New members are always welcome. There is no subscription, but many members give annual donations by Bankers Standing Order. Oarsmen and oarswomen who are still at school are invited to join the club after their first race rowed out of term, when school crews always row under Bluefriars colours. They are not expected to contribute to club funds while they are school, but it is always hoped that those who benefit most will think it right to donate to club funds after they have left. Parents Of oarsmen and other friends of the club are also very welcome to join.
Many members will have heard of the death of Michael Edwards earlier this year. He was a faithful servant of the Boat Club during all his time at Monkton, and gave great support and encouragement during his retirement. The Captain of Boats represented the club at the Thanksgiving Service for Michael's life. This extract from the Club minute book, written by M.E. in 1962 is reproduced here as a tribute to him, and with thanks for all the work he did at the river: "The Second Eight started the term with mixed prospects, with an average weight of nearly 12 stone and a fourteen year old stroke whose only racing experience was rowing Head in the Bumps. However, Pite proved a fast learner at stroking an VIII and the crew early showed signs of power and speed, on two occasions committing the unforgivable sin of beating the 1st VIII in a set row. This 'faux pas' resulted in a shuffle of personnel...." ... This crew has had five races this term, winning two, losing two (one by disqualification), and deadheating one. Of the seven crews raced, we have beaten four. Not a bad record."
These prints, which are signed by the artist and numbered in a limited edition are still available, and may be ordered on the fonn printed in the middle of this Newsletter. All profits go to the Club.
Copies of this book, written by Dick Hole, who was master i/c Rowing for many years, have recently been unearthed at school. They are available at 5 each as long as stocks last.
This was not available at the time of going to press. It will be sent to parents of all members of the School Boat Club as soon as it is published.
We hope to hold another dinner at Leander Club, following last year's pattern, but with a greater number of diners. The date has not yet been fixed, but we hope it will be on the Friday evening preceding Wallingford Regatta. This will probably be on 1st or 8th May. Tickets will probably be 30 each, and there will be an opportunity for diners to add a further contribution towards the cost of the Octascull which is being built in our workshop at school. We will be inviting a guest to speak at the dinner.
With the greater notice than was given last year, it is expected that we may have to turn down late requests for tickets. If you want to attend, please book now, using the order form printed in the centre of the newsletter.
It is hoped to take the 1st VIII to Nantes from about 10th April until 20th April. Other crews will be invited to come as well. In the past four years, the Colts crew has trained in France, but it may be that the 2nd VIII or a girls' crew may take up the challenge of good training linked with an enjoyable holiday.
This will be held on Saturday 23rd November. Active OM oarsmen are encouraged to persuade their clubs to bring teams to take part in this training event. Everyone can row twice during the day on the traditional course at Saltford. Please write, phone (0225 721160) write or fax (0225 721181) for entry forms.
As always, we were very grateful to those who gave us Henley tickets for use by present members of the school Boat Club. We were able to invite all the 1st VIII into the Enclosure on the Thursday of the Regatta, and they were given a memorable day both there and at Leander Club.
We have plenty of items for sale. Ties, Summer and Winter vests, scarves, etc., may interest OM Bluefriars; Sweatshirts are useful on cold river banks, both for parents and oarsmen. Most items can be sent by post, and we usually have a good stock.
We have some back numbers of most of the recent editions of the Newsletter. Please get in touch if you would like copies.
In the not-too-distant future, there will be no racing for J14 boys in sweep-oared boats. (This already applies to girls.) This ruling has been made nationally in the best interests of the health and the rowing progress of the young people concerned. At a different level, oarsmen or oarswomen aiming at international selection must in future demonstrate their competence in sculling boats.
All this has led us to put a greater emphasis on sculling, but it has to be accepted that we do not have sufficient space or equipment to allow too many single sculling boats on the river at any one time. January and February (when many beginners first take to the water) are hardly suitable months for taking one's first tentative strokes in a sculling boat.
We have been concerned that, however 'good' it is for beginners to scull, they could well lose interest in the sport if they do not have the experience of working in a fast boat as part of a purposeful team. Quadruple sculling is certainly better, from this point of view, than single sculling, but why not octuple sculling?=
When Stephenson and others introduced trains, they were told that people would die at the great speeds expected of the steaming monsters. Similarly, we have been told by some experts that octuples would be too fast, or that the crew could not keep up. Other experts are thrilled at the thought of such a boat, and a small number of clubs have already modified old eights to the new configuration.
A new octascull has been designed and built at Monkton, and it will be used by our J14 crew in 1992. We have issued an invitation to five other schools to join our crew in a race at the National Schools Regatta next May, and it is hoped that this race (the first such in the world?) will bring the club and the sport some publicity.
The octascull is an expensive boat to build. Its race at the National Water Sports Centre will be a good focus of attention. If you work in a firm that would like to be associated with the project, and you have influence to obtain some sponsorship, would you be willing to arrange some finance?
