Club Presidents Club Records 1960-2005
1881 - 1931
A Loughborough Town Boating Club, of which there are now no available records, was in existence some time before the present club was founded. The boats of the club came into the possession of the Loughborough Grammar School, and , when on March 18th, 1881, it was decided to form the Loughborough and District Boating Club, one of the first steps taken was to purchase the two four-oared boats owned by the School for £12. Arrangements were then made with Mr. Barnsdall (affectionately known as "B") for the storage of the boats and the use of the dressing rooms at his wharf on Derby Road, and here the headquarters of the club were to remain for over fifty years.
Mr Frank White was the first president and Mr Chas Woolley the first secretary. The club made rapid progress, new boats were purchased, and by the year 1886 the membership had reached 40. In 1892 it was found necessary to limit the number of members to 60. Enthusiasm for rowing became so keen that a bye-law was passed insisting that "every member taking out a club boat must return it before midnight on the day on which it is taken out".
The dress of the club in 1884 was white jersey and trousers and a dark blue coat. In 1892 the borough arms were adopted as the badge, with dark blue and old gold as the club colors. No other local athletic organization has included so many men who have been prominent in the public life of the town.
The season of 1894 was one of the most successful in the history of the club. For the Regatta in that year the Soar Challenge Cup was subscribed for and outside clubs were invited for the first time, namely, the Derwent Rowing Club and the Leicester and Nottingham Rowing Clubs. The holding of the trophy in the first year of it's existence (crew: Rev. S.Penny, C. Kaye, J.Jones, F. Jelly and F.Kirk cox) was considered a great achievement. At Leicester regatta the same year, the championship of the Soar was maintained, Loughborough winning both the open fours and local pairs, and bringing seven "pots".
For some years sailing races were a feature of the regatta, course being from the old Soar mouth to the Ferry reach, three times round. In 1898 the entries were: Mr J.Tidmas's "Elsie", Mr G. Braund's "Gaiety Girl", Mr M. Patterson's "Madge", Mr F. Whites "May Fly" and Mr W. Mosses "Verena". The race was won by "Gaiety Girl" in one hour twenty two and half minutes. Freddie Beck's excursion barge conducted parties to the scene of operations, accompanied by a brass band. Also in 1898 the Club took out a lease of five years for the old maltings yard in Loughborough.
The club temporarily suspended activities during the war, owing to the number of members who joined the forces. The first post war crew to bring honor to the club (J.Holmes, H.Harper, H.Aubrey and F. Hawker) won their maidens at Burton on Trent in 1922, and continued to row with marked success for several years. Since that time the club has not looked back, many of the successes having been recorded. Revived in 1924, the regatta has continued to be one of the most successful of summer events for the town and district, and to attract good entries from the leading rowing clubs of the Midlands.
During this time the Loughborough Boat Club Regatta had been held at Normanton-on-Soar, amidst lovely surroundings. Many regattas have been witnessed and will be remembered by visitors from Loughborough and district, and no doubt there are many who will miss the old surroundings.
Loughborough Boat Club Jubilee Year. The 1931 Regatta was held at Kegworth.
"The Committee of the club are encouraged in their efforts to promote Rowing among the Young Men of the Town. The Membership has increased considerably during the last few seasons, and all Young Men interested in Rowing are cordially invited to join the Club. Subscriptions:- Full Membership, £2 2s 0d; Entrance Fee, 10/6. Apply to the Hon. Secretary."
1932 - War
In the 1930s space was rented in the Old Mill at Zouch and was used as summer headquarters. Regattas were held on Saturdays only and they had a garden fete atmosphere with brass bands, beer tents and tea tents serving cream teas. Dress was white flannels and club blazers.
Our own Regatta, held at Kegworth, required a lot of effort during the previous week. Weeds had to be cut at the river edge and boats had to be borrowed from other Clubs and returned after the Regatta.
During this period a Loughborough Pair , Lowe and Carlton were unbeaten for over four years in the coxed pairs. They also had successes in the Senior Four.
At the end of the decade when war was closing in several members joined various sections of the armed forces and the club closed for this period.
