Gwen Griffiths
Imperial College alumnus, Gwen Griffiths, shares her memories of the women's boating club during the late '70s and early '80s.
When I joined the rowing club the women had to change in the old boiler cum laundry room. The men’s crews had a large changing room with wonderful old wooden lockers. We used to dash into the showers before the men came in from their training. Charlie Newens, the boatman, was very supportive and would coach us. Prof John Levy was very interested in all our endeavours and played a huge role in the building of a new block that joined onto the back of Thames Rowing Club. As a result the women had changing rooms and our own showers! The photo shows ICWBC VIII racing under Caversham Bridge at Reading in 1979/80.
I returned to the opening ceremony of the latest development and both the old boathouse and Holt Villas have been transformed. Holt Villas was a very desirable location to live – usually the men’s captain and other keen rowers. One year the red sports car of the captain ended up submerged in the Thames – somehow it managed to slip rather lower down the embankment than he remembered leaving it!
© 2007 Imperial College London
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