Eric Smith’s Visit
On Thursday Sept 15th we welcomed Eric and Christina to LARC. Eric, aged 94 and an ex LARC member, came afloat on the safety rib to watch the race squad training session and meet some of the crews in the bar.
Here are his memories of his time at LARC.
My time with the Lymington Rowing Club 1948-1952
Introduction to rowing.
In 1948 at the age of 20 I had served for 2 years National Service with the Royal Navy. Prior to that I had spent 7 years in Lymington, first as a wartime evacuee and then as a local government employee. During the whole of this time I made many friends some of whom were to be lifelong but now it was time for me to live in my parental home in Southampton since I could not return to me old job in Lymington.
Consequently and not surprisingly I spent much of my leisure time and weekends in Lymington because that’s where all my friends and close contacts were. One of these close friends happened to have joined the Lymington Rowing Club and persuaded me to go along. It was here I met a happy bunch of keen rowers including Eddie Austin who were keen for me to join them. Their commitment to rowing was infectious to the extent it wasn’t long before I was involved in training sessions at weekends and summer evenings.
At that time the club’s premises and facilities were pretty basic and the provision of all that was necessary to maintain the club was down to the initiative and support of the members themselves which were never lacking.
Gradually the club did not only survive, but grew in numbers and strength and in due course became a force to be reckoned with in all competitions
As an affiliate of the Hants and Dorset Rowing Association the club regularly competed in the annual regattas with clubs all the way from Swanage to Southsea and the Isle of Wight with much success. The club won the junior race in the Lymington regatta one year I remember since I was in the boat but I’m not sure of the year.
Boats were transported to the various locations by an old converted bus in which members travelled although, living in Southampton, I often made my way by motor cycle.
At that time ladies joined the club and became excellent rowers but to my knowledge did not compete in regattas.
Recollections
In 1951 and 1952, through a contact, the club borrowed an eight from a Windsor boat club (did not possess an eight ourselves) and paddled to Chiswick the Sunday before to compete in the annual Thames ‘Tideway’ calling at Marlow BC for lunch on the way. For me it was the highlight of those years.
Eric Smith Seat 6
Sadly I am now unable to share these times with contemporaries since they have all now passed on but it has been stimulating to be able to meet with those who are now enjoying the sport with such enthusiasm and to share something of their excitement
I was always so grateful for being introduced into the rowing world and its camaraderie an interest which has never really gone away and was overjoyed to visit the club on 15 September in its new home with its first class facilities and to see the massive progress it has made over the years now to become so vibrant and strong.
I wish the club every success in the future
ERIC SMITH
18.09.22
