CHAIRMAN’S VIEW
Last Saturday morning I enjoyed my first outing on the water for over a month and it was good to get out. It was also really pleasing to see the level of activity at the Club on a rather brisk autumn morning with a fresh easterly wind. Whilst we are permitted to row, other restrictions continue and I would ask all members to check the website and be aware of signage in the clubhouse regarding the current rules. To date we have managed to avoid major interruptions due to COVID-19 cases but there have been a few near misses. Please continue to be vigilant and considerate to others.
Through the most recent lockdown your committee has continued to work to move the Club forward; our monthly meetings are augmented by weekly calls. Some of the works underway are described below in Andrew Boyle’s Committee Update. It has been a delicate balancing act to ensure that we maintain momentum whilst keeping a very tight control on costs due to the significant loss of revenue from our events business. We are working to deliver what business we can and to ensure that we are well placed to benefit from the pent-up demand for all kinds of social events as soon as restrictions are lifted.
The effects on our finances and a request for your support to help to bridge the gap are described in a letter to members from our President, Mike Baldwin. Please read this carefully and consider what you are able to do. Additional monthly payments from Committee members have given us an excellent start, reaching 10% of the target. It will make a real difference to London Rowing Club if we can avoid having to make further cuts and continue to build on the very positive steps that we have taken over the past 12 months.
I take this opportunity to wish all our members and their families a very happy Christmas and a healthy New Year.
Simon Harris
Chairman, London Rowing Club
CAPTAIN’S REPORT
It is with a combination of both joy and relief that I am able submit a month’s rowing report - as we emerge from the second lockdown and return to the river there is very pleasantly an abundance of rowing to report on.
At the time of writing, we have just completed the first weekend of rowing back since lockdown 2.0 and the enthusiasm to be back on the water was palpable - despite some very cold, and at times wet, conditions.
Abby Leek (cox), Catherine Grayson, Lizzie Cottrell, Bev Goodchild, Jenny Arthur, Meg Cliff, Grace Bake, Marije Plak and Meg Jackson.
Heather Scott (cox), Gregor Maxwell, Matt Curtis (Ricky), Graham Ord, Andrew Wakefield, Tom Westbrook, Oswald Stocker, Adam von Bismarck and Matt Reeder.
I am grateful too that, by and large, all were adhering to the requisite safety protocols, with many sporting their new LRC masks! I am acutely aware of how tedious all these safety procedures can be but can only continue to implore all the membership to continue to maintain a strict adherence. As a set of committees, we continue to look for ways to streamlines these systems but absolutely cannot compromise on the safety and I appeal to members to consider the full length and breadth of the membership to ensure that we all ensure everyone feels welcome and safe at our club.
Those who have been down to the Club recently, and in particular this weekend past, would agree that the general sense of positivity and unity continues to proliferate. From puppies, Christmas lights, delicious snacks to lively intergenerational debates about hand speed there is a lot going on to reinforce the sentiment that London Rowing Club is imbedding a fantastic and welcoming culture. But most importantly (and I cannot overemphasize the interdependence) the rowing is going exceptionally well!
Despite the paucity of rowing events in 2020 I am delighted to finally present a few sets of very promising results.
In October we had 3 members of the senior squad compete in the head race for the historic Wingfield Sculls: Meghann Jackson, Gregor Maxwell and Matt Curtis, all of whom having just a brief taste of rowing on the stretch on the “other side” of Hammersmith bridge. The general lack of racing across the country meant the field was particularly “stacked” this year but despite this, all three scullers delivered very strong performances in a uniquely competitive year.
Moving away from official races - our friends at the other end of the Embankment invited us to a private time trial between Imperial College, Vesta, themselves and ourselves dubbed the “TRC Beker” or the Embankment Challenge. The format was a headrace style time trial held from Harrods wall to Wandsworth. Our ladies eight managed to turn over Vesta’s top women’s crew and despite being behind two of the TRC ladies’ boats, now have them firmly in their sights. Furthermore, our top men’s boat was a mere 3 seconds behind the TRC top boat. To say I am delighted would be a major understatement - it is a huge credit to Stu and his team that LRC is now firmly back on terms with our fiercest competitors!
