News & Events
Ian Stephenson
6th September 2019
Ian Stephenson
1966 - 2019
Ian Stephenson passed away on Friday 30th August following a long and hard-fought battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 53.
Ian, known to most of his Cygnet friends as Geordie, started his rowing career at Cambois Rowing Club in Northumberland, a few miles from his hometown of Morpeth. Having migrated south, he joined Cygnet for two years in 1988 before returning in 1997 via Curlew RC and Staines BC. On his return, he rowed in the Cygnet Thames Cup VIII at Henley Royal that year and remained a stalwart of Cygnet crews until 2013, when he slipped up-river to join the Quintin BC Veterans 'Barflies". Geordie continued rowing with Quintin throughout his treatment, only stopping in July, just a couple of months before his untimely death.
During his time with Cygnet, Geordie spent almost as much time at the bar as he did in a boat - and he was in a boat a lot - often combining the two activities, seemingly without ill-effect, as his collection of pewter will attest to. In retrospect, it may have been his fondness for socialising that accounts for his notorious reputation of always being late for outings, despite moving closer to the club.
Even after he stopped rowing for Cygnet and in a true demonstration of the club adage 'Nobody ever leaves', he could still often be found at the bar, getting a round in and talking to anyone that would listen; about the Glory Days; fishing; his latest eBay bargain; or his beloved Toon. Perhaps drawn there because it was in the boathouse bar where a particular Barnes Bridge Lady caught his eye and it wasn't long before yet another boathouse 'tradition' was being observed: Geordie and T's Wedding in September 2008 was well attended by members of both Cygnet and BBLRC.
During the early 'noughties' Geordie joined the Cygnet Committee as Social Secretary. This position combined his love of rowing and socialising and also formalised, for a while, his role as organiser of unconventional club events. These included an infamous and dangerously enormous bonfire one November, complete with a Guy made from kit abandoned in the changing rooms; an inter-club welly-wanging competition during Club Day; and the inception of the Cygnet darts team - which won its only match against the local pub team. He is also responsible for the gallon pewter tankard in the bar, from which many a-winning crew was required to take their victory drink - hard work for those winning in singles and pairs, much to Geordie's amusement!
There'll be very few people indeed that didn't like or get on with Geordie. Row hard, play hard appeared to be his philosophy yet he was a man who tried not to take life or himself too seriously. He was as comfortable taking the rise out of the venerable older members as he was the new novices, his closest friends or himself. And he had a lot of friends, most of whom will remember him as the unconventionally dressed northern bloke in the tight jeans and well-worn Led Zeppelin T-shirt, with a beer in his hand and a heart as big as his hair. His generosity knew no bounds and he will be sorely missed all along the Thames Tideway.
He is survived by his wife Tracey and young son, George to whom we extend our sincerest condolences.
Marjorie Israel & Neil Pickford, 6th September 2019
Ian's funeral will take place on Friday 20th September at 12:40 at Mortlake Crematorium, with a wake after at Mortlake Anglian & Alpha Boat Club. There is no dress code and faded rock band tee-shirts are optional! Please leave a message on Ian's Facebook page if you intend to be there. Failing that, please post a comment here and we will pass the message on for you.
LVII Deneb Captain's Log
4th September 2019
Dear Cygnets,
I hope everyone is doing well.
Sad news for the Cygnet Family: It is with great sadness that we report the death of Ian Stephenson (a.k.a. Geordie) who died on 30th August following a long and hard-fought battle with pancreatic cancer. Our thoughts are with his wife, Tracey and young son, George.
Saturday
We celebrated Club day. Thanks to all of you who came down and made it possible (attendees, volunteers, coxes). Many thanks to Hannah for organising the races and the "pots", Rupert for sorting food and Mustafa for the drinks/cocktails. Fantastic afternoon with side by side rowing, capsize (swimming), RNLI visit and BBQ. Congratulations to the winners of the day Mustafa (1x, tough conditions for "singling"), Anna's VIII (you know who you are) and Bec for the best cake.Please fill in the following Questionnaire ASAP to start preparing the 2019/20 season. This is mandatory. Also Please availability in https://www.fitclub.me/
Safety
It starts to be dark earlier so please don't forget lights - see p.30 of the New TIDEWAY CODEWorks at Fulham FC- IF you row to Putney please take extra careTuesday
Meeting 19:00. Show and Row - Don't forget lightsThursday
Meeting 19:00 - OTW 19:15 Short Sharp Outing - Squad Meeting 20:15This Weekend Outings - will follow
Have a nice Tuesday eve and a better rest of the week!
Cris
Dates for your Diary:
- 5th September: Squad meeting
- 7th September: Cygnet End of Season Dinner
- 20th - 22nd September: Sculling Camp. More to follow
- 28th September: Learn To Row starts. Please spread the word
- 26th October - Henley Lunch
LVI Deneb Captain's Log
29th August 2019
Dear Cygnets,
I hope everyone is doing well.
A quiet week on the Tideway. As mentioned outings will be happening as normal (show and row) but depending on the availability in https://www.fitclub.me/, it will be coached session or not, so please update your availability so we can plan. If you want to do Pairs Head, please let me know so we can start allocating boats.
Please fill in the following Questionnaire by Tuesday the 3rd of September to start preparing the 2019/20 season. This is mandatory.
Safety:
It starts to be dark earlier so please don't forget lights - see p.30 of the New TIDEWAY CODE
Works at Fulham FC- IF you row to Putney please take extra careTraining this week:
Ergs: 30'@20Thursday
Squad meeting 19:00 - OTW 19:15This Weekend:
No Coached outings since Club day - lets have some fun!Have a nice day and a better rest of the week.
Cris
Dates for your Diary:
- 31st August: Clubs day
- 7th September: Squad meeting
- 7th September: Cygnet End of Season Dinner
- 20th - 22nd September: Sculling Camp. More to follow
- 28th September: Learn To Row starts. Please spread the word
- 26th October - Henley Lunch
