Simon stroking a Captains’ twelve. As mentioned in the obituary, he organised this venture in 1989 to mark the 150th anniversary of the first Henley regatta in 1839. Another double-spread photo of this crew is on pp 90-91 of the Club history.
Simon Rippon, who passed away on 4th April at the age of 85, was a stalwart member of the Club contributing hugely to its life from the moment he joined in 1962, including a two year stint as Captain. He will be remembered for his generosity and kindness, always full of ideas for the benefit of the Club, willing to help, advise, organise, compete and generally turn his hand to whatever was needed. He will be much missed by his contemporaries.
Simon was born in Cheshire, the youngest of three brothers, and the family moved south to Huntingdon and then to a farm near Stroud. After taking a physics degree at Nottingham University he worked initially with AEI Aldermaston. He started rowing in his mid-20s with nearby Reading RC, for whom he was selected at bow in a Wyfold IV in 1961. The following year he moved to London to commence a career as a nuclear industry journalist and joined the Club, taking up residence at Ruvigny Mansions nearby.
Simon soon made his mark. He became a Vice-Captain in 1964 and was elected Captain in the two seasons 1967 and 1968. Afloat, he was usually on stroke side, very often at stroke, but was equally happy on bow side including when he rowed in a Nautilus Club IV which reached the final of the Stewards’ in 1965. He twice reached the semi-finals of the Thames Challenge Cup with London in 1963 and 1966, doubled up in the Grand and Stewards’ in 1964, and was in the last London club crew to compete in the Grand in 1967.
This last race led, in the following season, to Simon deciding in his second year as Captain that the club should no longer enter the Grand (for the first time since 1857). Henley at top level had completely changed since the Second World War, and the Club had been unable to repeat its successes from the 1930s. Heavy foreign and composite British crews were the order of the day such that London (and Thames) crews were now quite outclassed; out of its 22 Grand entries since 1946, London failed to get through the first round on 19 occasions. Simon’s decision – a brave one in the face of the ‘heavies’, but totally realistic – was made easier by Thames having withdrawn from the event in 1967.
Simon the fundraiser. LRC taking part in the opening of the Kingston branch of Moss Bros in 1967. Simon is at 6. He wrote in the 1981 125th anniversary book about the unconventional methods captains had to devise to raise income for the Boat Fund. The outing featured widely in the local and national press at the time. Photo: Surrey Comet.
Later on, Simon took part in Veteran rowing in a very successful coxless IV and in VIIIs in the HORR and Veterans’ Head; in 1985 his crew came first in a Veteran’s Head division. He was also no mean sculler.
Soon Simon had become the life and soul of the Club, and it is difficult in some ways to know where to begin. He designed in the mid-1960s the Club’s first boat trailer (in collaboration with John Burnett) - to replace the commercial ‘boat lorries’ booked by clubs in order to get their boats to and fro from regattas. With Bob Marks (captain in 1966) he drove to Italy with the trailer to pick up boats ordered from Donoratico (now Filippi), south west of Pisa. Organising barn dancing for members with his elder brother, Hugh (an authority on English folk dance and music), in the Long Room on Wednesday evenings in the 1960s (Morris dancing also being attempted briefly until we broke all the sticks). Pot hunting expeditions to the West country, staying overnight at the family farm. He went on various escapades – a Three Peaks Challenge by car in 48 hours, no mean feat in the days before the network of motorways. Ocean sailing and racing with Giles Chichester in Gipsy Moth V. Collaborating with a French nuclear engineer in the construction of a large chalet in Chamonix, which he generously allowed London members and their families to use. Rowing in a pair illegally with Julian Ebsworth on the Mexico Xochimilco Olympics course in 1969 when neither spoke Spanish and confronting an armed soldier who did not speak English. Entering the first LRC crew to race in the Vogalonga in Venice in 1975, a tradition which continues to this day. Ski-ing. Mountain walking, including to the top of Mont Blanc several times. A liking for rather elderly Rover cars. Being a founder trustee in 1980 of the 6s & 7s Club, which still meets. Driving the launch Casamajor and an inaugural member of the syndicate which bought her off the Club for £1 in 1992. And he re-introduced the Club’s 19thc.-design Henley blazers.
Simon reviving the 19th century LRC Henley blazer. Made by Moss Bros (who required a minimum order of 10 !), and featuring the distinctive striped blue and white ‘facings’. This is the ‘correct’ original design; the LRC shield was added to the coat pocket in 2005. From L: Simon, Richard Linning, Robert Rakison and Chris Sprague.
Perhaps the highlight was organising two twelve-oared crews in 1989, the 150th anniversary of the first Henley. This involved getting the Club’s waterman and boatbuilder, Bill Colley, to construct a middle section to bolt onto the bow and stern sections of an old Janousek eight. The boat was used for two crews - one comprising London captains of varying vintages parading gracefully past the Enclosures; the other a ‘proper’ racing XII which rowed over the whole Henley course in 6m. 30 secs. Naturally, Simon was stroke of both – at the age of 54! Twelves are very fast boats, and the Club owned several in Victorian times from the 1860s onwards.
Simon the stroke again in a twelve oar in 1989. Same boat, different crew, passing the Enclosures.
Simon used his journalistic experience to support Rob van Mesdag in producing the 125th anniversary book in 1981, and later compiled the Club’s first computerised membership database. He drew up the copy for Met Regatta programmes. He edited the Club’s printed Newsletter for eight years from 1998. He was on both the Club and Met committees for many years. The list goes on.
There was however one topic on which he had to admit defeat – the Gap Site. He was always a strong advocate of building over this space, part of the Club’s freehold since 1913, and currently occupied by the Scullers’ shed. It was Part 4 of the planned staged development in 2005-07. For various reasons this has never come to fruition – likely planning difficulties being just one of them.
There are doubtless more stories which could be told about Simon and his many contributions to the Club. But one thing is certain - he was a good man.
