Readers will be sorry to hear that both Joan and Terry Page died earlier this year.
Terry was boatman at MCSBC from 1963 until 1973. He was a craftsman who served his apprenticeship at Sims and worked at Eel Pie Island before coming to Monkton Combe. Soon after his arrival, the Boat Club workshop was built on the canal; it was somewhat smaller than the current building, just long enough to build a four. There were two workbenches: one of them nearly always had a boat under construction on it, and the other one was used for repairs. During Terry's time at the club, he built at least 20 boats, including several eights, for which the workshop had to be extended. The first of these was a Four - P J Webb, and the last were four Restricted sculling boats, which are still in action today, 35 years after they were built. This building programme was one of the most important ingredients for a successful club over a period of about 20 years.
After Monkton, Terry moved to Salter's of Oxford, then on to Pangbourne as boatman. During his first summer holidays away from Monkton, he built two eights* in our workshop in record time, with the help of JMB, Percy Tolman and others. It was an experience not to be forgotten. An abiding memory is that a whole eight was designed around one small template which gave the shape of the whole hull. And woe betide amateur help that spoiled a hull by driving in a flimsy copper nail crooked. With Terry, everything had to be perfect - a good starting point for those who used his equipment on the river.
In retirement, he lived in Frome, but kept his hand in, making rowing seats for Janousek, as well as a few spares for Monkton. He also worked for a while with one of his successors, Brian Mawer, at Mupiro Rowing Services.
* Both boats survive - one in a night club in Manchester and the other, complete with its brass plate "Made by T.E.Page Monkton Combe School", in the Barn Bar at Remenham Farm on the Henley course.