| Cygnet Rowing Club |
| Illustrated History |
The Business Houses Head
In 1971 Cygnet joined with a number of other Thames Business Houses like Ibis, the Metropolitan Police and the Banks, in founding the Business Houses Regatta. This event initially took place three times a year. Each participating club accumulated points throughout the year and the winning club gained the Business Houses Trophy. These regattas were designed to provide serious in-house, non-status competition for those not engaged on the open regatta circuit. Cygnet won the trophy on several occasions. However, interest in these regattas diminished and they ceased to be held in 1982.
The Business Houses Head, established in 1974, has eclipsed the regattas; it is an annual event hosted by Cygnet in March and rowed from Putney Pier to Barnes Bridge. The Head has grown in stature and now attracts more than 30 crews, including a number of business house clubs from abroad. Pennants are awarded to the fastest VIII overall, the fastest Novice VIII, the fastest Veteran VIII and the fastest Ladies VIII. In addition, the fastest VIII is presented with the Barclays Bank Challenge Cup and the fastest Veteran VIII with the former Civil Service Regatta IPCS shield. Cygnet have won the Business Houses Head on two occasions to date, in 1978 and again in 1985. To mark the Club's Centenary winning crews in the 1990 Head were presented with individual medals, courtesy of Fullers Brewery. Appropriately, a Cygnet VIII formed entirely of past captains won the Veteran pennant.