Apart from the senior squad there are a number of other results to report on: the ‘Millennials’ entered both a Masters 8+ and a Masters 4x both winning their respective divisions.
Tobias Bernard (cox), Will Randall, James Sexton-Barrow, Ben Adams, Tom Platts, Julian Hyde, Joe Calnan, Fiennes Davey and Basil Amin. Tobias is currently at Westminster and helped us out, demonstrating the strong link between LRC and WSBC.
With British Rowing Indoor Champs (BRICs) being held remotely this year with several members putting in some impressive performances: Well done to Kirill Anurov, Evan Grace, Will Randall, Chris Leonard, Matous Michnevic and Jonathan Carr-Brown for picking up the gauntlet and particular mentions to Rob Leonard for dropping a handy 6:19 and Jess Eddie for picking up the Silver medal.
On the same day, squad member Adam von Bismarck completed a 5k erg trial for the GBU23 team setting a blistering time of 16:34.7.
If this isn’t enough satisfy appetites for this year, we have one final chance to get out and race this year with a second edition the TRC Beker will be held on the morning of 19 December and with the government now allowing spectators, please do come along and lend some support along the course once again from Harrods to Wandsworth.
With this race, those competing will look to cap off an extremely challenging year with some solid performances before heading off for a well-earned festive break. From my side I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support and patience as we have adapted to one of the most difficult years I can recall for our club. With a number of very bright lights on the horizon I for one am looking forward to the tantalising prospects of the dawning year, but first there is the race to look forward to.
BANG THE DRUM!
Mark Lucani
Captain, London Rowing Club
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
17 December: LRC Christmas Virtual Quiz Event
19 December: TRC Beker, 2nd edition
21 January: Quintin Eights' Head
30 January: Hampton Head
07 February: Remenham Challenge
10 February: General Meeting, London Rowing Club Ltd
13 February: Henley Fours' and Eights' Head
13 February: Molesey Junior and Veterans' Head Races
14 February: Bedford Eights' and Fours' Head
21 February: Hammersmith Head
06 March: Women's Eights' Head
13 March: Kingston Head
16 March: Doggett's Coat and Badge
20 March: Head of the River
24 March: Schools' Head
All these dates are provisional and subject to postponement or cancellation, depending on Covid 19 regulations and/or whether Hammersmith Bridge remains closed.
See more detail for these events, visit our Calendar of Events…
COMMITTEE UPDATE
In addition to its focus on the financial management of the Club, the members of the General Committee are working on initiatives that will enhance the rowing and social experiences of members.
Following his commitment at the last AGM to develop women's rowing, our Captain, Mark Lucani, was thrilled to take delivery of a new Filippi four last weekend, which will be allocated to women members of the squad. The purchase was made possible by some very generous member donations. Mark and his team have also been busy preparing for the resumption of rowing post-lockdown and helping new members integrate with the squad and our other rowing groups. We continue to gain new members every month. Bethan Corlett has coordinated the production of an information pack for them, which will soon be shared with all members.
Membership Director, Abby Leek, has been developing plans for a Christmas event (see article below) that will comply with ongoing Covid regulations. She is also coordinating plans to develop what will become the Ashton Room as a social and meeting venue for members. House Steward (House/Events) Chris Goodfellow has picked up the Christmas spirit literally. In addition to developing a marketing programme for our events business, he has arranged for the production of some LRC branded rum, whisky and gin with appropriate names such as Bang the Rum!
A busy person in the clubhouse is certainly Eddie Markes (our House Steward - Premises) who, together with Peter Halford, has been attending to various roof leaks, the renewal of the Long Room roof, the renewal of Resis and men's changing room showers and other exciting improvement plans. Please read Peter’s article below. Fire compliance and Health & Safety issues have also been at the forefront of their minds. Great progress is being made with the inevitable hiccups given the age of our building.
