Caterpillar Stories…
When bringing the Caterpillar Club back to the Society community, a key question arose: Why caterpillars? As they are not typically known for speed, we were left rather bemused. Regardless, the decision to preserve the name was made, and who can argue with such a unique choice?
While the school’s archives are fantastic, the history of the caterpillar club’s inception was unclear. The only clue we had was a letter written to the Society in 2009 by Anthony Stevens, stating that the name was given to the 1958/59 first VIII, which stayed together and continued racing after the end of the summer term of that year.
Anthony was one of our first correspondents since the launch of the new Caterpillar Club, and he has shared some of the fantastic history of the first Caterpillars and their achievements. Namely the success at the News of the World Open Sprint Championship Regatta held on the Serpentine in August 1959. The Caterpillars broke the record for Junior Senior Eights with a time of 2 minutes 22 seconds. This time was a mere second slower than the winners of the Thames Cup and rivalled the crews competing in the Grand Eights. Impressive stuff from a school crew!
The crew comprised of:
Bow, J.R.O. Leigh, 2, R.J Waters, 3, P.H. Bowers, 4, G.A.G. Dodd, 5, M.L. Clarke, 6, I.F. Sandell, 7, G.H. Cassels, Stroke, J.M. Brown. Cox, J.D. Harris and Coach, C.R. Carpenter.
Although still somewhat of a mystery, the Caterpillar name and tie are still recognised in rowing circles; we are looking forward to building upon this in the future. Anthony, along with so many others, has expressed strong support for the renewed Caterpillar Club, and we are grateful for his help in sharing its origins. Hopefully, we can see some Caterpillar crews returning to the water soon!
Your memories…
“I left College in 1957, the year before the Caterpillar Rowing Club was established. Nevertheless, you may be interested to know that in 1956, I was asked to substitute for a member of the 1st VIII who was ill with flu, a couple of days before the Schools Head of the River. Despite this potential mishap, we exceeded all expectations and moved up to somewhere in the first 20 places, from the previous year's 60th or so.
Our encouraging performance persuaded John Bowes, the Master in charge of rowing, to not only leave me as a member of the 1st VIII but, more importantly, to enter the crew for Henley, the first time that Cheltenham had entered an VIII at Henley in many years. I was stroke that year and, the following year I was appointed Captain of Boats, when we competed at Henley for the 2nd time.”
— Christopher Smith (Hazelwell, 1952-57)
“I am a proud erstwhile oarsman for Cheltenham College and King’s College London in the 1960s-70s. I am sure you are aware, but at Henley Royal Regatta in 1879, Cheltenham beat Radley in the inaugural Public Schools Challenge Cup, and in 1984, Cheltenham were the runner-up to Shrewsbury in the Special Race for Schools. Now, both events are discontinued but still an excellent piece of history.
I have two sons who both rowed for Radley at HRR. I have worn my Caterpillar tie for many years at HRR with pride, and I hope to see the return of Cheltenham to the Princess Elizabeth soon”
— Nigel à Brassard
“Coached by the inestimable Malcolm Mennie (Malc), the photo shows the 1979 1st VIII:
Ian Mennie (Malcolm’s son), Mark Thomas, myself, Tom Morse, Andrew Kenyon, Rob Coleman, Nigel Powell, Steve Hibbert, and cox Niall Wenborne.
It was a very successful crew, which must have made an impression as this is the one photo I have kept from College. However, I am still rowing at 62 with Warwick Boat Club, though I have to admit my times are now a bit slower than in those halcyon days!
I cannot recall all the wins, but I still have the Worcester Regatta Senior C pot in my collection. I think the other pile was from Hereford Regatta Senior C as well. My best memory of the season was beating Monkton Combe School in the first round of the Princess Elizabeth Cup at Henley Royal.”
— Simon Beard (Captain of Boats, 1980)
“Following the death of my son Tristan Douglas-Johnson, aged just 20, in an accident on the water at the Southampton International Boat Show in 2000, myself and three other gentlemen who had worked with my son started Weymouth Rowing Club, rowing Cornish pilot gigs at sea as a memorial to Tristan.”
— Heddon Johnson (Christowe, 1965-70)
“Although most of my short coaching career was at Shrewsbury, I owe my whole love of the sport to my 4 years coaching J14s at Cheltenham from 1994 to 1998. I had never been near a boat when I arrived and was thrown in at the deep end (literally!) by Richard Kent, who taught me to scull, then to row (in a wonderfully boozy and light-hearted staff 8+), then to coach. By 1998, I was running the J14s, had qualified as a coach and went on to complete the level 2, 3 and 4 coaching awards, running the Shrewsbury J15s for many of my 14 years there, and even occasionally being let loose on the 1st VIII. Nearly 20 years of fun on the river and all because of CCBC. Sadly, headship in a non-rowing school means I’m no longer coaching, but maybe one day…”
— Matthew Mostyn (Hon OC, past staff)
“I was in the 1st VIII in 1989 and rowed at Henley (knocked out in the second round by a US crew). I had a love/hate relationship with rowing at College. I loved winning (I have the pots to prove it). Winning a head or regatta was better than winning any rugby match because of the effort that was put into the sport. I wasn't so keen on the training though, especially the erg's and the mileage on the river!! Funny then that I found myself in my late 40s, on the bank, watching my son rowing, thinking 'maybe I could get back into a boat'. Fast forward a few years, and I now row and race (in a coxed four) for my local club in the Masters category - we train hard, we race, often win, and we love it... never would have happened without my College experience...”
