Terry Hulme
shares his dislike of whale meat and mustard
May I suggest that a tribute to Colonel and Mrs. Lowry in this Centenary year might be appropriate.
They will, of course, be remembered by many generations of oarsmen for the Lowry cup for clinker eights.
Colonel Lowry was Secretary to the Board of Governors for a significant period during the 1940s and 50s. I am not sure of the dates.
My own experience was when, as the Selkirk Scholar, I spent three very happy years between 1948 and 1951 at Selkirk Hall when it was in Holland Park and run by Mrs. Lowry. I understood that Mrs. Lowry had been involved with the principal hall of residence at Exhibition Road and so successfully, that when William Selkirk made his bequest I was told he asked that Mrs. Lowry should run Selkirk Hall for the first seven years.
Photo above: Back row: D.L. Molloy, R.C. Penfold, B.L. Jones, B.J.J. Baldwin. Middle row: J.L. Shearer, T.W. Hulme, D.C.S. Squire, O.S. Dunmore, K.L. Rex, G.H. Gales, R.J. Lowry, A.G.G. Oliver. Front row: D.G. Adam, J.E.C. Rees, Mrs Lowry, G.C. Lowry, J.F. Lamerton, D. Walker, P.K. Issac and Jimmy.
I can well understand his reasoning for Mrs. Lowry's constant unobtrusive care and interest in her "boys" must have made their university years immensely enjoyable as they did mine. And all this was achieved with only one rule - that all had to be present for Sunday afternoon tea at the Hall. Friends were welcome, particularly girl friends. Possibly this was to give Mrs. Lowry the opportunity to inspect their suitability, but on her judgment and tact we all relied upon.
Photo right: Back row: R.J. Lowry, T.W. Hulme, J.A.J. Knox, K.L. Rex, G.H. Gales. Middle row: L.R. Bentley, D.B. Fraser, D.C. Squire, B.J.T. Baldwin, R.W. Pearson, D. Nowell, A. Brown, J.W. Watson, A.A.C. Brewis. Front row: A.G.G. Oliver, G.C. Lowry, Mrs Lowry, D.L. Molloy and Jimmy.
Perhaps I was fortunate that Mrs. Lowry had a particularly soft spot for her "rowers" always trying to build them up although food was scarce and for her "boxers". It was a proud moment for me to invite her as the guest of honour to the annual dinner of the Imperial College boxing club. The only lady up to that time who had attended the function.
Photo left: Back row: A.R. Palmer, G.H. Gales, R.J. Lowry, W.K. Baird, P.D. Allsopp, A.A.C. Brewis, R. Higgs, P.T. Perkins, A. Brown. Middle row: L. R. Bentley, T.W. Hulme, D. Nowall, J.W. Watson, B. Baldwin, D.B. Fraser, G.C. Lowry, Mrs Lowry, D.C. Squire and Jimmy.
There is one last example of her interest. In those days of rationing Mrs. Lowry introduced whale meat into out diet. I thought I had very tactfully managed to disguise my revulsion of the taste of this "delicacy" with the aid of about half of a very large jar of French mustard. Judge my surprise when the next time it appeared on the menu Mrs. Lowry said "but for Terry I have two sausages".
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