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The meeting on 12th March was opened by the Club’s Chairman, Jim Flett, who reminded members of the Club’s current policy, as set out on the Club’s website, on attending meetings, in the current health environment relating to Covid 19 aka Coronavirus.

There was a guest speaker, Hazel Griffiths, whose well presented talk was titled “Grace Kelly – Perfect Princess or Amazing Actress?”. She spoke of Grace’s childhood and her parents’ disapproval of her acting career. Grace’s uncle, George Kelly, was a successful playwright and he supported her to develop her career. She appeared on Broadway and was successful on TV. Her movie career was largely with Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer appearing in films such as High Noon, Mogambo and To Catch a Thief. She performed with many other famous actors and producers such as James Stewart, Stewart Granger, Alfred Hitchcock and Ava Gardner. One of her final films was the American musical comedy film High Society where she starred alongside Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra.

In 1955 Grace went to the Cannes Film Festival and was invited to the Prince’s Palace in Monaco for a photo shoot with Prince Rainer III. A year long courtship ensued, and she married the Prince in 1956 with guests including Aristotle Onassis, Cary Grant, David Niven and the Aga Khan III. They had three children, Caroline, Albert and Stéphanie. Offers to star in films continued including from Alfred Hitchcock and were declined although she did some narration work. In 1982 whilst driving back to the Prince’s Palace from their country home at nearby Roc Angel, Grace had a car accident and the car went down the mountainside. She died in hospital the following day.

The planned guided tour of Amazon’s warehouse and distribution facility near Manchester Airport on 4th March and the tour of Concorde at the viewing park was understandably cancelled as Amazon is not allowing visitors whilst the risk of Coronavirus continues. It is hoped to reinstate the visit later.

On the 5th March eleven walkers enjoyed a six and a half mile circular walk in good weather starting at the Leigh Arms, Acton Bridge rambling along the banks of the Weaver Navigation and the Trent & Mersey Canal in excellent spring weather, before returning to the Leigh Arms for lunch. The next walk is on 19th March when the Walking Group will visit Astbury for a circular walk starting and finishing at the Egerton Arms.

There was an IT Group meeting on 12th March, the subject being Virtual Private Networks. The Bowling Group holds its final indoor bowls event of the winter on 18th March and its first competitive match is on 1st April.

The Club meets at Mere and Tabley Community Club on the second and fourth Thursdays each month at 10.00am for 10.30am. The Club Secretary is Richard Martin who can be contacted by email at [email protected]. Further details are available on the Club’s extensive web site at www.knutsfordrexprobus.co.uk