News Review ... 1962

Editor: J. T. Hughes

A Summing up of the 1962 Season
In the write-up of Nick Birkmyre's win in the Norfolk Sculling Championship the 'Sunday Times' produced a headline referring to Birkmyre as being of Stourport and Great Britain, and it is this reference which sums up what has been by far the most important development of the season. For many years Justicz and Birkmyre have trained with us but it has not been until this year that they have associated themselves with the Club's name in open competition; and it was as Stourport that they won at Reading and two events at Marlow as well as the Norfolk event. There can be no doubt that this has enhanced the prestige of the Club throughoutt the rowing world. We have felt honoured and very pleased to have them and it is to be hoped that under their influence we shall soon produce other crews of top-class standard.

Another very welcome personality was Pete (Giles) Gillespie who won four sculling cups for us after winning many senior events with Nottingham University. He will probably be remembered in particular by his nonchalance along the finishing enclosures where his superiority often allowed him to drop to an exceedingly low rate of strike with very little work. He made winning look easy.

Also adding to the tally of 'pots' was Dave Pearson who has a remakably consistent record for winning ever since he first started to row one famous January. Although he spent most of his time in the 'eight' or 'four' this year, when he eventually returned to two blades he did it with distinction by winning two events in one day - Senior and Junior-Senior sculls at Bridgnorth.
It is ironic that the disappointments of the season are portrayed in this picture of sculling success for, of thirteen wins, only two were in fours - the maiden event for the second successive year at Ironbridge and a somewhat inglorious second event for Senior Fours at Bewdley. Even so, the maiden win was particularly gratifying since exams disrupted training for a major part of the season and frequent outings were only possible for a few weeks.

And what of the eight which carried such high hopes? It has been loudly whispered that the aim of rowing a Senior Eight was an over-ambitios mistake but this is most certainlty an opinion I would not subscribe to. At the Midlands Head and tyo some extent at Chester it showed that the necessary qualities for winning were by no means lacking. It was only 5 seconds slower than Stratford in our Head and yet Stratford went on to win a number of Senior trophies - and the difference? I think partly training methods, certainly the indisposition of Coach Jack Roberts at a crucial time, but mainly insufficient time for training in the racing season. Exams limited the free nights to one or two a week which was far from adequate so that obviously the wiser counsel was to break the crew up: But perhaps with a more ascetic and single minded attitude by the crew, more outings would have been possible. However, we surely showed that hopes of having a winning crew were not so unrealistic and the lessons learned must not be forgotten for with everyone striving for the same thing I'm sure we shall produce a winning eight in the not too distant future.

Our Captain for 1963 - Dave Wright
Christened David but known equally well as Jim or Dave; he is a first class example for showing that a Grammar School Education is not essential for success. On leaving Secondary School he joined the giant steel Company of Richard Thomas and Baldwin Limited and although only twenty four he is already one of its chief instruments mechanics supervising the work of several assistants.

His company is genial and he shows a keen sense of humour so that a smile is rarely far from his face but when circumstances demand serious thought then he gives them his utmost attention. Any decision he makes has commanded every consideration of advice offered and is seldom made lightly.

The job he has taken on is a tough one with so many things needing to be done all at once but he has a tremendous capacity for hard work and takes a pride in any task he does no matter how small. What is more, he hates to see anything skimped by others and insists that things are done correctly including the looking after of equipment, so that he should restore some of the discipline which has been noticably absent of late.

However the quality likely to be most important in his role of Captain is his readiness to listen to and sympathise with personal problems so that no one need feel neglected. On the whole he gives the impression of being quiet but not retiring, strong but not insensitive and proud but not aloof. He is certain to command respect.

Some quotes:
Bob Loughlin:Who's this chap Jim Wright?
Treasurer:We've spent a lot of money this year!

The Future in Perspective
How far can we look to the future? The current Captain, whilst primarily concerned with the coming season must also consider future years - the ultimate aim being to raise the standard of our rowing and to enhance the prestige of the Club in provincial rowing circles.
Last year I feel we showed the correct approach to achieve this aim. The original objective, to row a Senior eight at Henley although, far too optimistic, did at least improve the standard of rowing and fitness in the Club and many people realise that such a goal was not entirely beyond our reach. My personal view is that such an objective will take several years to achieve but if we can maintain sufficient determination we shall eventually achieve this.
The rowing during the coming season will be mainly of junior standard although there is also a possibility of a Senior four rowing. We shall be able to produce too good Junior fours and there are enough oarsmen for us to have one or two reserves. The Maiden four which lost in the final at Bridgnorth and beat a subsequently successful Bewdley crew at our own regatta will also be available together with a completely new Maiden four. Thus I think we can look forward to some successes in the Junior and Maiden events next year.
Our first aim will be to enter two good clinker fours in the local 'Heads' early next year and possibly an eight at Chester and/or London. This should bring us up to peak fitness for the beginning of the season proper.
With fitness in mind I intend to put into use the suggestion that we use a sculling league this winter. This will involve every rowing member in the Club and in addition to improving general fitness it will develop any potential scullers we may have. Dave Pearson has agreed to organise this league and details of its operation will be available from him at a later date.
As far as the general upkeep of the Club and grounds are concerned I should like to think that for next year's regatta the Boathouse decorations could be completed and the grounds made more presentable. As far as pleasure rowing is concerned we should like to provide at least a few serviceable pleasure boats (and plans are under way to do this), in the hope that older members whose rowing days are over will take advantage of such facilities.
To conclude, our aims for this year are to win at least one Maiden 'pot' and possibly two or three Junior 'pots' and I think that we can depend on several sculling successes.
We must endeavour to spend more time on the general maintenance and improvement of the boathouse and grounds.
Finally, I should like to remind all of you that this is your Club and therefore I rely on you to give me your full support in trying to achieve these aims for the future.
Dave Wright

