AN excellent total of 29 members were present for our monthly meeting at Downes Crediton Golf Club.

Richard Adams, our president, started the proceedings by telling us that Hubert Fernbank, the “Father” of Crediton Probus, had died on Saturday at the age of 97.

Richard asked Hubert’s old friend Brian Threlfall to give us an appreciation of his long life.

Russ Ballard then gave the grace and we settled down to another excellent meal. The quote was given by David Dornom.

The draw was later won by Vice President Gerald Hill, who handed the wine on to his guest, Kenny Down.

Russ Ballard then introduced our speaker, Charlie Palmer, a dowser.

Charlie said that he had grown up in Bridestowe and that he had been to Art School in his mid teens, but had found no fulfillment there, so started to study again. Since 1998 he had been involved in adult education and since 2000 in dowsing.

Dowsing is a sort of divination and is used in attempts to locate ground water (Charlie says it is possible to establish at what level the water is to be found, of what quality it is and how much water lies in the location).

The technique can also be used to locate metal ores, buried treasure, lost items, archaeological sites and human remains.

Charlie showed us examples of the various types of dowsing rods.

The simplest ones are forked or L-shaped pieces of wood. Thin solid metal rods (also usually L-shaped) are also used.

Pendants of metal or crystal are also used. Specific questions are asked of the device and its reply is in its behaviour (the speed and direction of its movement).

Charlie talked about the range of areas he had explored. These included Crediton Churchyard and Crediton Church, Lords Meadow, Shobrooke Park and Raddon Cross. He had identified a number of buried chapels and similar ecclesiastical remains.

After his talk, Charlie was thanked by John Wakefield and after the meeting had finished in the usual way with the toast “To the next time!”, members experimented with the tools of dowsing.

KB