EERC Supper 1933

Transcript

ETON EXCELSIOR ROWING CLUB SUPPER

Should the Name of the Club be Changed?

The Mayor of Windsor and other speakers at the annual supper of the Eton Excelsior Rowing Club, held at Layton’s Restaurant, on Monday evening, recommended that the name of the Club should be changed to incorporate the name Windsor. Many of the members appeared to think the suggestion a sound one, and the matter will occupy the attention of the committee in the near future. The gathering was a very happy one, presided over by Alderman G. Mitchell, the Club’s popular president. There were also present the Mayor of Windsor (Alderman R. G. Rawkins), Mr. E. C. Durant, Mr. C. D. Dyson (Captain of the Club), Mr. A. H. Dyson, Mr. W. Dodds, Mr. J. G. Toll, Mr. O. Rowland, Mr. R. G. Radnor, Mr. V. H. Hobbs (vice-captain), Mr. E. C. Hetherington, Mr. C. A. Ellery, Mr. A. Bellringer, Mr. A. J. Gait (Staines R.C.), Mr. S. A. Quartermain (Maidenhead R.C.) and a representative gathering of members.

“The King”

An excellent repast was served by the management of the Restaurant, and was followed by a short toast list. The toast of “The King” was proposed by the CHAIRMAN and was accompanied by the singing of the National Anthem.

“The President and Vice-presidents”

Mr. A. H. DYSON, in proposing the health of the President, and Vice-Presidents of the Club, said unfortunately during the past year they had lost a valued vice-president in Sir William Carter, while that morning Mr. Tommy Luff, another of the Club’s vice-presidents, had passed away. Both these gentlemen took a great interest in the Club, and he asked them to give their thoughts to the departed for a moment or two.

[The company then stood in silence for a minute].

Resuming, Mr. Dyson said he had known their President for fifty years, and had always found him a first-rate sportsman (hear, hear). In the early days he (the speaker) was in the opposite camp to Alderman Mitchell, but later they both became associated with the Excelsior Rowing Club. Since he had become President of the Club, Alderman Mitchell had helped them in many ways. He could not do too much for the Club, and on behalf of the Club he wished to thank him very much indeed (applause). He congratulated him on looking so well, and hoped he would be their President for many years to come. They had got an excellent list of vice-presidents, and it gave him great pleasure to propose the health of the President and the Vice-presidents.

After the toast had been accorded musical honours, Alderman MITCHELL responded. He thanked Mr. Dyson for the kind way in which he had proposed the toast, and the company for the warm manner in which they honoured it. He greatly enjoyed his rowing days. He noticed an article in the Times the other day on rowing which somewhat upset his ideas and theories. He congratulated the members on the many successes they gained up and down the river last season, and hoped they would be even more successful during the coming summer. Regarding his association with the Club, he felt it a great honour to be elected to the office of president in succession to the late Sir George Henry Peters. He promised them that if he was any use to them they would find him a faithful servant of the Club (applause).

“The Mayor and Corporation”

The toast of the Mayor and Corporation was proposed by Mr. H. A. BEERNE, who said it was a real pleasure to him to be entrusted with such an important toast. They were delighted to see the Mayor with them that evening. They appreciated the help the Corporation extended to the Club in every way they could, and the steps they took to safeguard the amenities of the river. The Club was endeavouring to keep up a high standard of rowing, and so merit the help of the Mayor and Corporation. It was the object of the Club to impart the knowledge of rowing to as many young men in the district that they could possibly get hold of.

The toast was drunk with enthusiasm.

The MAYOR, in the course of his reply, said he could assure the members if the Club that the Corporation were always in sympathy with the Club, and they could count on them for any help they might be able to give (hear, hear). He hoped the new boathouse, which they were striving so hard to build, would soon become an accomplished fact. The Club had had two wonderful years, and he warmly congratulated the members on the successes they had achieved. He had often wondered why they called the Club the Eton Excelsior R.C. He hoped they would not mind him saying that he personally believed it would be better if they altered the name to the Windsor and Eton R.C. Nearly all the sporting organisations in the Borough took the title, “Windsor and Eton,” and it was rather strange to those outside to see that it was not the “Windsor and Eton Rowing Club.” He thanked the Club for a very pleasant evening, and again assured them of any help the Corporation could give them (applause).

