EDWARD ‘Eddie’ Yeoman is focusing on his new role as president of Musselburgh Probus Club.

He took over the chain of office recently from John Stewart, club president for the past four years, who also served as honorary secretary for nine years.

Mr Yeoman is involved with St Michael’s Parish Church, Inveresk, becoming a commissioned reader with the Church of Scotland in 2002.

He was superintendent of the Sunday School for more than 30 years, also working with the Bible class.

Now retired, he was general manager at Edinburgh-based optical manufacturers Butterworths.

He became a member of The Worshipful of Spectacle Makers and then a Freeman of the City of London in 1994.

A keen local historian, he is a Fellow of Antiquaries Scotland.

Probus Clubs are groups for retired or semi-retired people from all walks of life and may include business or professional people.

Musselburgh Probus meets at the Hollies Day Centre and welcomes a variety of guest speakers.

At its recent meeting, Andrew Stewart gave a talk about harbours in East Lothian and Berwickshire.

He was a member of Beeslack Penicuik Camera Club, so used photographs, music and voice-over in his presentation.

He highlighted the Eyemouth disaster – when a severe windstorm struck the south-eastern coast of Scotland, on October 14, 1881, and 189 fishermen, most of whom were from Eyemouth, were drowned.

A vote of thanks for the talk was proposed by Tom Chrystal.