Edward Treby joined the club in 1952/53 and was a very active member until shortly before his death in August 1981. In the Autumn Newsletter of that year Ossie Barrett, who was himself a very active member, published the following appreciation of his long standing friend Edward.

EDWARD TREBY - AN APPRECIATION

It's strange how certain incidents remain crystal clear in one's memory, whilst others, often of more recent origin, disappear into oblivion. I shall always remember my first meeting with Ted Treby - in a field near Taplow(Bucks) on a Challoner Club ramble in 1951.

Ted had played a prominent part in the formation of both the Rambling and Square Dancing sections of the (then) recently opened Challoner, and, as anyone who has been on an HF holiday knows, a common interest in these two  activities provides a sound foundation on which many friendships have been built, Add to this a common interest in railways and tramways and a lasting friendship is all but guaranteed!

So it was with Ted and myself and over the years, apart from normal social activities, we spent many happy hours together on outings of transport interest that doubtless would have bored many other people to tears! I could almost write a book on our expeditions although fortunately, Ted being a keen photographer, many of them are still on record ranging from a visit to the "funeral pyre^" of  London's trams at Charlton (1952) to an inspection of the new Tyneside "Metro" under construction (1980).

We had often reflected that there were very few branch railway lines within striking distance of London that we hadn't ridden on,' Of the lines that had been closed we had explored on foot many a mile of deserted track bed that had rapidly been taken over again by nature in parts, and in Ted's own words was 'like the Amazon jungle without the snakes'.

It was a standing joke between us to imagine the reaction of some of our mutual friends if they could have seen us on some of our expeditions - doubtless they would have regarded us as a couple of "crackpots"!

We had also participated over the years in many special railway tours organised by various societies, sometimes traversing sections of track that had never seen a passenger train in decades, the most recent one being in East London in June 1981. Then of course there was that other weird diversion - exploring the course of old tram routes, and the feeling of absolute triumph at the discovery of some relic still "in situ" after a lapse of maybe 40-50 years. Doubtless Freud would have had an explanation!

Ted was a veritable walking encyclopaedia on 'transport matters especially relating to London and he had written many articles for publication in transport journ9ls over the years. Being a fluent linguist he also kept in close touch with transport developments on the continent especially the Paris "Metro"and he sometimes translated material from European sources for publication in British periodicals.

Perhaps it was fitting that in the month of his death he should have an article in print in "The Railway Magazine". By a strange coincidence this was about the "Tottenham and Hampstead Joint Railway" a line almost within earshot of the road in which he was born, and which could well have been the first railway he ever remembered.

Although of recent years Ted wasn't seen on quite so, many rambles he still maintained a close interest in the St. Francis Club and indeed sometimes reminded me of items on the current club list that I myself had overlooked! He was a regular contributor to the club magazine, usually turned upon Epping Forest rambles and rarely missed the Christmas party and the annual coach outings. It was on one of these latter expeditions that he first met his wife Irene.

I shall certainly miss Ted but will always be thankful for the double legacy he left me, because apart from the wonderful memories, of a friendship lasting 30 years, it was he who first introduced me to the St. Francis Club! 

                                        May he rest in peace.       O.B.