The September Meeting of the Pembroke Probus Club was on Tuesday, September 3, at the Cleddau Bridge Hotel, Pembroke Dock.

The meeting was well-attended and documented. Reading the agenda for the meeting, I am often reminded of reading the 'Night Orders' at the start of the 2400 - 0400 watch, but that was a long time ago and I digress.

The loom of Christmas is already visible on the horizon in the form of advance warnings of sundry delights such as quiz night and Poems and Pints. They are home-grown activities and all the more popular for that.

The link between the Killay and the Pembroke Probus Clubs continues, with the next big thing being the Killay Club and their ladies visiting us on the morning of the 17th. Should be good!

Guest speaker was Robin Lewis the Lord Lieutenant of Dyfed. He had chosen to talk of the origins and continued existence of the position from its origin as being responsible to the King, via the High Sheriff for tax collection and army recruitment.

In effect, The Lord Lieutenant had taken over these operations and so removed power from the Lord of the Manor. Initially it was county based, but now as the title implies, it is based on the older and larger area of Dyfed. The tax collecting has and recruiting has disappeared. Although not before the Pembrokeshire (Castlemartin?) yeomanry had, with the help of a few local maids, defeated the French invaders, commanded by an American Irish drunk.

Today, the Lord Lieutenant is appointed by the Queen, on the advice of the Prime Minister, or in our case the Welsh Assembly. It is a lifetime appointment and he can be said to represent the Queen. His activities in recruiting came to an end post the Napoleonic Wars. However, as his tax collecting and recruiting powers disappeared, so his socio-economic duties have flourished.

It was a fascinating insight into an evolving system that could be described, in part, as Machiavellian, but none the less, effective. Certainly not a post that Wyatt Earp could have, even partially, filled. A well-organised and received talk - thank you again Philip - the vote of thanks given by Chris Langton.

Lunch and it was all over.