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Cygnet Captaincy Update – April 2026
Author: Neil Pickford |
23rd April 2026
Evening all,

Now the Head season has come to a close, and we move into the regattas (the first being Hammersmith this weekend) I thought i would give a brief update from the captaincy.

Head season round up
Cygnet has fielded competitive 8+s in both Hammersmith Head and HORR, and a 4x in Vets Head. Hammersmith Head - 293^rd and 11^th in the division.HORR - 312th overall and 14th in the small club. Importantly though, as the crew passed the club they were overtaking the crew in front.Vets head - 6^th in the OP D 4X-
Overall it was a fitting end to the head season, showing that the hard work in the shed has paid off, and set us up well for the summer (arguably more enjoyable) regatta season.

Training update
Well done to all those who did a 2k last week, and for those that havent we will have another in a few weeks so no escape! Now the weather is improving, it has been great to see more of the squad down at the club ( "fair weather rowers" ) and look forward to this continuing throughout the summer season. Tuesday night sessions have returned, starting the 28^th April. 7pm OTW, so please arrive before this (6.45). Note additionally, these sessions will only be ran with a minimum of a 4 man boat, so please sign up on fitclub.

Scamp
Scamp will be held over the weekend of 5^th – 7^th June, to coincide with Walton and Weybridge regatta. More details on specifics to follow, but please mark the diary.

Dates for the diary
- Boat naming ceremony 23^rd May
- Scamp 5th-7th June
- Cygnet OGM 19^th July
Please continue to update on fitclub your availability for the various regattas, outlined in the below email chain.

Learn to Row
The club is looking to run a learn to row course during the summer/early autumn, but require volunteers to help run this! It is a great way to get to meet the new members, and encourage the next crop of Cygnets. Of course you will be supported by the wider Cygnet captaincy and coaching, but please let me know if you want to help out with running this process/want to know more information of what's involved.

Club admin
I have been informed there are some outstanding subs and races fees - please can you settle up with our treasurer (or via our website), before naming and shaming begins...

Thank you if you have managed to get to the bottom of this email, hugely appreciated!
As ever, please don't hesitate to speak/message me on any thoughts at all

Jordan

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John Simkins
Author: Neil Pickford |
30th March 2026
John Simkins, 1948 – 2026

John Simkins, who has died at the age of 78, joined Cygnet in early 1974. If truth were told, he always regarded rowing as something of an elitist sport, yet as a British Telecom (tunnelling) engineer he perfectly matched the original criteria for Cygnet membership – an employee of the Post Office.

In contrast to the late 60s and early 70s, when graduate civil servants featured prominently among new intakes, Simkins (as he was invariably known) and his cohort were painters and decorators, electricians, plumbers and engineers. While tunnelling was not in high demand, John wasted no time in applying his skills to overhauling the boat trailer, painting the changing room and refurbishing the showers, ably assisted by his contemporaries, among them Noel Durkin, Peter Grebot, Jack Phillips, Nick Wylie and Dave Wynne.

Perhaps somewhat to John’s surprise, he rapidly developed an affinity for rowing. An early triumph was the Len Freeman Cup Novice lVs event in April 1975 which had attracted twelve entries. In the event, John stroked his crew (Messrs Wylie, Wynne and Phillips) to a four-length win, a performance that would be matched in other club events like the Balfour Fours. These were halcyon days: Phil Beckett and Wylie recall carefree outings on summer evenings coached by Alan Azzaro, followed by lengthy debriefings in the club bar afterwards. Beer and, for a short experimental period, wine flowed late into the night.

Winter training presented its own challenges, inviting suggestions of certain lifestyle changes such as moderating one’s alcoholic intake and giving up smoking. For a committed pipe smoker like Simkins, this was out of the question and he never acquiesced, notwithstanding missives from on high. Thus, minutes of a committee meeting in February 1976 noted that the captain suggested, to general agreement, that smoking in the showers and the changing room was undesirable. A notice making the committee’s view clear was duly posted (and firmly observed in the breach).

Despite this breach of etiquette, by now it was becoming clear that Simkins was seen as a safe pair of hands, always a bad sign in a bureaucracy-bound club like Cygnet, and by 1976 he had been sucked into the committee. Little did he know that he would be on fast track to higher office. Late 1976 found the club with a pool of 20+ senior C oarsmen, an iconic coach (George Plumtree) and a contested captaincy election. In the event, Richard du Parcq defeated John Bull to become captain, John stepped in as deputy and Nick Wylie as vice. And so, the stage was set for the Plumtree Years.

