HISTORY OF PROBUS CLUBS

Each Probus Club is autonomous, the club endeavors to be simple in structure, be free of the constraints and obligations, involve members in a minimal cost. The club is directed primarily to providing  fellowship and fun between members who are compatible with each other and the opportunity for development of acquaintance.

​​Probus clubs were first formed, as an acronym for Pro(fessional) and Bus(iness), in the early 1920's in Saskatchewan, CANADA, and in New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.A., the latter devoted to helping people with mental retardation, physical disabilities, and autism. Because they were not restricted to retired Professional and Business leaders, and had a different objective, they are (were) not associated with our present mainstream of Probus clubs worldwide.

The name was fused into a different type of club in England, and the first non-sectarian Probus club specifically for active retirees was formed in 1966 by the Rotary Club of Caterham, England to allow retired professionals to continue to meet together for fellowship. The previous year, the Rotary Club of Welwyn Garden City, England, formed the "Campus Club" that had the same purpose. The two soon merged and flourished under the sponsorship of the Rotary Club of Bromsgrove, Birmingham, England.

In 1974, Probus expanded into New Zealand and by 1976 the idea had spread to Australia. The first Probus club for seniors in North America was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Galt in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada in 1987. Although Probus membership has its greatest concentrations in Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand, clubs today exist in all parts of the world, including the U.S., Belgium, India, South Africa and several other countries in Africa and Asia

January 1972                    Rotary, consider a Probus Club for Glenrothes.

7th. March 1972               Meeting agreed to set up a club.

21st. March 1972              Constitution Considered.  

Weekly Meetngs               Venue Golden Acorn.  

3rd. April 1973                  First AGM: Chairman: Frank Melrose.

6th. June 1973                  First outing to Pitlochry.

24th. July 1973                 First Bowls match.

23rd. January 1974         First Theatre visit to the Kings Theatre. 

29th. March 1983            AGM: Name change to The Probus Club of Glenrothes.

March 1994                       Moved meeting venue to Lomond Centre.

July 2014 Present            Moved meeting venue to Rothes Halls.