After spending a very enjoyable day as a guest of Richard Hooke (FCBC Captain 1986/7) at Henley and meeting some of the Billygoat living legends, I felt inspired to rifle through some of my old photos to see if I could locate any more of the disreputable outfits I’d rowed with.
Cross-referencing with Ken Drake’s excellent crew lists allowed me to refresh my memory. This first picture is of the 1985 1st Men’s Fairbairn’s Novices. I’m sure it’s only the perspective of the photo, but our cox Nick Pyke looks burlier than any of the rest of us! Perhaps the most subsequently notable oarsman, with a very determined expression on his face, is Brian Potterill at number 5, just in front of me, who went on to row for two victorious CUBC lightweight crews a few years later in 1988 and 1989.
This second photo, taken later that academic year at the 1986Lents, is of the 2nd Men’s VIII. Andy Tanton is at stroke again, with Richard Hooke at number 7. I’m sandwiched between Richard and Brian Potterill. So, do you think that Richard is early or Brian late? Richard looks slightly despairing (perhaps we were being caught?) and I look alarmed (perhaps we were likely to row over?).
The third photo is of the 2nd Men’s VIII at the 1987 Mays. It looks like a bit of a rocky ride, with the stroke side blades still in fresh air while bow side were finding the catch! Perhaps that’s why I only have it as a proof and never parted with money to buy it. We did seem to have a motley selection of blades. Perhaps they’d been mended from previous collisions? The dinner menu crew list is not quite correct, because stroke and number 2 have swapped places relative to the list. Richard’s other guest at Henley yesterday (see first photo above), John Driscoll, is at number 3. John and three other of that crew (Simon Pratt (7), Giles Foden (5) and Ben Mayes (4)), also rowed with me a year later in the 2nd Men’s VIII at the 1988 Mays.