Throughout 1977–78, John rowed in the powerhouse of the Plumtree VIII (Pictured below at four in the senior C pennant winning VIII of 1977) while acting as George’s all-important point man, taking the pulse of the crew and conducting a delicate balancing act between coach and captain. Nothing less than six days training a week would do and John ensured that we all kept up to the mark, although he loathed doing sprint runs (in wellington boots) to the band stand and back before outings.

Nevertheless, the training paid off, and a bunch of rookie senior Cs ascended through the ranks to senior A by the close of 1978, having made two appearances in Thames Cup at Henley Royal along the way. John more than played his part, rebuilding the Joe Lee, an anachronism of a boat (pictured below), convincing a wavering crew to enter Henley in 1977 and pushing hard for a new boat – a state-of-the-art Carbocraft no less – in 1978.

When Alan Azzaro stepped down as captain in late 1978, John was the obvious choice for the job; he was joined by Richard Kemball-Cook (deputy) and Phil Beckett (vice). The victory years of 1977–78 were a hard act to follow and 1979 proved to be an uneventful year on the water, yet John kept the show on the road with the same steadying hand he always displayed.

By the mid-1980s, a romantic interest (Gill) found him transferring his allegiance to Auriol Kensington Rowing Club where he swiftly ended up with the task of secretary of Hammersmith Regatta. One of his last appearances on the water at Cygnet was in the 1990 Business Houses Head (pictured below, John third from right, back row) when the club marked its centenary with a captains’ VIII.

Sadly, ill health led to Gill’s untimely demise. John took redundancy from BT, started a boat chandlery business in St Neots and qualified as a gas engineer to ‘MOT’ pleasure boats. Somewhere along the way, he met Christine; they married in 2000 and emigrated to Portugal where he ended his days. Christine predeceased him. We are grateful to John’s niece, Lorraine, for informing us of his passing. John’s funeral was held in Portugal on 19 February. There will be a private customary sprinkling of his ashes on the Thames at some point, followed by a memorial gathering later in the year.

As fellow Cygnet member Rod Beer commented on being informed of John’s demise, he was an unassuming soul who loved his rowing and the Club. Whatever else, he surely hid his light under a bushel.

Paul Rawkins, 27 March 2026

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Cygnet Captaincy Update – February 2026
Author: Neil Pickford |
20th February 2026
Afternoon All
It's been a while since I've sent any emails around, so – thought it was about time – lots of dates so calendars at the ready please!
First of all its been great seeing the shed so full over the last few weeks – we have a great structured plan in place at the moment, so absolutely encourage everyone to continue to commit to the shed sessions, and I'm confident we will see the rewards in the summer when we spend more time on the water.

Key dates for the diary
As promised, this is a provisional regatta plan for the summer - please hold in your diaries to avoid any unfortunate clashes!
- HORR 28^th March
- Hammersmith Regatta 25^th April
- Chiswick Regatta 2^nd May
- Borne at Chiswick Regatta 9^th May
- Peterborough Regatta 30^th May
- Walton and Weybridge Regatta 6^th June
- Barnes and Mortlake Regatta 13^th June
- Marlow Regatta 20^th June
- Kingston Regatta 11^th July
- St Neots Regatta 26^th July
- Henley T&V 1^st August
7th March
A group of 4 civil servants ("Team Ordinary") will be joining us for some rowing training, as part of their preparation of rowing the Atlantic! More details to follow, but please make every effort to make yourself available to row with them.

Weekend of the 28^th March
As per tradition our German friends, from Benrath, will be racing in Vets HORR and so please come down and show your support/grab a beer afterwards.

Reminder
With the upcoming tideway head races, please help with volunteering for the boating - this generates vital funds for the joint clubs and so all volunteering is hugely appreciated! See link to sign up - Tideway Head Races - Boating & Catering Volunteers 2025/26 - Google Sheets
Thames Rowing Tour
A message from our President has asked if anyone is interested in the Thames Rowing Tour 13–15th July. This involves rowing from Windsor to Weybridge in boats similar to the Rheine Marathon. Currently there is a contingent of five Benrath members and various Cygnets. Please can you let Nick know if you are interested in this!.

That's all from me. As ever drop me a message/email if you have any thoughts or ideas that you'd like to share.

Thanks
Jordan

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