Hove in the Past: Hove Regatta

Judy Middleton (2002 revised 2015)

Captain McWhinnie and Mr W. Cockburn, assisted by the redoubtable William Hollamby, instituted the event known as Hove Regatta in 1876.

According to Hove Gazette (18 June 1898) Hove Regatta only cost £130 to stage the previous year. But the event would not always be so cheap to run in the future. The 1897 event apparently saved money because the boat hired to look after the safety of competitors broke down on its way out of Shoreham Harbour.

In 1909 W.H. Cockburn and J.G.H. Cockburn of 12 St Catherine’s Terrace were joint honorary secretaries while in 1913 it was stated that W.H. Cockburn had been secretary for seventeen years.

Hove Regatta was a popular event, both with those who took part and those who cheered them on from the shore. Indeed, it was often the case that schoolchildren were given a half-day’s holiday so that they might watch the performance. This concession by school heads was probably a pragmatic one since otherwise they risked the pupils playing truant to watch it in any case.

Some of the dates on which the annual event took place are listed below:

The date of Hove Regatta could not be set in stone because sometimes it had to be cancelled due to bad weather. The Sussex Daily News (15 September 1903) gives us a flavour of what the event was like.

‘Postponed a fortnight ago the Hove Regatta was held yesterday, over the usual course, that is the rowing events commencing opposite the judges’ box on Medina Esplanade and running parallel with the shore to a point opposite the Brunswick Lawns and back; while the sailing course was a triangular one – from a spot buoy opposite the Aldrington lagoon to another spot buoy moored off the eastern end of Brunswick Lawns and then seaward to a spot buoy moored off Grand Avenue, the starting and finishing points being the judges’ boat off the Medina esplanade.’

The part of the promenade projecting in front of Medina Terrace and Medina Lawn was once known as the Quarter Deck.

The programme consisted of four sailing matches and thirteen rowing matches and meanwhile there was popular music provided by the band of the 1^st Volunteer Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. The same band also provided music during the evening on Medina Lawn, which was prettily illuminated by fairy lamps. The prizes were presented on Medina Lawn and later on there was a display of fireworks off the Medina Sea Wall.

Other attractions were Hove Swimming Club Sports and the customary diversion of climbing the greasy pole

On this occasion the weather was much better for sailing boats than had been the case at Brighton Regatta when there had not been a breath of wind. One disappointment at Hove Regatta was the ‘tiny racing colours’ carried by the majority of boats and amateur fours, which made it practically impossible for spectators to distinguish between rivals, even with the aid of telescope or opera glasses.

The races were categorised as follows:

Sailing luggers – not exceeding 16 feet 6 inches and open to watermen and fishermen of Brighton and Hove. Mr O.E. Davigdor Goldsmid donated the first prize of three guineas and Alderman Colman donated the second prize of two guineas. There was a third prize of £1. The winner was Mr J. Brooks in Victoria.


copyright © J.Middleton It is probable that the vessels in the sailing lugger race resembled these vessels photographed at Brighton.

Handicap Sailing Race (Open) – Yachts and boats of any rig from 17 feet to 28 feet could take part. Hove Boat Club donated the prizes of £3 for the first, £2 for the second and £1 for the third. The winner was to hold the Vallance Challenge Cup (value ten guineas), which Mrs Vallance of Brooker Hall had presented to Hove Regatta Committee. Mr D. Buck in Snark won the race.

Watermen’s Sculls – This event was open to licensed watermen and fishermen of Brighton and Hove; the boats had to be not less than 13 feet and not more than 14 feet 6 inches. The first prize was £1-10s, the second prize was £1 and the third prize was 10/- and in addition Mr Christie of the Sussex Hotel presented the prize-winners with a bottle of whisky each. Mr J. King won the event

Junior Amateur Pairs (Open) – At stake were the Southern Weekly News Challenge Cup and the James M. Glover Cup. Messrs Evershed, the jewellers of Church Road, Hove, donated the prizes; the first prize was valued at £3 and the second was valued at £2. Hastings Cinque Ports Rowing Club won.

Senior Amateur Sculls – The trophies to be won in this event were Earl Sheffield’s Challenge Cup, Bobinsky Challenge Cup and Sketchy Bits Challenge Cup. Messrs Barfoot Brothers donated the first prize (value £3) and Mr Barnett Marks donated the second prize (value £2). Herne Bay Amateur Rowing Club won.

