| Date | 14 February 1936 |
|---|---|
| Source | Windsor, Slough & Eton Express |
| Reference | EE01-0076 |
| Volume | Eton Excelsior Rowing Club, Volume 1 |
| Collection | Eton Excelsior |
Transcript
Annual Dinner at the Castle Hotel
The oldest rowing club on the river Thames, Eton Excelsior, held its eighty-fifth annual dinner on Monday evening at the Castle Hotel, Windsor, Mr. A. A. Somerville, M.P.. who is a Vice-President, took the chair, and among others present were the Mayor of Windsor (Lieutenant-Colonel A. E. Churcher), the Town Clerk (Mr. J. W. Hambidge), the Borough Engineer (Mr. J. S. McRae), Mr. A. H. Dyson, Mr. C. Dysou (honorary secre tary of the Club), Mr. V. H. Hobbs (captain), Mr. A. Bellringer (honorary treasurer), Mr. F. W. Buck (vice-captain), Mr. J. W. Tull, Mr. J. G. Tull, Mr. H. Prescott (Windsor Swim-ming Club), Mr. R. George and representatives of the Windsor Rugby y Club, Club, and and the London. Mortlake. Staines, Maidenhead and Reading R.C.’s. An excellent dinner was provided, and this was followed by a number of interesting speeches and a capital entertainment.
The loyal toast was most suitably honoured at the proposal of the CHAIRMAN.
In offering the President and Vice-President, Mr J. W. TULL said they were deeply sorry that, owing to ill-health, their President, Alderman Mitchell, was unable to be present, and he was going to ask the Secretary to send him a message wishing him a speedy recovery. In their President, they had a wonderful man who was not only a gentleman and sportsman but a man’s man, liked and loved by those in every sphere of life. He had heard an unemployed man who saved him pass by refer to him as the Grand Old Man of Windsor, and he thought that expressed their own feelings. They had about thirty Vice-Presidents, including in the first place, their worthy Chairman that evening. Mr Somerville, as well as eight members of what he considered the finest rowing nursery in the world. Eton College. Their club was deeply indebted to Eton College and its masters, who had helped them and taught them. He would like to mention Freddie Wilkinson, the brothers Blane. W. J. and L. F. H. G. and E. C. Hetherington and others, who during their years of rowing brought the club to one of the highest standards on the Thames. They also had their old friend, Mr Tommy Boswell, with them, though he noticed that Mr Boswell had begun to drift from the rowing world to the riding work (laughter). He thanked all Vice-Presidents for their support and coupled with the toast the name of Mr Somerville.
Mr. SOMERVILLE, replying, endorsed all that Mr. Tull had said concerning Alderman Mitchell, who was one of the beat, and there was no good work in the town with which be had not been usefully associated, Proceeding, he said that that had been a fine rowing day and he remembered how in his towing days they often went out when the frost rime was on the handles of the cars, He gave one or two anecdotes, commented ott the Boat Race and the good your’s work done by the Thames Conservancy, and con chuded them by wishing them a most success ful soon, which could be achieved by all Foulling together.
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