Andrew Boyle
Secretary, London Rowing Club
IRREGULARS’ REPORT
As we all know, no rowing for the past month so a chance to catch up on some members’ news.
John Pearson reached 88 amazing years on the 11th November and was due to have a dinner at the Club organised by Iain Laurenson (one year behind almost to the day) and take advantage of the Dinner Ladies ‘Game On Night’. This was going to be attended by a few of us. Inevitably, it had to be cancelled but, hopefully, will happen in January.
Miles Preston has had a hip replacement operation about five weeks ago and is recovering well.
John Auber has resurrected the Casamajor Club which is now going great guns. Additionally, he arranged for the Hammersmith Bridge Rebuild Action Group to borrow one of our megaphones for the recent protests. Hopefully, LRC had other representation other than just a megaphone!
Philip Carré, as well as his great work as LRC Treasurer, coordinated the installation of a camera on our building as part of the Thames 21 project, monitoring rubbish in the river. As part of the deal, members can get up to date views of river conditions. This may well be very useful for members especially our own Tony Lynn who is aged 81 and a regular 'Irregular’ who has to travel over an hour to get to us from Hertfordshire. It might save him the odd wasted journey!
Joe Boultbee and Hugh Samuel have been going on various bicycle outings over the last few months. Joe is a keen photographer and artist and took this great photo of the two of them in action on their way to Windsor!
An Irregular, who shall remain nameless, organised the Christmas Tree and an Angel (out of Casamajor winnings) for the Club and in particular the Resis, who have enthusiastically decorated the tree.
Lastly, I have just received an email from our Brendan Armstrong, who has been in Brittany for most of the year. He has requested that I send him an erg challenge that was set for our eight in February before the world went mad. Keenness indeed and we hope that we shall see him in the New Year.
In the meantime, best wishes to all the Irregulars for Christmas and the New Year.
Eddie Markes
CHRISTMAS VIRTUAL QUIZ EVENT
Due to the on-going pandemic and for obvious reasons, it is not possible to run our traditional Christmas dinner in the normal way.
For that reason, we will be holding a Christmas Virtual Quiz Event on the 17th December at 8pm. Tommy and some of our squad will be running this hour long event of Christmas games.
Please feel free to wear your London blazers and/or additional Christmas decorations.
We are also offering an LRC branded Christmas cheese and wine box from Henley Hampers to be purchased for the evening.
Each box is for two people and includes:
Bix Cheese – Nettlebed Creamery
Witheridge Cheese – Nettlebed Creamery
Piccalilli – Well Preserved
Christmas Chutney – Well Preserved
Parmesan and Rosemary biscuits – Just Biscuits
Mixed Truffle Selection Box – Gorvett and Stone
Cured Meat Sharing Platter – Chiltern Charcuterie
Bottle of LRC House Red Wine
Numbers are limited for the cheese and wine box so please purchase these as soon as possible. They can be collected from LRC from 12 noon on 17th December. Each box is £65 and to place your order please contact me on Abigail.leek@londonrc.org.uk
Our Zoom quiz is open to all and link details will be sent out the day before.
Abby Leek
Membership Director, London Rowing Club
LRC ROOF REPAIRS
“A cold coming we had of it, Just the worst time of the year…….”
So starts T.S. Elliot’s poem, appropriate at this time of year and perhaps for the roof repairs also, but fortunately the weather has not been too bad. The repair works started at the beginning of October and although the workmen have at times been very cold and very wet they have made good progress and are on the last stretch. Their radio is always tuned to a Polish classical music station and on our regular inspections it is rather nice to hear Tchaikovsky high up over the Embankment!
The following photographs illustrate the repairs needed and progress in completing them:
The parapet wall at the top of the club, to which the balustrade is fixed, needed repointing and there was cracking in the brickwork where water could penetrate. Side walls and chimney stacks also needed repointing.
The cast iron handrail and balustrade had corroded over time and needed repair.
Part of the balustrade had been supported with scaffolding.
The mansard roof over the Members room and the entrance to the rear stairs needed to be re-tiled.
