Life Members
The title of life member is bestowed upon those individuals whom have delivered a great service to the West of England Amateur Rowing association. Often involvement with the sport of rowing in the South West can be traced back through generations as the same names appear in historical archives, often starting as a young cox, becoming a novice oarsman, working his way to senior status, winning championships, and eventually passing the oar to somebody younger only to reappear on the water as an umpire or coach, eventually as a club delegate, chairman of a sub committee, president of the association and life member. In this way the length of service some individuals provide to rowing in the West Country is quite remarkable. There are several members of the association today who can trace that development; WEARA seems to attract a rare kind of loyalty and long service.
Inevitably in a hundred years of history a vast number of people have been involved with the Association, and it is impossible to mention all their names, but a few stand out - that of Colin Myrone who first attended a WEARA meeting in November 1964, becoming delegate for Plymouth ARC in 1966 and representative on the Sports Council in 1972, WEARA Chairman in 1975 also standing as president during this period and even combining it with that of his wife Jenni who served as Secretary from 1980 to 1989. Today despite ill health he remains an active member of WEARA and remains on the FWSO as a regional representative.
Tony Way from Bideford ARC started his rowing life as a Cox before the war in 1948; he won the Junior Championships in 1949 and the Senior from 1952 to 56, with the NARA Senior Championships in 1955. He attended his first WEARA meeting in 1962, becoming a delegate in 1964, Chairman in 1967 and President in 1977. He was elected a Life Member in1992. The late Des Moyse a founder member of Plymouth ARC rowed in the BARC Junior Championship winning crew in 1947 and the Senior in 1948 became a delegate in 1955, Secretary from 1960 to 1964, President in 1974, and remained a delegate until his death in1993.
There are many others, such as Glyn Jones (BARC) who was Secretary from 1952 until 1960 and Mike Ferrigno (Torquay) who coxed the Senior Championship winning crew in 1947, rowed in the Junior Championship winning crew in 1953, a delegate in 1958, Chairman in 1968 and Chairman of the start-up Committee of Wimbleball RC in 1979. Bob Ely (Paignton) who won Senior Championships in 1949, a delegate in 1955, Chairman in 1957 and a life member in 1976. John Bowden (Dartmouth) started rowing as an under 20 in 1954, won the Junior Championships in 1956 and the Seniors from 1959 through to 63, and every year from 65 to 69, becoming a delegate in 1965, President in 1973 and again in 1994 and was made a life member in that year. Bob Kelly (BAAC) started rowing in 1947, became a delegate in 1965, President in 1980 and has looked after the Association's communications equipment for many years. The longest service record must go to Mr. P.J.V. Fulford who was Secretary from 1931 to 1937 and Treasurer from 1937 to 1959 and Auditor from 1964 to 1978 having been elected a life member in 1959 some 47years of voluntary service.
Hundreds of people have contributed in many ways over the last hundred years to enable the most remarkable development of this great association of ours. Space does not allow a mention of them all, but their achievement is nonetheless meritorious. The names included on this page are the names of people who have spent a lifetime shaping the face of rowing in the South West.
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K W J Bradford, |
N Parkin Esq., |
M Ferrigno, |
Mrs. J Myrone, |
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B C Kelly, |
F R Way Esq., |
M J Bowden Esq.,
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B J Pascoe Esq., |
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C D Myrone Esq., |
H Bastone Esq., |
R Mallett Esq., |
A J Jewell Esq., |
| K W Hearn 10 Brookfield Clovelly Road BIDEFORD EX39 3DP. |