The Albemarle Probus Club, a club for retired men across South Holderness, held a successful Presidents’ Dinner last week during which they were entertained by the Green Ginger Garland Dancers.
The club meets at the Camerton pub in Thorngumbald on the first and third Monday mornings each month. The first Monday is a coffee morning with a presentation by one of its members or an external speaker.
The Presidents’ Dinner at the Masonic Hall in Beverley Road, Hull, on Thursday, April 25, was attended by several members of Albemarle Probus and their wives, many of whom are members of the Hedon-based women’s Probus.
The garland dancers, who practise in Cottingham and have members based all over Hull and East Yorkshire, performed a half-hour set of varied folk dances using their flowered garlands as well as sticks and bobbins – used in the traditional North West-style dances – and even a dance using ropes, which leader Jenny Pittock described as a “maypole dance without a maypole”.
Organiser John Ledger, who has twice previously been mayor of Hedon, said he had not told members what the evening’s entertainment would be, only that he had first seen it “at the seaside” – so they were likely expecting a Punch and Judy show, he added.
However, the reference was in fact to the Green Ginger Garland Dancers’ performance on Withernsea’s prom at last year’s Blue Light Weekend – where they will be appearing again on the Saturday of this year’s event.
Afterwards, the dancers and dinner guests were taken upstairs to the masonic temple, where Malcolm Forbes gave a short talk on Freemasonry and its place in modern Britain.
He said: “We are not a secret society, but some aspects are secret such as passwords and signals.
“After the National Lottery, the Masons are the largest charitable givers in the country, donating millions to good causes every year.”
He explained the history behind the various local lodges that meet in the Beverley Road temple, including the Holderness Lodge, which used to be based in Queen Street, Withernsea, but moved to Hull in 2012.
John said: “It was a very successful evening – the food was wonderful and everyone really enjoyed the dancing. They were very impressed!”
For more information about the Probus Club, call John on 07979 804999.
Jenny said: “I thought our hosts were very welcoming and informative.”
Musician Julia Archer added: “I enjoyed the evening very much. Malcolm Forbes was very interesting and the temple room was magnificent.”
The Green Ginger Garland Dancers welcome new members – for more information, call Jenny on 01482 657778 or find them on Facebook.
