Cygnet Rowing Club

Autumn 2001 - Newsletter

Ordinary General Meeting

An Ordinary General Meeting of the Cygnet Rowing Club will take place at the Civil Service Boathouse on Sunday 14 October 2001 at 1.00pm.

Agenda:

(1) Apologies for Absence
(2) Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 25 February 2001 and of the Special General Meeting held on 1 July 2001
(3) Matters Arising from the Minutes
(4) Captains Report
(5) 300 Club Report and Presentation of the Audited Accounts.
(6) Amalgamation at which, if appropriate, voting will take place (seen note below)
(7) Election of Captaincy

Note: Concern has been expressed at a possible change of club name. This will be discussed and a vote taken on this matter and others which are relevant.

Letter to the Editor dated 25th September 2001

Dear Ronnie

As you know, many middle and older generation members of Cygnet have become increasingly disillusioned with the direction that the club merger negotiations have taken since the SGM held on July 1st. This is regrettable because these members formed a significant number of those who voted in favour of the principle of a merger. Which brings me to the main point of this letter: the name of the merged club.

Had these same members been asked to vote for a merged club called 'Cygnet Barnes Bridge', they would almost certainly have voted in sufficient numbers to defeat such a proposal. As you might expect, there is even less enthusiasm for the various compromise proposals currently doing the rounds, however well-intentioned these may be. Younger Cygnets and their BBLRC counterparts may regard us (since I count myself among them) as intransigent 'old farts', but there are sound reasons for our firm stance over this issue

On purely historical grounds, there is no contest: Cygnet is one of the oldest rowing club names on the Thames, having been established over 110 years ago. CSLRC had a similar history, but BBLRC has no such pedigree, having been in existence just four years. Moreover, Barnes Bridge itself bares little relevance to the history of either club, other than as a point of access, and both clubs reside in Chiswick.

On practical grounds, we feel strongly that Cygnet's negotiating stance should have been much firmer, given the very evident strengths that we bring to the merger, namely:

(i) a strong, debt free balance sheet and a well-established fund raising machine
(ii) a first class racing fleet, items of which are already being shared with BBLRC
(iii) a piece of real estate that could ultimately prove to be both clubs' salvation

In addition, we have indicated that we would be prepared to shoulder £7,000 of BBLRC's debts, as well as raising members' annual subscription to BBLRC's level. These are burdensome preconditions that we have taken in our stride. Yet there appears to be little recognition that in the real world mergers involve give and take and, to date, Cygnet has given a great deal and received precious little in return.

The whole may indeed be greater than the sum of the parts and many of us would welcome the opportunity to play a role in a merged entity, but not at any price. We strongly believe that the merged club should be called 'Cygnet' without any frills and that is the message that we intend to convey to the Ordinary General Meeting. Moreover, we consider that it should be made clear to BBLRC that if they can agree to this - and we know many of their older members support our stance - then the path towards an eventual merger could be a much smoother and trouble free one.

Yours sincerely, Paul Rawkins

The Captains E-Mails

St Neots Regatta again proved itself a happy hunting ground for Cygnet with two wins. On Saturday a Cygnet-Barnes Bridge composite won the Mixed Senior 1 fours (Lorna Norris, Helen Sanderson, Dominic Lindley, Steve Keating, Cox Ruth Wilson). On the Sunday Gavin Estcourt and Steve Morgan won the Elite coxless pairs. However, these good wins were rather overshadowed by the storming success of the BBLRC crews who won the following events: Saturday: Novice 4+, S4 4+, S3 8+, Mixed 4+, Vet B 1X (Ali Elliott), Sunday: S4 4+, S2 1X and Vet B 1X (both Ali). Total wins for the weekend: Cygnet 1 1/2, BBLRC 7 1/2. I'm surprised the trailer could get back laden with 32 tankards! Congratulations to all winners.

The next racing will be at Peterborough (11-12 August), where we have a S2 4- and a S4 4+ entered.

