Bexhill History - Year By Year

Year Notes 1893-1906 Club called Bexhill Rowing and Marine Club (the Marine Club being a social club on the first floor.

1893 June Club formed at a meeting at Bexhill Chronicle Office with the instegator Mr T.F.Garrett

1893 July Club Colours chosen as green white and red at a meeting that Lady Cantelupe presided

1893 First Club Regatta

1897-1900 President of the club Viscount Cantelupe (who became later the Earl De La Warr)

1900 June The Boat house was destroyed by fire, but all the boats were saved including the four oared galley called "Countess De La Warr" (Boat House Stood on the cliff top on the site of the present De La Warr Pavilion)

1906 The Boats sold at auction largely caused by the decision of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway Company to charge a high freightage for transport to regattas which before was free.

1925 June Club reformed at a meeting on the 4th June 1925 by Mr C.Sewell Mr H.Rilley Mr Damm Mr P.Heath

1925 August Offered pair boat by Folkstone rowing club

1925 SCARA meeting hoping Bexhill will compete

1926 May Racing sub-committee formed

1926 July Club rule that no Ladies to be taken out in club boats

1926 July New boat delivered and inspected on the 8th July and sent back to Simms owing to deffects

1926 October Three skiffs purchased from Hastings Rowing Club, "Glady's" pair boat lent to club by Mr.H.Riley

1926 Bexhill compete in CARA races

1927 May Meeting in London of the SCARA attended by Bexhill

1928 June Launch of the "Helena"

1928 July Three skiffs sold to club members

1928 DecemberFirst training runs started from boat house

1928 AGM report from SCARA for the proposed (first) town regatta on 15th August

1928 Four oared galley given to Bexhill from Hastings rowing club

1929 June Rebuilt galley named "The Empire Boys" (hull of Hastings boat)

1929 Centre seated boat ordered "Hubert Nash" (four)

1929 "Hubert Nash" launched

1929 Club coach Mr Walinsley (who rowed for Cambridge boat crew)

1929 Pair boat mentioned "Edward Boyle"(now to be used as spares)

1930 Pair boat mentioned "Emily Burdett"

1931 Disposal of the "Gladys"

1931 Mr Ernest James passed away one the original Associate member of the club

1932-1933 Medal for CARA status races designed by Bexhill and die produced for Novice's

1932 Racing colours to be worn are white

1932 Suggestion of inter club regattas, duck boards

introduce into changing rooms

1932 Club masseur Mr Gillham

1932 Novices Championship Cup "Justice Charles" won

1933 Rowing machine made for the club

1933 "Mabel Saunders" purchased from Brighton Cruising Club

1933 New boat to be carval built rather than clinker built with staggered seats (to be named "Kathlean Short") design based on the "Colonel Hankey" (Hastings boat now a Bexhill Boat)and the latest Deal boat the "Percy Barel"

1933 "Emily Bundett" loaned to Eastbourne

1933 Article in Whats On in Bexhill

1934 Damage to Boat House after event at the Hadrian Lodge

1935 Jubilee Regatta (scratch races and inter-club races) as asked by the council. The course to run from the Colonade to the pavilion(now where the sailing club is)east turn and back to the clock tower and turn back to the colonade for the finish.

1936 Launch of the "Cecil Sewel" Four

1938 Proposed extension to the boat house including a rowing tank (as part of the national fitness campaign)

1939 Mr J Wingate (famous oarsman ) vists club

1939 War breaks out club put in the hands of trustees

1945 Reformed after the war handed back by the trustees

1947 second hand sculler bought

1947 Schedule of boats after the War (1929)four "Herbert Nash" (1933)four "Kathleen Short" (1928)pair "Helena" (1930) pair "Emmamaud" (1936) pair "Ceil Sewell" (?) sculler "Phillip Yorke" (?) four (to be scraped)"Colonel Hankey"

1949 SeptembeLaunch of the "Len Chandler" four made from cedar wood

1949 October Attempt to row to the Soverign Light Ship before Hastings

rowing club on 1st October but failed but completed on a practice row on 18th September

1949 Proposal of a ladies section turned down

1950 Hastings Regatta postponed for 3 weeks. Bexhill won novices.

1951 July Bexhill Town Regatta youngest crew win junior fours (HMS Finisterre moored off Bexhill for event Battle Class Destroyer.

1951 SeptembeResults summary Novice fours championship and two new four galleys

1951 Launch of the "Dosher Domm"

1954 Launch of the "Geoff Henry"

1956 June The passing of vice presidents Mr J.B Sainsbury and Mr R.Tunbridge

1957 Article on Bexhill in Rowing Magazines

1957 August Launch of the "Leslie E.R.Cook"

1958 July 80 Crews take part in Bexhill town regatta (record)

1958 August Harry Frostick first Bexhill crew to win at the Serpentine Regatta

1958 Sunday regatta (protest by the Lords Day Observance Society)

1959 July Harry Frostick top sculler on coast

1960 SeptembeStand at the Community Activity Exhibition at the De-la-warr

1962 August Article in World Sports on Bexhill

1962 April Launch of the "Nike" pair

1963 May Stand at the Community Activity Exhibition at the De-la-warr

1965 Boat house extension (additional changing rooms)

1965 Launch of the "Ione" and "Tubby"

1966 Bexhill win the Grand Aggregate for the first time

1968 April Launch of the "Ken Isted" four

1970 Launch of the "Metis" four

1973 Social club formed and premises obtained

1973 July Launch of the "Gilbert" pair

1974 Chris Pierce (Olympic Oarsman) returns to the club and takes first place at Bexhill Regatta

1978 August Launch of the "Len Ludlow" scull

1994 April Launch of the "Centenary" four to celebrate 100 years

1976 Launch of the "Maude E Cook"
1976 Launch of the "Nemises" four built by the Club (74-75)
Launch of the "Bexhill Building Society" scull (78)
Launch of the "Bexhill Supporters" pair ( 78-79)
Launch of the "Edith Eva" scull wooden
Launch of the "Albert Tasker" scull
Launch of the "Keith Miller" scull plastic
Launch of the "Marlin" pair
Purchased pair boat from????"Nike II"
Launch of the "Owers" four (80's)
Launch of the "Geoff Larkin" four(89)
1995 Purchased four concept II model B ergo's (improved training)

1997 Bexhill host for the first time in their history the South Coast Championships

1997 Launch of the "Charlie Wilson" pair

1997 DecemberPurchased two four boats from Deal "Diamond Jubilee" "Deal 86"

Misc Four oared galley called "Hill Smugglers"

Misc 1879 The ARA was formed in 1879 as the Metropolitan Rowing Assocication.
Misc 1879 ARA. The amateur definition that was adopted was "No person shall be considered an ameteur oarsman who had ever been employed in or about boats and had been by trade or employment for wages, a mechanic artisan or a labourer or engaged in menial duty."

Misc 1890 The NARA formed not as rival but as to provide organised rowing for those excluded from the ARA what was called the "manual labour bar"

Misc 1937 ARA drop their ban on manual workers.

Misc 1954 Depate on the sliding rigger system (the Times 26th June)

Misc 1956 ARA and NARA are amalgamted. The National Amateur Rowing Association and the Amateur Rowing Association agreed to agreed to amalgamate from Jan 1st 1956 for a inital period of 12 months then the NARA will cease activities.

Misc 1956 National Championships first held August (Daily Telegraph and Morning Post "One fiasco is enough. Not to be repeated)