Quotes:
Dave Wright:Bob Loughlin? Never heard of him.
Treasurer:We've spent a lot of money this year.

Jazz Club
Degrading, invigorating, exciting and frightening; all have been said of the Jazz Club at one time or another and to some people and some extent all may be true. Whatever your own reaction is it is hardly likely to be one of indifference for it cannot be ignored. Most interesting aspect, of course, is the type of person supporting the Club. There are gorgeous, shapely birds who remain frustratingly faithful to apparently uninterested and seemingly uninteresting boy friends and then there are the flighty ones who change their affections as often as they change their bust measurements. There are the very young school girls who look as if they should be in bed by nine-thirty and the older heavily made up ones who look as if they will be in bed by nine-thirty. Quite a cool collection whose actions are as intriguing as their appearances. They range from the immobile romantic couples in the darkest corners to those doing the most energetic contortions in the glare of the fifteen watt spot-light. Between these extremes are those who stand on the edge of the grating mass of bodies absorbing the intoxicating atmosphere, and if the driving beat of the band is not sufficient to set the feet tapping then the vibrating floor - what's left of it - cannot be denied so that they sway in time even if involuntarily. It's like, er, crazy man.

On the whole they're a decent crowd and their money is very welcome so when you trip over outstretched bodies when trying to retrieve your pint from unfamiliar hands remember it's all for the good of the Club - daddyo.

Quotes:
Female voice from dark corner of the Jazz Club: How many more times, NO!
Treasurer:We've spent a lot of money this year.

Clinker Rowing - A Flash Back
I have been asked by the Editor of this Newsletter to write something about the Junior Four which holds the winning record for the S. B. C. This would be easier to tell as a story in the club bar, rather than write about here. For in that environment the story could be suitably embellished, polished, distorted, exaggerated and generally made quite incredulous, whilst on paper, a few facts gathered from the past can only stand forlornly and tell half the story of what was a very happy rowing experience in the 'White Flannel' Regatta Era!

The training was somewhat different from that normally followed now in the Club and may be of interest to readers. It started in the early Autumn of 1937 about September and was a planned programme to bring peak racing fitness for the first Provincial Regatta the following year (1938).

The crew was selected so that Stroke and Bow were of similar weight and height and also Two and Three of matched weight and height and they were left in no doubt by the coach from the outset that they would have to follow out his training programme to the letter for the next twelve months.

River outings were, at first, in a tub-four with fixed seats! They were at weekends only, after the first few weeks, due to the dark nights - but they were never missed whatever the state of the river. This continued till after Christmas. The crew had then done about four months of fixed-seat rowing together. In addition they met twice a week for a long run followed by 'continuous' P.T. This was done under the Bow man (who had previously been Captain of Liverpool University Athletics Club). Whilst on Sundays after training, the crew would unwind with a long walk followed by an evening meal together. Saturday afternoons were reserved for rugger and hockey - three playing the latter and one the former to keep fit for rowing! In addition the crew would spend most of any 'leisure' time left, together.

In January the crew were put on to slides again, but still in a tub-four, continuing thus for three more months! April saw them in a clinker-four again for the first time since the previous regatta season - after seven months of tubbing! The outings were now daily. Amazingly little had to be done with the rowing technique, - balance and poise came rapidly and the crew found they had a rather long stroke with a hard beginning. The boat moved best at a rather lower rate of striking than was average.

The first provincial regatta of the season was Bewdley, this was followed by our own regatta and then came Nottingham, Stratford upon Avon, Shrewsbury and Hereford which brought the Club six junior-four wins out of six. The unbeaten un could not be maintained however and the next six regattas Boston, Chester, Derby, Worcester, Gloucester and Ross brought only one more win (at Chester) and five losses in finals to Nottingham Britannia R.C. So the record stood at 7 wins and 5 'finals out of twelve regattas at the end of the season. This should stand unchallenged for all time, protected as it now is by rule 18 of the A. R. A. Rules for Regattas (Junior Status).
The crew consisted of Jack Noon (Stroke), Sid Barton (3), Jack Roberts (2) and Maurice Bridge (Bow). The cox was Denis Lowne. The coach (whoi was Club Captain at the time and later the Club's President) was Percy G. Hopcroft.

The switch back to tubbing after becoming experienced in clinker racing boats proved for the writer the great value of such training and he believes that much good would be done for rowing if provincial clubs viewed such training with less disdain. The rush to race in a racing boat before mastering the complete technique of blade work and before reaching a good state of physical well-being is all too prevalent.
Jack Roberts V.P.

