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L Deneb's Captain's Log
Author: Neil Pickford |
15th July 2019
Dear Cygnets,
I hope everyone had a nice weekend and if you are an English Cricket fan - Congratulations on the World Cup.
Tuesday
Ordinary General Meeting. 20.15 - Club Boathouse (election of the Captaincy for the forthcoming season and proposal to purchase a new 8).
It is also a very special occasion of one of our most venerable members, Mr Richard du Parcq's - 50^th year as a member of Cygnet. Richard has very kindly offered to mark the occasion with some nibbles and drinks in the bar during/after the OGM. Thank you Richard. Also we will saying farewell to Eric who is returning to Paris. So please come along ... the more the merrier 😉
Thursday Social: as per Rupert's email. Martin D. will be cooking- please send him a message on by noon on Wednesday.
Please update your availability for Training and Next events. https://www.fitclub.me
Training This Week!
Erg1 - 1250m/750m/500m - 2km pace
Erg 2 - 2km test Free Rate. Please record your score
Tuesday:
Meeting 18.45- OTW 19.00 - Short - Sharp Outing Since we need to be out of the water by 20.00.
Thursday
Meeting 19:00 - OTW 19:15
Outings this weekend will Follow.
Have a nice Monday and a better rest of the week!
Cris
Dates for your Diary:
- 16th July: Ordinary General Meeting - 8:15 pm at the clubhouse.
- 26-27th July: St Neots Regatta. Please update availability
- 3^rdAugust: Henley Town and Visitors
- 10^th August: Peterborough
- 17^th - 18^thAugust: City of Oxford
- 28^th September: Learn To Row starts. Please spread the word
.
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XLIX Deneb's Captain's Log
Author: Neil Pickford |
9th July 2019
Dear Cygnets,
I hope everyone had a nice summer weekend.
Henley Friday:
Many Thanks to the Sly Family for hosting us another year at Old Blades. Thanks to Marj for coordinating the picnic and to all attendees who made it possible, bringing food and drinks. Good to see some young and not so young faces together. Also thanks to Hannah for organising the taxis. I hope everyone had a good time and were able to enjoy some racing.
In other sad news:
Ronald Hext has passed away on the 25^th June, only days after his 86^th birthday. Obituary -Funeral details
Racing:
This Weekend is Henley Masters. We are not there but the Ladies are - Good luck to BBL!!
Our next stops are going to be St Neots, Henley Town Visitors, Peterborough and City of Oxford - Please update your availability in fitclub.me by the end of the week so we can plan the best racing combos.
Safety:
The river is closed Friday (12th July) between Chiswick eyot and Fulham reach 7am to 5pm.
U16 of 2019 - Upper Notice - Barn Elms Reach - Local Traffic Control - Filming Operations
Don't forget... Failure to keep a proper lookout is the single biggest factor in collisions.
If you row to Putney in the next Month be aware about the works at Fulham FC.
Don't forget the new TIDEWAY CODE recently launched by the PLA. Steers and coxes, please take a look.
Thursday Social:
Watch out Rupert's email
Training This Week:
Erg 1: 3x10mins - r22/ 5mins rest
Erg 2: 8x500 r30-32 / 2 min rest
Tuesday
Meeting 18.45- OTW 19.15 / Please if we can, try to be there 18.45. we might need to rig some boats
Thursday
Meeting 18.45 - OTW 19:15
Outings this weekend:
Will follow...
Have a nice Tuesday and a better rest of the week!
Cris
Dates for your Diary:
- 13th July: Kingston Regatta
- 16th July: Ordinary General Meeting - 8:15 pm at the clubhouse.
- 26-27th July: St Neots Regatta. Please update availability
- 3^rdAugust: Henley Town and Visitors
- 10^th August: Peterborough
- 17^th - 18^thAugust: City of Oxford
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Ron Hext
Author: Neil Pickford |
3rd July 2019
Ronald Hext
1933 - 2019
Richard Hext wrote to Cygnet recently to inform us that his father, Ronald Hext had died on 25^th June, only days after his 86^th birthday.
Ron joined Cygnet in January 1954 while working as a clerk in the Admiralty. Although he had no previous rowing experience, he quickly developed an affinity with the sport and soon found himself rowing in one of the most successful Cygnet crews of the 1950s, a Junior Vlll coached by Bill Peer and John Bull.
The crew made its debut at Chiswick Regatta on 26^th May1956. Eric Wale, author of 'Cygnet Rowing Club: The Fifties', recalled that "The Vlll, meanwhile, had developed into an extremely effective crew - indeed good enough to win at its first regatta beating Westminster School in the final of Juniors by one length. This was an excellent result bearing in mind the large entry (17 crews) and clearly demonstrated that Cygnet again had a crew of considerable potential".
That potential was amply borne out in the successive weeks and months of 1956 and early 1957. Thus, the crew won Junior Senior Vllls at Walton on 9^th June, Kingston on 13^th July and Staines on 28^th July. These results continued a successful run of regatta wins since the early 1950s, echoing the 'victory years' of the Thirties.
C.H. Genever Watling, an earlier club history scribe, recalled Ron Hext "as a 'perpetual student' because of the number of years and different courses undertaken with various local authorities, to see him through from extra mural at Ruskin to a degree course at Keble". Ron subsequently taught economics at the local Further Education College in Rugby for many years.
His rowing career appears to have come to an end in 1957, but not before he rowed in the 1957 Head of the River Race, coming 34^th in a time of 20.29, a very creditable performance. As luck would have it, Maurice Hart, who also rowed in the crew, recently sent the Club a batch of regatta and HoRR printouts from that period, along with a photograph of the crew. The crew was steered by Colin Dominy; both Colin and Maurice still appear from time to time at Leander lunches.
Ron was one of the longest standing members of the Cygnet 300 Club and continued to follow the Club's activities with interest.
Richard Hext adds "Dad had a long and happy life, was a loving and generous husband to Judith, and father to Richard, Neil and Alison. He very much valued his time as a rower with Cygnets and his continued association with the club. He passed his love of rowing to his son, Neil and at least one of his nine grandchildren. He was very much loved by his whole family and will be sorely missed."
Ron's funeral will take place at 3pm on Monday 15^th July at Rainsbrook Crematorium in Rugby. Cygnet members would be very welcome.
Paul Rawkins
Ron is seated first left in the front row.
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