The grandstand has been completely re-felted. This is a long process as first all the gratings and bleachers have to be moved.
The bleachers have all been repainted in LRC blue before the gratings are fixed. The parapet wall, side walls and chimney stacks have been repointed.
The cast iron work was stripped of old paint, ground smooth and primed ready for repainting. Missing sections (like the spur in this photograph) will be replaced and weak joins between sections will be bonded with resin.
The balustrade has been repainted in LRC blue and new supporting brackets have been designed and fabricated.
New handrail sections have been fabricated and will sit on new spacer blocks that have been made to match the original design.
Where new slate sections are needed, the old slates are removed, a waterproof membrane is laid over the timber boards and then new battens are attached to which the new slates will be fixed.
Now we just need a boat race to watch……
For more information, contact Peter Halford or Eddie Markes.
HAMMERSMITH BRIDGE, THE SAGA SO FAR
The longer-standing members of the Club will remember that in 1985, there was an incident with an HGV that closed the bridge and necessitated an inspection, report and works. On multiple occasions since this event the bridge has again been subject to closure and continuous inspections. It has been obvious that something needed to be done as the condition of the bridge declined with more frequent closures to traffic and more patch up work.
We are now thirty-five years since that initial structural damage and the engineers have had to close the bridge to all navigation over and under. The Greater London Council and then Hammersmith and Fulham have failed to manage the bridge and the works required.
The original Hammersmith Bridge which was opened in 1827.
The current Hammersmith Bridge dates back to 1887.
London Rowing Club predates Bazalgette’s landmark design and construction by twenty-eight years, although there was the old bridge in place prior to our foundation. There is no record of a river closure during the present bridge’s construction. Hence this is the first time in one hundred and sixty-four years that the Club has been unable to row up past Hammersmith. This is an historic event, but not one that we will be celebrating in future years. In a slightly different text, that formed the basis of my email to Hammersmith and Fulham on the 7th of September along with a request that the river closure problem be resolved as soon as possible. There has been no reply.
British Rowing Chair Mark Davies sent letters on the 11th of September to Baroness Vere, who heads the bridge Task Force and to Councillor Cowen, the leader of Hammersmith and Fulham. Those can be found here British Rowing shares concerns on Hammersmith Bridge closure - British Rowing. The Club has not heard of any replies.
The highlights from the most recent meeting of the Task Force are here: Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce meeting, 13 November 2020 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). A couple of items were mentioned that are of special interest, a temporary ferry and work on the western pedestals.
On the subject of the ferry for pedestrians, Thames Regional Rowing Council Chair, Luke Dillon held a Zoom two weeks ago on the subject of the bridge. TRRC has been approached for feedback and they have said that if there has to be a ferry it should be on the up river side of the bridge so that it does not further encroach on our limited rowing area. They are also pointing out the failings of solutions suggested. Some of you will have spotted various creative drawing items in the press from groups that do not seem to understand the force of the tidal Thames nor the lack of depth at low tide. Rest assured that all the issues that you have had with these ideas and others besides have been pointed out.
Looking at the “Ferry” plan, at best it will require one temporary Pier on the Surrey side if they can utilise Dove Pier on the Middlesex side. The river’s draft at low tide, for about four hours of the day, is 1.5m and in some areas around Hammersmith Bridge a little less. The options of ferry hulls will be greatly reduced to be able to function in this depth, thus the volume of demand during the peak period will likely be far higher than a ferry can manage. It has been suggested that 16,000 pedestrians and cyclists a day used the bridge prior to the closure. I cannot find the source of this, but it has been quoted in the press. Assuming that 80% of those are during the peak four hours of the day, a generous 100 passenger vessel, far less with social distancing, and two ferries operating crossing at the same time. This would require 16 crossings an hour for the two vessels, a little under four minutes. Given loading, unloading, mooring etc, this is not possible. There is also the cost of putting in a temporary Pier on the Surrey shore. This will involve piling, a substantial barge to manage the passenger numbers and the Pier being a minimum of the distance to the existing bridge’s Surrey buttress to ensure it has water in all tides. This will not be cheap for a ferry that will disappoint the moment it commences operation. I made these points to Baroness Vere in an email on the 23rd of November, which has so far been unanswered. I also expressed this view on the Zoom with the TRRC.
