(1933 – 2023)
Iain had been a lifelong and active member of LRC for 58 years when he sadly passed away, after a fall, on 5th January 2023.
Iain lived his early years in St Ives, Cambridgeshire. As luck would have it the river Great Ouse was nearby and that started a lifelong passion for any sporting activity to do with water. He and a friend used to muck about and go exploring and for some of those years had use of a punt which he rapidly learnt how to handle. In his teenage years he rowed and coxed for St Ives Rowing Club.
His young working life was spent in the Far East, primarily in Singapore, where he was an enthusiastic member of the Royal Singapore Yacht Club and participated in rowing and sailing. He amassed a suitcase worth of cups and tankards during his time there.
On his return to London he joined the Club in 1965 and was immediately adopted and co-opted by his old Far Eastern acquaintance and friend, John Pepys. John had initiated a group that were originally known as “Pepys’ Promotions”. These were rowers who liked to row “for the fun of it” and take part in Head Races but had limited spare time and were therefore unable to do much training. Outings were invariably followed by a drink at the bar and discussions about future events, be they social or rowing related. Iain was to take over the leadership of this group in 1976 (now known as the Irregulars) and was to stay at the helm for the next 37 years until he was 80 !
During that time he organised regular outings on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings on a “turn up and row basis”. He had the unenviable task of organising crews on the hoof and always did it with enthusiasm, patience, understanding and tremendous skill. He would invariably put himself last in the pecking order and cox if necessary or take a single where the numbers were uneven.
Some Wednesday evenings were sometimes followed by a dinner in the Members’ Room cooked by Iain himself. Rumour has it that he attended a cooking course so that he could present fare of the required standard. It is testament to his character that the Irregulars remain as strong as ever to this day with approximately 50 members, both men and women.
He was a tremendous supporter of LRC and was always a willing volunteer. A keen photographer (owning a photography business), he contributed in no small way to the 125th Anniversary LRC publication in 1981.
Above all , he was incredibly enthusiastic about the sport, welcomed any newcomers and encouraged all to stretch their horizons and extend their aspirations. He was an enthusiastic “tourer” and foreign adventurer, leading sorties to such destinations as Dublin, Madrid, Hamburg, Amsterdam and Norway. He led trips to take part in the Venice “Vogalonga”, which thanks to his enthusiasm has become an annual Irregulars event to this day.
Photo: Mark Ruscoe. Iain stroking a quad with John Pearson at 3, Rob van Mesdag at 2 and John Auber at bow.
Older members will remember the Curry Cup races on the Tideway – run annually and initially for those that had been rowing members of the Royal Singapore Yacht Club and the Calcutta Rowing Club. Initially started by John Pepys but run by Iain from 1980 till the late 90’s, it was followed by a dinner sometimes cooked by Iain himself.
In his later years at the club aged 79 he was asked if he would run a Learn To Row Programme for aspiring young rowers at the club. He immediately accepted and set to it with a youthful enthusiasm recruiting many willing helpers from the club. Of note, was a weekend row to Weybridge with some of the students in which Iain took part. This typified his totally unselfish character.
During his last few years, when he was unable to take to the water, he remained very much in touch with the club, attended many dinners and was especially pleased with the increase in women members and their successes on the water. He (and John Pearson) were guests of honour at a celebratory lunch held at the clubhouse on 25th September 2022.
Iain was a greatly loved man and with his quiet charm and patience endeared himself to all those that had the good fortune to cross his path. He will be sadly missed and LRC will be forever indebted.
Our thoughts go out to Meike, his wife, to Pip and John, his children, and to all his grandchildren.
Eddie Markes