Times to Remember or Forget
On the whole regattas have been quiet this year and there have fortunately been no arrests or even aprehensions by the Police, thankfully no motor accidents and luckily no distressed fathers, but as always there are some outstanding memories. One event which immediately comes to mind is the visit made to Chester at the beginning of the season. The occasion was the Head of the River Race in which the eight finished in the respectable but disappointing position of sixteenth and afterwards the crew decided that the situation afforded a reasonable excuse for sampling the local brew - an expedient which was to prove ill-advised. The evening was spent in the bar and toilets of the famous Boathouse Inn drinking the excellent ale of McEwan's breweries in company with other Clubs and in particular Manchester University. The choir was in extremely good voice and attempts by the barmaid to take the floor were completely unsuccessful whilst invitations for her to take the conductor's baton were firmly declined.

When the night's festivities came to an end it was obvious that all but the drivers had more than adequately fortified themselves against the bitterly cold night and hopes for a rapid journey home were frustrated by the frequent need to vacate vehicles for the privacy of the hedgrows. It was during this journey and for some time afterwards that many folk were much regretting their over-indulgence in the drinking of the Scottish beverage despite its earlier mentioned excellence.

Not least of the regattas was our own, for once blessed by brilliant sunshine. The day was marred by the accident with a pleasure boat which resulted in injury to a young girl necessitating a stay in hospital., but this apart, everything was a tremendous successs. Proceedings were complicated by much doubling up in a large entry but everything went smoothly thanks to race controllers Mike Smith and John Cook who excelled in a job they have made their own.

It was most pleasing to see the lawns thronged with people, with pretty summer dresses a-plenty and to see the bar crowded even if here the fairer sex were less in evidence: Perhaps not quite so pleasing to bar-steward 'Mac' who literally worked himself to a standstill but certainly everyone else enjoyed themselves. The evening brought about a mixing of Jazz Club and Rowing Clubs with fantastic results. The walls bulged and the whole place shook as more and more folk filled the room to capacity and business was booming at the barbecue. Never has the place been more crowded and something just had to give, and give it did. There was a spectacular crash but mercifully it was only the result of submission by a window and with a replacement cost of only ten and sixpence who could complain? Eventually the evening was concluded and the morning begun with a celebration 'chez Maiden'. It was a most satisfying day and a just reward to the many who had put in so much hard work.

A Toast to the Ladies
As ever the Ladies section has proved invaluable in many ways as well as for catering. At Stourport we are much more fortunate than most other Clubs in having such willing help and as the Club Captain I was many times thankful to the ladies interest in Club affairs. To them go my sincere thanks.
Note: There will be a Ladies event at Birmingham Regatta - this we can win if we try.

Personality Profile
Freddy Webber
It is of course impossible to properly present a rowing career spanning forty-five years in just a few words but a brief outline will certainly be of interest and be a stimulant to the imagination which must be relied upon to fill in the detail.

The seeds of Freddie's interest in rowing were sown in 1917 when he coxed a House 'four' at Oundle, but they did not really germinate until he joined Twickenham R.C. in 1919. For a man weighing less than a hundredweight prospects could not have seemed too bright but he bought himself a 'best boat' and trained throughout 1920. His dedication was rewarded when he went up to Imperial College in October 1920, for his experience earned him a place at stroke in the 'eight' of this newly formed club and his merit in this position can only be judged by the results in Junior class events during his first competitive season. The first regatta and win was at Marlow where rivals included the Thames R. C. Henley 'eight', and by the season's end there were no winning junior crews left undefeated by the I.C. Crew.

Most University oarsmen (others too) are faced with exam problems and Freddie was no exception. It was not until after these in 1922 that his crew 'came good' and then in no uncertain manner for it blazed out with two Thames Cup class wins with Freddie at stroke and a Wyfold four won with Freddie at bow and steers; something to be proud of in his year as Coach and Vice-Captain and yet it was to be surpassed the following year when he became Captain and again Coach. The triumph of the season was at Henley Royal Regatta when after stroking the 'eight' in a very tight race with the eventual winners he went to bow and steers in the Wyfold 'four' and was first man across the line in every race, final included, and probably at 9 stone 5 pounds was and is the lightest man ever to do so.

Since then his rowing has been governed by changes of home address. At the end of the nineteen twenties and early thirties he coached I.C. which limited his time available for active rowing but was he was again at Henley in the Goblets in1928 and he sculled but not competitively until 1939. His move to Stourport was in 1948 to coach a maiden 'four' and after borrowing Ken Tinegate's boat his appetite was again whetted.

The following year he joined the only three members of Bewdley R.C. to make up a Wyfold 'four' and once more competed at Henley but further success was not to come until 1958 when back with Stourport he won Veteran Sculls at Chester and (at last, as he puts it) Senior Sculls at Stourport.

A brief and impressive story of a man who still finds the determination and courage to row the Boston Marathon. A man known throughout the country, Scotland too, as 'Freddie' - a name he much prefers to Mr Webber. At Stourport too he would like to be called Freddie by everyone.