The glimmer of hope from the 13th of November Task Force release was this statement: “The task force held another productive meeting today. Further to the extraordinary funding and financing package agreed between government and TfL, we’re pleased to report that TfL will shortly be instructing contractors to carry out immediate mitigations work on the two western pedestals. This is being delivered as part of the overall bridge stabilisation work package.” Work is being done to stabilise the bridge, but only part of the work. A stable structure means river access underneath it, but we have no clarity on timing of the structure being stabilised. When the river was closed to us I assumed that this would be the priority and works would immediately commence. Sadly, I assumed logic in the decision making.
For us to return to our normal navigation under Hammersmith Bridge we need the structure stabilised and if a ferry is operating, it does so respecting the other river traffic. The Club will continue to make these crucial points in on going correspondence with all parties within and outside the rowing world.
One fears that with the Boat Race moving to Ely the powers that be might assume that all is well with rowing. If any members find themselves able to discuss the bridge with anyone of influence please do point out that it most certainly is not.
Ben Helm
Vice President, London Rowing Club
LRC GOVERNANCE TEAM MEMBERS
Although many members read last month's piece on the Club's new governance structure, only a small number clicked on the link to the schedule of members of the main committee and the six sub-committees.
I thought that those of you who didn't see the schedule might find it helpful to see it more easily, so here it is:
Representative Officers
President: Mike Baldwin
Vice President: Ben Helm
Vice President: Sophie Hosking
Vice President: Richard Philips
Vice President: Mike Williams
General Committee Members
Chairman: Simon Harris
Honorary Secretary: Andrew Boyle
Honorary Treasurer: Philip Carré
House Steward (House/Events): Chris Goodfellow
House Steward (Premises): Eddie Markes
LRC Captain: Mark Lucani
Membership Director: Abigail Leek
Strategy Director: Colin Christie
Sub-Committee Members
House/Events: Chris Goodfellow (Chair), Shane Dorsett (General Manager), Philip Carré, Stuart Heap, Meghann Jackson
Finance & Administration: Lynton Richmond (Chair), Philip Carré, Peter Halford, Lucy Hargreaves, Stewart Harries, Richard Metcalf, Andrew Wakefield
Membership: Bill Baker (Chair), Bethan Corlett, Jacqui Grosch, Jeremy Hudson, Abigail Leek, Matthew Piechowicz, Rob Porter, Jessica Salter, Bob Silver, JP van Tiel
Premises: Eddie Markes (Chair), Fiona Cooke, Peter Halford, Lawrence Ho, Tim Leppard, Josh Mc Inerney, Richard Philips, Heather Scott, Simon Smithson
Rowing: Simon Harris (Chair), Elizabeth Cottrell, Kathleen Curran (Young Irregulars), Alan Foster (Masters), Stewart Harries (Masters), Stuart Heap (Chief Coach), Ben Helm (Safety Advisor), Meghann Jackson, Tom Killick, Mark Lucani (LRC Captain), Eddie Markes (Irregulars), Jess Pearce, Matt Reeder, CD Riches, James Sexton-Barrow (Millennials), JP van Tiel
Strategy: Colin Christie (Chair), Jess Pearce, Will Randall, James Sexton-Barrow
Rowing Management
Mark Lucani, Meghann Jackson, James Sexton-Barrow, Matt Reeder, Stuart Heap
Other Club Positions
Accounts: Meghann Jackson
Archives: Julian Ebsworth
Barman: Tom Kimmins
Brand & Digital Officer: Bob Silver
Communications Officer: Jean-Pierre van Tiel
Equipment & Kit Officer: Matt Piechowicz
Fleet Repairs: Basil Amin
General Manager: Shane Dorsett
Membership Secretary: Jessica Salter
Resis Rep: Heather Scott
Safety Advisor: Ben Helm
S&C Coach: James Mead
The London Roar Editor: Miles Preston
Welfare Officer: Tricia Carré
Our grateful thanks go to all those who are helping to keep the Club going through these tricky times.
