The Spreadbury Cup is a large silver trophy, not dissimilar in size and shape to the English F.A Cup, but without a lid. It was instituted shortly after World War II by Bob Spreadbury.
Outside his professional career Mr. Robert Cleveland (Bob) Spreadbury was a keen musician and was band master of the Weybridge Military Band and Tarrrant's Band of Byfleet. The cup which bears his name was presented to him by the members of Tarrant's Band in recognition of his services to them as their conductor. 'Bob' became Honorary Treasurer of the Club in the late 1920's, a post which he held until his death in March 1950 at the age of 77, having seen the club successfully through some of the bleakest financial periods in its history. As a mark of appreciation, in September 1944 he was made an Honorary Life Member and presented with a silver tankard to mark the occasion.
On his death the 'Tarrant' cup was presented to the club in his memory to be awarded annually to the member who is adjudged to have made the most meritorious contribution to the well-being of the club during the preceding year. Indirectly this cup is also a fitting tribute to the contribution made collectively by the Spreadbury family to rowing over a long period of time.
Bob's elder son, Eric, was a keen oarsman and sculler and was chosen as reserve for the Weybridge Olympic crew in 1924. He too was a keen musician but tragically he was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1926. His younger son, Cyril, was also well known in rowing circles for his outstanding dedication to the sport both at Weybridge R.C. and at St. George's College Boat Club, where he taught many boys the art of rowing. Cyril was Club Captain for 8 years in the 1930s and 1940s and a stalwart of the Club in the middle part of the 20th century. He was a hard-working individual, always willing to coach and help the crews. He was Club President in the 1960s.
Bob's daughter, Joan, was also a lifetime supporter of the club, commencing by selling regatta programmes at an early age and graduating to organising meals and other supporting functions at both club and open regattas. Her husband, George Kenyon, was a distinguished oarsman and former President of Weybridge Rowing Club. Their son, Robert, still actively follows the Club's progress, and sponsors the tankard which is presented to each year's Spreadbury Cup winner.
The Cup is awarded at the Annual Dinner to the person who - in the opinion of the retiring Captain - has contributed most to the Club's well-being over the past year. That person will have followed in Cyril's footsteps by advancing the Club's interests beyond his/her own. It is rarely presented to a current officer, who by definition, should be a hard-working person; it normally goes to a 'rank-and-file' member whose work might have gone largely unrecognised. It is not normally awarded more than once to the same person.
It is purposefully not aimed at recognising rowing or athletic prowess. The Club's highest achiever at regattas will already have a set of pots to show for that effort. Previous winners have included those running the bar or events, maintaining the boats, towing the trailer, keeping the club spick-and-span, or coaching or coxing at all levels.
Winning the Spreadbury Cup is more than keeping custody of the trophy for 12 months; it permits "membership for life" of a team of people who have made a real difference at Weybridge RC over the years. To that end, Cup winners are invited to enjoy a biennial dinner at the Club where the latest winners can be welcomed to group. Moreover, like-minded people, young and not-so-young, can enjoy exchanging stories of club life over the years. These gatherings occur in the spring of 'even' years and are currently organised by Greg Jones (winner in 1976).
The ethos of the Spreadbury Cup is to recognise exceptional effort, not necessarily length of service. Several winners went on to become Club captains after receiving the Cup, including the 50th recipient, David Grayston. The Cup has only twice been jointly awarded, and only twice has it gone to a previous winner.
The costs of maintaining the Cup and the individual pots for winners to keep for life are generously met by Robert Kenyon, who rowed at the Club in the 1970s and is a descendant of the Spreadbury family.
In 2000, Mark Johnson (winner in 1990) kindly provided a delightful oak board which is mounted in the clubroom and bears all of the winners' names.
2007 will mark the 60th year of the Spreadbury Cup.
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1948 H. C. Street 1949 I. D. Barclay 1950 A. P. Swain 1951 R. J. Morris 1952 J. H. Smithers 1953 T. P. A. Poulter 1954 G. A. Illston 1955 J. L. Bray 1956 B. E. Cox 1957 E. J. Goree 1958 G. A. Thwaite 1959 T. C. Preskett 1960 J. H. Lennard 1961 J. L. Bray 1962 J. R. Burnett 1963 R. J. Hussey 1964 J. E. Cox 1965 C. D. Cousin 1966 B. H. May 1967 L. F. Balding |
1968 D. H. Barker 1969 I. W. Pratt 1970 J. M. Taylor 1971 A. V. Bowman & T. J. Goldhawk (jointly) 1972 A. Cooke 1973 D. Cox 1974 W. Stagg 1975 J. H. Shore 1976 G. J. Gregory-Jones 1977 S. Hudson 1978 P. P. Bulmer 1979 D. J. Roy 1980 M. A. Pride 1981 I. M. Nicoll 1982 S. Richardson 1983 J. L. Munn 1984 A. R. Tilling 1985 R. A. King 1986 E. F. Cropper (Miss) |
1987 R. Edwards 1988 C. A. Adamson (Mrs) 1989 F. M. Keyzor (Ms) 1990 M. Johnson 1991 J. Harris & R. Harris (jointly) 1992 I. Shore 1993 M. Cumpper 1994 B. Belcher 1995 C. Boon 1996 A. G. Edwards 1997 D. Grayston 1998 N.M. Gower 1999 C.M. Turnbull (Mrs) 2000 C. Boon 2001 E. Klaeijsen (Ms) 2002 C.E. Allaway (Ms) 2003 D. Murdoch 2004 O. Rogers 2005 J.W.S. Beagley |
2006 C. Capel 2007 S. Heywood |