The Club and the Officers”

Mr. W. DODDS proposed the toast of “The Club and the officers.” He said he was not unfamiliar in a rowing man, although he had acted as secretary of the Windsor Regatta for a period. He was there that evening as a representative of the Windsor Swimming Club, and he could assure them that all the Swimming Club members were delighted to hear of the successes of the Excelsior. All the sporting clubs in the Borough took an interest in each other’s doings. He congratulated the Excelsior on winning three cups during last season, and raising £200 towards the cost of their new boathouse; the total of this fund was now in the neighbourhood of £700. They had some excellent officers in the Excelsior—that was very obvious, or the Club would not be in such a sound position fully as it did. In Mr. C. D. Dyson they had an excellent skipper who was well backed up by Mr. V. H. HOARE. He was sorry Mr. Barrett was unable to be present that evening owing to ill-health, for he was a very hard working secretary. Mr. Bellinger and Mr. Wood were others who did splendid work for the Club (applause).

The toast was duly honoured, and Mr. C. D. DYSON, in responding, said he was very pleased to see such a good muster of members that evening. He had letters of apology for absence through indisposition from the Dean of Windsor, Mr. T. BOSWELL, etc. They were sorry all all [sic] that Mr. Harry Barrett, their secretary, was prevented from attending on the same score. Mr. Sonnerdale had written to say his duties in the House of Commons would keep him away. The Club had had a very successful year from every point of view. On the river they had arranged ten regattas, entered 21 crews, and rowed in 40 races. That was a good record, especially as three handsome Cups were won. The Junior “eight” had stuck together very well. It was good to see the old Club was getting back to something like its old glory. The floods at the commencement of last season forced them to abandon training, owing to the standard of their boathouse below the Bridge, and so near the Weir. They had lost their old raft and this would mean another expense. The raft went the whole way to Sonning. He thought Mr. Husted helped them when the raft sank, and it was due to his fine work that it did not go across the Weir and involve them in further expense. They were greatly indebted to Mr. Gladstone, who presented them with a set of eight sculls, and Mr. Devereux, who gave the Club his skiff. Socially they had done very well. The dance they ran at the Castle Hotel on Boxing Day was a record.

They had now got £700 towards their new boathouse, and in the meantime, Eton College were being very kind to them. The Mayor’s suggestion for the change of name had been before them for some time, and it was probably a very good idea, although the old name went back to 1851 (applause).

“The Visitors”

Mr. V. H. HOARE, in proposing the health of the Visitors, welcomed representatives of the Staines and Maidenhead Clubs, and said how glad they were to see with them representatives of the Windsor Swimming and Rugger organisations.

Mr. QUARTERMAN (Maidenhead), Mr. GAIT (Staines), Mr. J. R. HUNT (Windsor Rugby Club), and Mr. J. DODDS (Windsor S.C.), suitably replied to the toast, which had been very warmly received.

The toast of “The Press” was proposed by Mr. A. BELLINGER and responded to by Mr. L. M. LIGHTFOOT.

“The Artists.”

The health of the artists was proposed by Mr. V. WOOD, and responded to by Mr. J. B. COLES.

The Suggested Change of Name

Mr. E. C. DURANT said he had been asked to give his opinion on the suggestion of the change of name, and while he thought it was a domestic matter for the members to settle, he personally thought it would be a very wise move. He thanked the Club for a very enjoyable evening and wished them every success in the coming season.

The Musical Programme

Between the speeches an excellent musical programme was provided by Messrs. Sykes, Gurney, Corps and Douglass, with Mr. Alwyn Surplice at the piano.

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