If you are not one of them and would like to volunteer to help as well - even if you can only spare an hour a week - please email me (secretary@londonrc.org.uk) and I will refer you to the person most relevant to what you have to offer.
Andrew Boyle
Hon. Secretary, London Rowing Club
LONDON ROWING CLUB’S WWII FALLEN
PART 3
Further to the articles in the October and November editions of The London Roar, this continues the listings, in alphabetical order, of Club members who fell in World War II and who are identifiable in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission records. More information has been coming in from elsewhere, so it has been possible to supplement some entries.
A highlight this month is D G Kingsford’s “immediate” Military Cross. We have been able to obtain a copy of the recommendation for his gallantry award from the National Archives. The entry for O L R Hills (with photograph of his gravestone in Epsom) is also worthy of note. Two further listings will be published in the January and February 2021 editions.
The alphabetical list continues below:
Eric John Harris. Flying Officer RAF, 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit. Killed in action on 28th August 1942, aged 30. Interred in Heverlee War Cemetery, Belgium, grave 9.F.1.
Elected 1931.
Oliver Lilburne Rieu Hills. Pilot Officer RAFVR 488 (RNZAF) Squadron, UK. Killed in action on 25th November 1943, aged 32; found drowned off the Isle of Sheppey in the Thames Estuary and interred in Epsom Cemetery, section N, grave 256, in August 1944 nine months later (see illustration of his gravestone). BA Cantab (Clare College). Solicitor.
Elected 1933. Rowed for Clare College in the Thames Cup 1931 and Ladies Plate 1932 and 1933; for London in the Thames Cup crews of 1934 and (winners) in 1935; and in the Club’s winning HORR crew in 1934 (with T. Turner, qv).
The gravestone at Epsom Cemetery of O L R Hills who was one of the Club’s three RAF Volunteer Reserve officers to fall in WWII and to be interred in the UK. His parents lived in Epsom. Note the poppy which was planted by the local British Legion branch for last month’s Remembrance Day commemorations. The gravestone is of a standard Commonwealth War Graves Commission design used throughout the world.
Ronald James Huddy. Lieutenant, Royal Armoured Corps. Killed in action on 21st November 1944. Interred in Delhi War Cemetery, grave 3.B.9.
Elected 1939.
Alexander Russell Jardine. Captain, Royal Engineers, seconded to Queen Victoria’s Own Madras Sappers and Miners. Also served with Calcutta Light Horse. Killed in action on 31st January 1942, aged 27. Commemorated on Rangoon Memorial, face 3. BA Cantab (Clare College). Mentioned in Despatches.
Elected 1936. Rowed for Clare College in the Thames Cup 1935 and Ladies Plate 1936.
Desmond Glover Kingsford. Captain, Irish Guards, 3rd Battalion. Awarded an “immediate” Military Cross for action on 3rd August 1944 in the Normandy campaign (see copy of recommendation) but killed in action only a week later on 10th August, aged 30. Interred in Tilly-sur-Seulles War Cemetery, Calvados, France, grave IX.H.10. Parents living in Alberta, Canada. BA Cantab (Pembroke College).
Elected 1934. Rowed for Pembroke College in the Ladies Plate 1934 and in the Grand in 1935 (winning crew) and 1936. In the winning Cambridge crews in the Boat Races of 1935 and 1936. Competed in the Silver Goblets for LRC in 1937. Won Gold medal in England VIII at British Empire Games, Sydney, in 1938 under Leander/CUBC colours (with B S Beazley, J Turnbull and T Turner, qvv.). Rowed for Leander in the Grand 1939.
The recommendation for D G Kingsford’s Military Cross, denoted - and this was rare - to be an “Immediate” award. In such cases, the CO, along with the chain of command, wished to recognise the action as a feat of bravery and leadership that made a particular impact in the field or the overall battle situation. Sadly, Kingsford was k.i.a. a week later. Note the final approval signed by Field Marshal Montgomery (who became a member of LRC after the War).
