The 92nd Thames Sailing Barge Match was due to take place on Saturday, 15 June. An increased entry of twelve barges was encouraging after a few rather lean years but during the week three withdrew for various reasons and of the nine that had made it to Gravesend by Friday evening too many crew members had dropped out for the Adieu to be able to race effectively so only eight barges remained, the same number as last year. The weather forecast was not good with fresh south westerlies and thundery showers for Saturday but looked possible with a shortened course.
Saturday morning dawned clear and bright with a lovely sailing breeze, but the 0600 inshore waters forecast had deteriorated to “south or southwest 4 to 6 increasing 7 or gale 8 for a time, thundery showers, good visibility except in rain”. A hastily convened meeting on the Town Pier of the skippers and Match Committee agreed that the prudent thing to do was to cancel the Match. This turned out to be the right decision: by mid-morning it was blowing hard with torrential rain blotting out any visibility. We later found out that the Round-the-Island yacht race had cancelled all except the Ocean Racing classes and many of them had turned back before getting out of the Solent.
It was disappointing to participants and spectators to have to cancel and indeed I’m not aware that the Thames Match has ever been cancelled for weather in its 160-year history. The 1903 and 1928 matches are recorded as having been sailed in a near-gale with some damage to the barges’ gear but in those days the barges were relatively new and had a tight professional crew who all knew exactly what they were doing and what risks they were taking. Today with some vessels over a hundred years old, many with families and friends onboard, and with a very different safety culture we have to be more cautious.
A few of the would-be participants departed early while others found different ways of passing the day before repairing to the Three Daws for the traditional match supper. In the absence of a prizegiving we were treated to a well-crafted and entertaining speech by former owner of the Lady Daphne Michael Mainelli, weaving together themes of the Thames, commerce, history, shipping and the traditions associated with his current role as Lord Mayor of London. Michael has retained his interest in sailing barges and indeed has chosen our Blue Mermaid’s Sea Change Trust as one of the Lord Mayor’s charities for his year of office. We hope that next year, being less busy, he will be able to spend the day afloat with the Match on Saturday 19 July.
Although there are no prizes this year for racing the Committee would like to award two of its trophies. The Gold Belt Cup for achievement is given to David Pollock of Repertor for having supported almost every match (and not only the Thames Match) for the last thirty years. Appropriately, this is Repertor’s centenary year. The Roy Stanbrook Salver for services to the Match is awarded to John Hargreaves who has been our reliable timekeeper for the last twenty-five years.
Julian Cass, Officer of the Day 2024