Post War - 1980
After the war the club could no longer rent the Old Mill at Zouch so the boats were kept at the Plough Inn for the Summer months.
Regularly during 1953 you would see "Four Men in a Boat - To Say Nothing of the COX". During this period the stroke who was somewhat poetic, penned his thoughts.
Bill Onions was elected captain and his main target was to restart the club.
There was no fit boats to row initially and along with club members two German naval officers, who were both prisoners of war at the camp at Woodhouse, worked with skill and endeavor to make the boats rowable.
Just after the war Jack Brown rowing with Ken Tinegate represented England in the Empire Games in New Zealand.
When Loughborough Boat Club had to leave the Normanton stretch in the 1960s it moved its annual regatta to a longer and straighter course on the Sutton Bonington side of the river just above Kegworth. It was good site although everything had to be set up during the two weeks before the event. In July 1973 there was a flood of over three feet of water across the regatta field and from that date the event moved to Nottingham National Water Sports Center. The floods had won!
Opening of the new club house in 1964 at Zouch, near Hathern.
Club Members for the Centenary photograph
Club Juniors row for England After a long wait for the Club, Paul Dilkes and Andrew Wilbram received international recognition when they were selected to represent England in the Anglo-French Junior Regatta at Le Cruesot. They won the event which capped off a successful season for both Scullers (coached by Richard Hopkins). The pair clinched their international places by winning the National Championships at Holme Pierrepont and the National Schools Regatta.
In 1988 a few club members organised the first Summer Ball to be held on the present site. The boat house was transformed from racking to a spectacular venue, seating 120 guests. The result was amazing, with cocktails, good food and dancing to a swing band through to the early hours this event is firmly placed on the calendar.
At the start of the 1990s members of the club all pulled together and built an extra building onto the current Boat House. This building is a big accomplishment as it houses the gym, changing rooms and toilets. During this time there was also work carried out on the car park and drive way as well as the Don Wix Wall. Work was never ending during the decade and early in 2000 extra land was purchased from Lord Crawshaw to increase the size of the club site. During this period there was two photographs taken: Club Members photograph for 1991 and Club Members photograph for 1998. As well as the building work rowing continued, and this period the club had many notable successes (thanks mainly to the women rowers).
1990 saw two women's crews win their novices and this was followed in 1992 by Andrea Cole who won five sculling titles during the year. However 1993 was the first year in the club's history that women rowers made an large impact at the club. Hel Podmore, Jessica Rigg, Teresa Lain and Tracy Lowe (coxed by either Wendy Long, Lauren Cole or Richard Capell) won seven titles in the season moving from Senior III to Elite.
During the 1995 season Sutton Bonnington agricultural college (part of Nottingham University) were reunited with Loughborough Boat Club after a break of a number of years with some of the students becoming members. The members were a great addition to the club and the four of Alex Warne, Nick Broadwith, Richard Eaton and Martin Hewitt and coxed by Heather France won their novice fours and by the end of the season were rowing in the victorious Mens' Senior II eight at Ironbridge.
1996 was a remarkable year for the Club. The Mens four of Keith Hudson, Jerome Mason, Alex Smith and Andy Wilbram coxed by Charlie Horner qualified for Henley. This was the first time for a very long time that the Club was represented at the Royal Regatta. The crew won their first two races before losing to the eventual winners in the quarter finals. Later in the year Teresa Lain from Loughborough joined forces with Helen Newport from Nottingham and Union to win the Women's Lightweight Double Sculls at the National Rowing Championships at Holme Pierrepont.
1997 and 1998 were good years for two budding rowers from the club. Laura Rich and Sarah Mee. In 1997 Sarah Mee was the silver medalist in the Women's J15 Single Sculls at the National Championships and together they landed bronze medals in the National Championships at Strathclyde Park in Glasgow and in the National Schools' Regatta at Holme Pierrepont in Nottingham in 1998.
History was made in 1999 when Helen Podmore was appointed as the first woman Captain of the Club.
1999 saw the club host its first ever Head Race on the river Soar. The 'Soar Head' proved to be a success with sister clubs and is now firmly on the calendar. The day consisted of 3 heats over 3000m, and was enjoyed by all.