors in North America was sponsored by the Rotary Club of |
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Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. |
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The UK has 1700 clubs, The
Netherlands 300 , Canada 170, Ireland 75, South Africa 75, |
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Belgium 60, India12 while the USA, Germany,Portugal, Spain & other
countries |
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have single figures each |
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Alternative Derivations of "Probus" |
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The English word Probity derives from the Latin Probus (meaning honest &
virtuous) |
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A Roman Emperor named Probus was famous for cultivation of
the vine! |
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There is a village in Cornwall named after St Probus who was a
Christian martyr c.370AD. |
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