A pair of riggers for the boat costs roughly 200, as does a pair of sculls. (Total cost of these items, including spares is roughly 4000). This equipment will have to be made to special measurements for the boat. The rest of the boat will cost approximately another 4000. Ideally, one sponsor could pay the total 8000, and earn our sincere gratitude. I realise that this dream is unlikely to come true, so sponsorship in blocks of 200 and 400 would be appreciated. The sponsors' names will be included in any publicity that we can generate. We should be grateful for help from members who work in the media, who are willing to give advice or pull some strings for us. We have made tentative arrangements to have the race photographed from the air.
One of the items on the excellent menu at Adrian and Liz Gayner's wedding reception was an excellent wine punch. This is the recipe: (Per Bottle of Red Wine) Make a syrup from the peel of an orange, peel of a lemon, grated nutmeg, 6 cloves, 6 allspice berries boiled in a cup of water. After straining, add the red wine to the syrup, and half a litre of ginger ale and quarter teaspoon of honey if required. Heat well, but do not boil. Add a tablespoon of brandy when hot.
One of the articles printed in this edition mentions several OMs who rowed at Henley this year. There must be many others who are involved in university or club rowing, and it would be good to hear from them so that we can include a list of names and articles connected with rowing in the next edition of the Newsletter. There are at least half a dozen oarsmen rowing at a high standard in Oxford. How about an Oxford letter next year? (Since writing note, we have received a letter from Oxford, which is printed elsewhere in this Newsletter. More next year, please
Our best wishes to all the following: John and Tina Davison, Adrian and Liz Gayner, Tim and Tania Murray Threipland, Jerry and Sandra Ovens, Duncan and Kate Smith.
| A breakdown of the accounts is as follows: | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1989/90 | 1990/91 | |
| INCOME | ||
| Standing Orders | £1380 | £1418.00 |
| Annual Contributions | £ 125 | £130.00 |
| Other contributions | £ 758 | £647.63 |
| Business Account Interest' | £ 103 | £125.23 |
| France (parents' contributions)' | £3442 | £3825.00 |
| Clothing' | £2662 | £2771.75 |
| Coffee Mugs | £ 8 | £10.00 |
| Bluefriars Head Race | £1053 | £1017.00 |
| Aqueduct Prints | £3630 | £430.00 |
| Photos | £ 313 | £759.65 |
| Leander Dinner | £625.00 | |
| EXPENDITURE | ||
| France | £4991 | £4548.05 |
| Other expeditions | £ 820 | £1876.14 |
| Clothing | £2758 | £2692.79 |
| Bluefriars Head Race | £ 263 | £163.40 |
| Aqueduct Prints | £2366 | £370.34 |
| Printing Newsletter | £ 269 | £28 I .60 |
| Equipment120 | £872.30 | |
| Photos | £ 372 | £829.26 |
| Leander Dinner | £653.10 | |
| Miscellaneous | £79.80 | |
| Eton Rowing Course | £386.00 | |
| Bank Charges | £81.03 | |
| Balances 1st September | ||
| Current | £357.52 | £652.45 |
| Business Deposit | £1763.26 | £783.49 |
| Clothing Stock held | not calculated | £1398.00 |
The support given to the club through Standing Order payments is very greatly appreciated. Some of the newer members have been a bit slow to start giving donations in this way, and it is hoped that they will soon follow their predecessors in greater numbers. We have earned more interest on our deposit account, only to get a large proportion of it taken away again in bank charges, imposed on small clubs like Bluefriars for the first time this year. These charges were made in only two quarters this year, so they will be about twice as heavy next year.
Bluefriars Head Race ran at a healthy profit. The clothing and photograph accounts were approximately in balance. We sold a few aqueduct prints, and have a fairly large stock which should bring in a steady trickle of income over the years. Bluefriars mugs are used as prizes for the Head Race, but we have a large stock which can be sold. The Leander Dinner ran at a slight loss: it was not expected to make a profit in its first year, and the number of people attending was small. Next year, we hope it will run at a profit. We sponsored expeditions more than ever before. Apart from training in France (700) and holiday rowing for a large number of oarsmen in London, Monmouth, Hereford, Bedford and on home waters, we paid for some extras, such as breakfasts on long motorway trips, cinema outings, etc. (1900)
A departure this year has been the sponsorship (386) of three boys from the Junior School, who attended the summer rowing course at Eton.
As usual, we paid for several items of equiment for the use of the school Boat Club: more weights to be used in training; two stop watches which will be useful at the Bluefriars Head Race as well as in everyday training; a 'Microstroke' for the 1st VIII. We have also paid for 10 amplifiers for eights, replacing others which have gradually broken down. All this equipment cost nearly 900.