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Today is Saturday 10th May 2008
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Today's High Tides 03:44 GMT (5.1M) 16:04 GMT (4.9M)
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Corinthian Otter
History |  |
A proud history of youth sailing...
1930 was a year of great importance in the life of the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club. An expanding membership meant that the existing clubhouse was totally inadequate and there was nowhere for the ladies. The dilemma whether to expand the current building or start again in new purpose-built premises had been resolved; at the AGM of February 1930 Philip de Gylpyn Benson was elected and given a mandate to build afresh. Exciting plans for a modern building designed by Joseph Emberton were agreed. These plans included accommodation for the ladies who were now to be admitted to the Club in their own right.
Suddenly there was a greater presence not only of the ladies but also of the children, on the river, in the river, rowing, sculling, sailing, everywhere. The Crouch is an unforgiving river with strong tides and tricky conditions, not the place for untrained children. It must have been the source of much worried discussion amongst the parents so ‘Tiny’ Mitchell, a family man himself, decided that the children should be taught the rudiments of sailing before there was a fatal accident! A club, to be known eventually as the Corinthian Otters, was the result in 1930, probably the first of its kind for youngsters.
FG Mitchell, or ‘Tiny’ as he was known for obvious reasons (check his portrait in the Dining Room) had become Vice Commodore to Benson at the 1930 AGM but Philip Benson died in early 1931 whilst the work on the new Clubhouse was still underway. Tiny, a constructional engineer by profession, was now the senior Flag Officer, supervising the development of the new building, and, in his spare time, creating a club for the children, along with his wife, Blackie.
Only children of Royal Corinthian members aged eight and over were eligible to join the Otters. Full members of the Otters were expected to swim 60 yards in light sailing clothes, row 70 yards across the tide round a moored boat twice, pass a sailing test and demonstrate general seamanship, such as ‘coming alongside’. They were allowed to sport the Otter Badge, the laurel wreath, centred with the letter ‘O’. Otter Cubs who had yet to pass the swimming test wore a badge with the letter ‘C’ and Pups, under the age of eight but keen, had the letter ‘P’ (and were not allowed in the boats!)
The Otters came into formal being in 1934. That year saw the first minuted meeting and the first AGM. The first committee meeting was held at Boulestin Restaurant in Holborn, swimming tests were carried out at the International Sportsmen’s Club, (at the invitation of Mrs Mitchell) and they banked at Coutts... such style!
As the Otters were allowed only limited access to the main Clubhouse, accommodation was needed for them elsewhere. The little building between the old and the new Clubhouse was rented for £17.7.3d per annum and Mr Mitchell promised £50 to cover repairs and maintenance. The photo shows the opening of the ‘Otter Hut’ by Sir Claude and Lady de Crispigny on April 21st 1934. Sir Claude had founded the Otter Swimming Club on the Blackwater and he thought Burnham was producing something similar so he was a bit surprised when the Otter Burgee was hoisted and an Otter dinghy launched to the sound of a gun firing!
The first Annual meeting of the Otters was held on December 22nd 1934, when the Flag Officers elected were EBN Mitchell (Bud) Commodore, RC Aitken Vice Commodore and Henry Budd Rear Commodore.
Wendy Eagling
To be continued
Acknowledgements:-
Cyril Goodman- A New Clubhouse from ‘One Hundred Years of Amateur Yachting’
Jo Heriot- The Corinthian Otters, ibid
Judy Waples -The Corinthian Otters 1930-1996
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