Watermen’s Double Sculling Race – This race was open to watermen and fishermen of Brighton and Hove in boats measuring from 14 feet to 14 feet 6 inches in length. The first prize was £2, second prize £1-10s, third prize £1 and fourth prize 5/-. The first three winners also received a bottle of whisky each. Messrs Mitchell and King won.

Amateur Sailing Race – The contestants competed for the Manor House Challenge Cup. The first prize was £2, second prize was £1, third prize 15/- and fourth prize 10/-. Mr H. Jordan in Try won.

Coastguard Service – The men competed for the Cecil Long Challenge Cup. Captain Vernon Wentworth M.P. donated the prizes of £3, £2 and £1. Mr Waters also gave each winner two bottles of sherry. The losing crews received 10/- each. Mr Langley won.

Ladies Race – The first prize had a value of £1-10s, the second prize was worth 15/- and the third prize was worth 10/-. There were five boats in this race and the Misses Cardinall won by two lengths.

Junior Amateur Sculls – The contestants competed for the Lady Dickinson Challenge Cup. The Sussex Goldsmiths’ and Silversmiths’ Company of Church Road, Hove, donated the first prize with a value of £1-15s, Mr J. Cooper of Blatchington Road, Hove, donated the second prize of one guinea; the third prize was 10/6d. Mr F. Cheater of Bexhill Rowing Club won.

Senior Amateur Fours (Open) – The participants competed for the South Coast Challenge Cup, South Coast Railway Challenge Club and Portsmouth Challenge Cup. Hove Corporation donated the first prize, which was valued at £6; Mr G.B. Woodruff gave the second prize worth £4 and West Brighton Estate Company donated the third prize with a value of £2. Herne Bay Amateur Rowing Club won.

Coastguard Pair-Oared Race – This race was to be raced in boats owned by watermen of Brighton and Hove and the boats had to measure not less than 13 feet in length and not exceeding 14 feet 6 inches. The first prize was £2, the second prize was £1, the third prize was 10/- and fourth prize was 5/-. Messrs Goodman & Searle of Hove won.

Junior Amateur Fours (Open) – The contestants competed for Herne Bay Challenge Cup, Waldon Challenge Cup and Portsmouth Grand Challenge Cup. London, Brighton and South Coast Railway donated the first two prizes, valued at £3 and £2; the third prize was £1. Hastings Cinque Port Rowing Club won.

Senior Amateur Pairs (Open) – The participants competed for Mappin & Webb Challenge Cup and the Pape Trophy. Alderman Howlett donated the prizes of 3 guineas for the first and 2 guineas for the second. Herne Rowing Club won.

Pair-Oared Race – This event was to be rowed in boats measuring from 13 feet to 14 feet 6 inches and owned by waterman of Brighton and Hove. This event was open to all comers with the exception of watermen and coastguards. Mrs Vallance of Brooker Hall donated the first prize of £2. The second prize was £1, third prize was 15/- and fourth prize was 10/-. Messrs C. Robins and R. Robins won.

Greasy Pole Contests – This was a popular event with much laughter from the audience. The prizes were as follows:

First Contest – Mr Petty donated a leg of mutton plus 5/-

Second Contest – Mr Youens donated a leg of mutton plus 5/-.

Third Contest – Mr Homewood donated a leg of mutton plus 5/-.

Fourth Contest – Mr Clements donated a cake plus 5/-.

Boys’ Club – This event was a 60-yard handicap race. Hove Regatta Committee donated the generous prizes consisting of the following:

First Prize – a pair of field-glasses in a case

Second Prize – a silver-mounted walking stick

Third Prize – a silver-mounted letter case

Mr H.V. Edwards won.

copyright © J.Middleton
Perhaps the rowing boats resembled this specimen although the contestants would not have been so young.

220-Yard Handicap Race – The contestants competed for a cup presented by Walter Venner. The winner held the cup for a year. The prizes were as follows:

First prize – a silver-plated inkstand

Second Prize – a silver match-box

Third Prize – a silver-mounted letter case.

Mr E. Bollard won.

Sources

Encyclopaedia of Hove and Portslade

Local newspapers on microfilm

Sussex Daily News (15 September 1903)

page layout by D.Sharp

12 January 2016

Hove Regatta