Godfrey Bishop
GWB was a dominating influence in the Club from the moment he arrived in 1988. He loved the river, and a rowing school such as Monkton was a natural place for him to come to as part of his rowing career.
His first task was to take on the Sculling Club, which had started in the 1950s. It consisted then of a small band of waifs and strays from then-compulsory Rugby, who were organised by Dick Hole, Charles Grimwade, David Prichard and others to paint oars, do minor repairs and generally get ready for the following season. It had gradually included more sculling, made possible by the appointment of Terry Page - the first full-time Boatman, and from about 1970, the sculling became the top priority, with occasional jobs, such as rubbing boats down, painting oars, man-handling tons of concrete blocks for the the new "Rigg" boathouse, etc.
Godfrey laid even greater emphasis on sculling and training during the Michaelmas Term (far more than JMB woukd have dared to do!), and this undoubtedly helped to raise standards thoughout the club. He enjoyed sculling, and took to the water whenver there was time and whenever he needed a break from the pressures of school. Not that he did not push himself on the water as hard as he pushed others - some readers will remember his performance at the Boston Marathon
He soon took on the Second Eight, including the one that beat the First Eight several times, both in training and in Head Races. He and they thoroughly enjoyed the experience, while the 1st VIII and their coach worried more and more, and went slower and slower...! (Worry get you nowhere.) Despite rumours that spread through the school, the two coaches involved never had a cross or upset word about the ongoing incident, and indeed always shared their coaching problems. He was perhaps concerned that the 1st VIII coach might steal his best men, but the die tended to be caste early in the season; and it was the 1st VIII coachs policy to avoid selecting fifth formers, even if they were talented, and even if the boat would have been faster with them - so he need not have been over-worried!
Godfrey coached several 1st VIIIs and also ran the Club through a difficult period of change. His Eights trained hard under his keen leadership; he often had to search high amd low for suitable oarsmen to fill the seats, and he was a master at encouraging the faint-hearted to have a go. Some of his most successful finds started late in the sport, but ended their schooldays in the 1st VIII.
It was not only the the boys and girls who were encouraged by his enthusiasm for the river, for boats, and for other aspects of Club life which he regarded as vital elements of successful and educational rowing. Coaches too were swept along by his (almost) never-failing joie de vivre; we will all miss him.
Godfrey Bishop
GWB was a dominating influence in the Club from the moment he arrived in 1988. He loved the river, and a rowing school such as Monkton was a natural place for him to come to as part of his rowing career.
His first task was to take on the Sculling Club, which had started in the 1950s. It consisted then of a small band of waifs and strays from then-compulsory Rugby, who were organised by Dick Hole, Charles Grimwade, David Prichard and others to paint oars, do minor repairs and generally get ready for the following season. It had gradually included more sculling, made possible by the appointment of Terry Page - the first full-time Boatman, and from about 1970, the sculling became the top priority, with occasional jobs, such as rubbing boats down, painting oars, man-handling tons of concrete blocks for the the new "Rigg" boathouse, etc.
Godfrey laid even greater emphasis on sculling and training during the Michaelmas Term (far more than JMB woukd have dared to do!), and this undoubtedly helped to raise standards thoughout the club. He enjoyed sculling, and took to the water whenver there was time and whenever he needed a break from the pressures of school. Not that he did not push himself on the water as hard as he pushed others - some readers will remember his performance at the Boston Marathon
He soon took on the Second Eight, including the one that beat the First Eight several times, both in training and in Head Races. He and they thoroughly enjoyed the experience, while the 1st VIII and their coach worried more and more, and went slower and slower...! (Worry get you nowhere.) Despite rumours that spread through the school, the two coaches involved never had a cross or upset word about the ongoing incident, and indeed always shared their coaching problems. He was perhaps concerned that the 1st VIII coach might steal his best men, but the die tended to be caste early in the season; and it was the 1st VIII coachs policy to avoid selecting fifth formers, even if they were talented, and even if the boat would have been faster with them - so he need not have been over-worried!
Godfrey coached several 1st VIIIs and also ran the Club through a difficult period of change. His Eights trained hard under his keen leadership; he often had to search high amd low for suitable oarsmen to fill the seats, and he was a master at encouraging the faint-hearted to have a go. Some of his most successful finds started late in the sport, but ended their schooldays in the 1st VIII.
It was not only the the boys and girls who were encouraged by his enthusiasm for the river, for boats, and for other aspects of Club life which he regarded as vital elements of successful and educational rowing. Coaches too were swept along by his (almost) never-failing joie de vivre; we will all miss him.