Frederick Ewen Cameron Loxton. Major, Australian Infantry A.I.F. 2/9 Battalion. Killed in action on 21st January 1944, aged 31. Interred in Lae War Cemetery, Papua New Guinea, grave F.B.6. BA, LL.B Cantab (Pembroke College).
Elected 1931.
Henry Charles MacNamara. Lieutenant, Royal Artillery. Killed in action on 16th July 1944, aged 55. Interred in Stanley Military Cemetery, Hong Kong, grave 4.A.5.
Elected 1911. Rowed in the Thames Cup in 1911 (in a crew stroked by C W (Jock) Wise, later President of the Club).
Julian Ebsworth
LRC Librarian & Archivist
Part 4 will be published in the January edition of the London Roar.
ROWING FOR LRC FROM 1962-67
PART 3: A REMINISCENCE, 1964-65
The 1964/65 season was a different kind of year. A new Captain Paul Littleton, the starting of a national squad (Nautilus), and a following wind for Henley, which enabled crews to break every single course record. The effect of Nautilus was that we lost our “elite” oarsmen, Simon Rippon, Roger Hughes, Bob Potter, Graham Baldock, Julian Ebsworth, and Kenny Usher, and the next year Peter Fraser. Simon and Bob were bow and three in a Nautilus Stewards four and the remainder the stern of a Nautilus Grand Eight. Simon’s crew did well. After beating Leander and SR Remoises France, they lost in the final to Quintin BC. The eight beat Thames RC but lost in the semi-final to Vesper BC USA. By this time, LRC had acquired the luxury of two nights a week weight training, one with heavy weights and the other repetitive weights and gym exercises at a not so nearby gym (Tulse Hill).
So, with our four split up, Steve and Colin were joined by 7 new crew members for the Thames Cup boat which trained all year with our coach Neil Rosser. Colin and Steve rowing at 5 and 7 welcomed George Neville, Giles Chichester, George Hallowes, Tony Morahan, Bart Verburgh, and Dave McCleary at Stroke with Martin Wiseman coxing. We got pots and were a reasonable crew. In the first round, we beat Imperial College London and in the second Ibis BC, in the third round Isis BC was full of blues, beating us by a length. Having Giles in the crew created some laughs. Some Saturdays we rowed to Richmond and back and then would go to the Strand Palace Carvery for an all you can eat. Most of us had gotten this well taped. No rolls, no soup, no starters, no water (just beer), and no sides, just carved meat. However, one of our number had a problem, he was a vegetarian, like his father, and Giles was heard ordering an omelette, no meat. Another time we got thrown out of a restaurant on the King’s Road for burning the ends of the wine corks and blackening everyone’s face.
The 1965 Thames cup crew out training (me at 5).
Us in the third round losing to what was virtually the 1966 Oxford blue boat, by only a length, with Fred Carr, Chris Blackwall, Jock Mullard, R Spry, D Barnes, P Tuke, E Meyer, and Mike Kennard in their boat.
In the Grand and Wyfold there was a mixture of old and new. Besides Hicks, Dulley, Thomson, King, Marks, and Coni, we had two newcomers, Charlie Moore from Sydney, a fabulous guy, and a solid Peter Harris to boost the middle of the Grand boat. They did well, after training the whole season, they pushed University of London to ¼ length. Desmond joined Richard Norton and two newcomers, Brian Hall, and Chris Childs in the Wyfolds with Richard steering. They beat Burton Leander in the first round but lost to Sons of the Thames. Around this time Peter Coni became a QC. Occasionally before an outing, he would untie the red string and start reading his latest brief. What I haven’t yet mentioned was our accommodation at Henley. We were incredibly lucky to stay each year at a wonderful large house in Medmenham, The Old Vicarage on Ferry Lane. The drive, on a winding two-lane A Road, tested our best drivers (Coni, Marks, Hampton, Moore), but we did not have an accident somehow. The accommodation and food were fantastic, even if Coni insisted on putting the Brie on the windowsill in the sunlight so that, as he remarked, “it was ready to run on its own”. And I was getting married.