Your Captain's parting shot...
"The 2001 racing season has been a very difficult and frustrating one. After a well-attended winter training season, and despite having a large pool of oarsmen on the books, getting representative racing crews out has proved devilishly difficult. Coaching has been identified as a major area of weakness, and I urge the committee to do whatever it can to help rectify this. I owe particular thanks to my assistants Dave Grimshaw and Peter Leffler, and to lain Golder for the considerable efforts they have made in organising, towing, mending etc over the last year. I hope they have not been put off, and that they will continue to play key roles in running Cygnet in the short-term, and a merged club in due course. I'd also like to thank Neil Jackson for his work and advice on the safety front, and the committee as a whole for their support over the past three years. After a good holiday or two, I plan to return to do some sculling and coaching."
Alan Cox

Nigel Mukherjee E-Mails

After 35 years of living and working in the UK (yes that long) no less than 12 of which were spent with the various guises of PwC (that is the third incarnation) I took the decision to move to Hong Kong (and in the process bid farewell to the world of energy companies and say hello to the world of telecommunications). HK happens to be halfway between the UK and Aus (from where hails my partner). It is hotter, more expensive and more crowded than London but at least the tube here works.
I would have liked to be there for the big vote.... but had just arrived in this pearl of the orient. I was very glad to see that (this time) the vote was carried. Finding a new name that satisfies all (or enough) will be a challenge though. I have yet to find a rowing club out here but have been put in touch with the HK Rowing Centre out at a place called Shatin (in the New Territories). I shall report on progress.
In the meantime I can be contacted on this email address. Note the subtle change from UK to HK....Nigel.Mukherjee@HK.pwcglobal.com
For those interested in the telephone +852 2289 8420 or +852 9883 5956 for office and mobile. We have a strong open house policy out here so anyone passing through should just give me a call and drop in.
Best wishes - Nigel

(Great to hear from Nigel. Further news of his activities including perhaps at the HK Rowing Centre will be welcome).

The Club Historian

Many of us have visited the club bungalow at various times this year and the now regular fixture of the sculling camp will take place there at the end of this month, so some history of the site may not go amiss. Upriver trips were already well-established in the club fixture list by the early 1900s. So it seemed only natural that the club should rent a plot on Hamhaugh Island, Shepperton as a camping spot for these occasions. This was arranged in 1909 and the annual rental was £2.50 up until 1915, when it rose to £5.00. Undaunted by the First World War the 'camp' enjoyed its most popular year ever in 1919 and in March 1920 Cygnet agreed to buy the site for £114.00. The first semi-permanent structure appeared in 1930 and was constructed out of a couple of First World War Nissan huts. This was replaced by the current structure in the early 1960s. However, running water and proper bathroom facilities did not appear until the early 1990s. Prior to then, one of the highlights of a week at the bungalow was emptying the 'Elsan', the chemical loo, at least twice a week and all for no extra charge!

The Bungalow Barbecue

Not even puffed? - Steve Keating and Dominic Lindley arrive at the Bungalow Barbecue and are rather pleased with their welcome...

A very successful barbecue was held on 18 August. Now a well established annual event approximately 60 people were present including currently active members from both clubs as well as many old friends. In spite of sleepless nights for your Secretary, rain held off until the very end. As usual vast quantities of beer were drunk and all eat their fill. The only two persons to arrive by river were Steve Keating and Dominic Lindley having rowed up from Chiswick.

All very jolly!

Bungalow End-of-Season Report

Another successful season has just concluded excepting for a Sculling Camp to be held this coming weekend.

Our thanks to Club Captain Alan Cox and Chairman Nick Wylie for renewing and updating the electrical wiring. This as you would probably be aware involved working in the very limited space beneath the building. Many £s will have been saved through their skills and application. Also a thank you to Nina Padwick for regularly tending to the long privet hedge and at last getting it well disciplined and under control.

To keep the Bungalow habitable it not only involves the Bungalow Management Committee but also wives, families and friends. For example both Anne Lambe and Shirley Ford have helped with cleaning and gardening. The two Lambe sons were the cooks at the barbecue. Many help in a variety of ways. But what they all have in common, is a long standing affection for this delightful place by the Thames.

I have already received 15 bookings for weeks in 2002. For those who would like a riverside holiday in that year there are still vacancies in May and September. Just contact me on 01483 537346 or E-mail

The WebSite www.cygnet-rc.org.uk

Well worth a visit. Not only on the Club and it's history but also many 'photos on all aspects, including social events. Recently a one time member of St George's Ladies RC logged on and eventually I emailed her back. This was Pamela Ellis who had married David Caine, in 1953. David was a Club member and a particular chum of Vic Reeves, Doug Hutchins and myself, we tended to drink many pints of 'Jenners Golden Ale' together. We lost sight of David but has anyone any news? According to Pamela Ellis (She and David divorced in 1963) he was living in Spain having now separated from his third wife.

Cygnet Veterans Lunch

To be held at The Little White Hart, Henley on Saturday 27 October. Do come along. Open to all members, past and present of the Cygnet Rowing Club with (or without) their partners.

REL - 28/09/01