Colin Smith
LMBC & LRC
Part 4: ‘1965-66’ will be published in the January edition of the London Roar.
A PROPOS OF NOTHING
The day after publication of last month's edition of The London Roar, one of our members, Alexei Gaylard (whose father was also a member of the Club) got in touch to say that he had fond memories of an incident at LRC when he had been given some advice by an older member which he had remembered ever since.
He wondered whether other members might have had similar moments in their lives - whether in the form of life advice by more senior members or by coaches or by their contemporaries.
We discussed this and agreed that it would be fun if I included his recollection in this edition and invited other members to let me know if there are any such moments in their lives which they would be happy to share with the readers.
Alexei's moment:
Harrods Wall, the scene of the crime.
‘Having seen the fourteen year old fear in my face, my father thought it best for me to have my second outing with Peter Hilditch in a double.
This turned out to be quite racy compared with what I had managed in one of the old club clinker sculls.
Peter was steering us along the Harrods wall at what felt like break-neck speed and at what seemed like an impossibly consistent six inches away from the stones.
I think Peter sensed my nervous disbelief as I fumbled with the scull handles.
It was at this point that he said "If you are going to panic, just remember to panic slowly".
It proved to be a piece of advice that resulted in less Thames swimming than I would otherwise have had to endure'.
If you have had any such moment(s), please get in touch with me (miles.preston@londonrc.org.uk) and I will be happy to write more in future editions of The London Roar.
In the meantime, I am pleased to have the opportunity to wish you and your families a very Happy Christmas and a healthy 2021.
Miles Preston
Editor, The London Roar
SAM MACKENZIE 1937-2020
Older members will be sorry to learn of the death on 20th October in Taunton of the Australian-born sculler, Stuart Alexander Mackenzie, always known as ‘Sam’, at the age of 83. The son of a poultry farmer, he attended King’s School Parramatta, outside Sydney, where he was a contemporary of our strongly supportive overseas member, Charles Moore.
Sam was not someone ever to be forgotten by his contemporaries, and definitely deserved the accolade of “a real character”. A giant of a man in his day at 6ft 4” and 14 stone with long sculler’s arms, he won his first Diamond Sculls race at the age of 20 in 1957, going on to win the race on five more occasions in 1958 to 1962. He was a continual thorn in the side of officialdom, including Henley stewards, and was particularly remembered for his antics on the course inter alia using mischievous cat and mouse tactics against his opponents.
Sam was never a member of London, but he was coached at one point by John Pinches when the latter joined the ARA coaching team at international events in the early 1960s. He also partnered Nick Cooper in the double sculls at the European Championships in Duisburg in 1965. Our member, Chris Dodd, author of the Club history, has written an article “The Unquiet Australian”, published by the website Hear The Boat Sing on 9th November; this is recommended reading.
Julian Ebsworth
LRC Librarian & Archivist
WINE TASTING LIST AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS
Need a gift for Christmas? Or just want to try a new wine?
Our resident master of wine, Tim Jackson, selected these wines during lockdown wine tastings and they are now available for purchase through the Club. Members can order by emailing Events@londonrc.org.uk.
We will order and collect at the Club, members can pick them up at mutually agreed times.
Shane Dorsett
General Manager, London Rowing Club
REPORTING SAFETY INCIDENTS
All members are reminded that if you are involved in or witness a water safety incident, you are required to report it on safety@londonrc.org.uk
The Club will file any necessary reports on your behalf with British Rowing and the PLA. Members should not submit reports directly to either body.
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
My thanks to everyone who has contributed to this edition of the London Roar. If you have an idea for an article or would be interested in submitting a piece for inclusion in a future edition, please email me on miles.preston@londonrc.org.uk
Please do not submit an article without first liaising with me.
Miles Preston
Editor of The London Roar
