Posters

Posters And Programme Gallery

The images below, and on the left are of the posters which were used to promote the Thames Match from the beginning of the 4th series that began in 1995. The images on the right are those of the covers of the Match Programme that were issued in each year.

The text represents the Official Summaries of the Match as produced by the Hon. Secretary, at the time, and are included so as to provide a "flavour" of how that Match turned out. These summaries are verbatim as published in the relevant Match Programmes, except for the addition of the year the barges were built in brackets, the first time each barges' name is mentioned.

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	76th Match, 16th July 2005
	The Match Poster [left] and the Match Programme [right] are now in circulation to promote and explain the 76th. Match. Existing Patrons will have received their own copies. The summary will not appear here until the Match Programme for the 77th. Match, scheduled for July 21, 2007, is published. Patrons, however, will receive an advance copy of it before the 2007 Match.

	75th Match, 16th July 2005
	The Match Poster [left] and the Match Programme [right] are now in circulation to promote and explain the 75th. Match. Existing Patrons will have received their own copies.

	74th Match, 10th July 2004

	After a period of poor weather Saturday the 10th dawned with a hint of summer and a moderate westerly breeze. The Coasting Class went off first at 10.00, Alice (1954) first at 10.00.39 followed 2 minutes later by Reminder (1929) and Lady Daphne (1923). Unfortunately Phoenician (1922) crossed the wrong side of the line and picked up a 20 minute time penalty. Mirosa (1892) sailing in the Staysail class for the first time in fifty years led her class over the line,
fourteen seconds after the 10.15 gun, picking up the Captain R D Duke Cup for the fastest start. She was followed by Greta (1892), Wyvenhoe (1898) and Repertor (1924). Edme (1898) and May (1891) crossed the line in the Champion Bowsprit Class neck and neck 26 and 36 seconds respectively after the 10.30 gun followed 2 minutes later by Marjorie (1902) and Adieu (1929). In the faltering wind the fleet ran up an extraordinary range of running sails. Edme contrived to set four downwind sails, Greta produced a rainbow genoa while Alice set an enormous yacht spinnaker. The failing wind caused the Bridge Committee to shorten the course to the SE Leigh Buoy. The fleet gybed round the mark led by Lady Daphne in the Coasting Class at 12.07, followed by Reminder and Alice, Mirosa led the Staysails two minutes later. Repertor rounded at 12.20 followed in close succession by Greta, Edme, Wyvenhoe, May, Marjorie and Adieu. On the turn back up the river the wind gradually increased, shifting between the south-west and northwest and becoming increasingly squally. Topsails and staysails were dropped and re-set, Greta’s topsail halyard block broke, one of Marjorie’s bowsprit chain plates pulled out, chines came out of the water as the barges were pushed to their limits. In the heavier wind the bigger barges gradually closed on Edme, which had established a lead after the Outer Mark; but her lead was too substantial, she crossed the line at 16.31.41 her closest rival May crossed at 16.45.50. Mirosa finished at 16.50.23 followed by Repertor six minutes later. Marjorie crossed at 17.01.27 followed by Greta and Wyvenhoe. Alice, first in the Coasting Class, crossed at 17.40.10, twenty minutes ahead of Lady Daphne. In the evening Mrs Pamela Everard presented the prizes in the marquee on the Clarendon Royal Hotel Lawn. Mark Boyle
	73rd Match, 19th July 2003
	A fine summer’s morning and a light south-easterly breeze greeted the 11 entrants for the 73rd Match. Within five minutes of the Coasting Class start at 08.00, all four entrants had crossed the line led by Gladys (1901) 42 seconds after the gun followed by Ardwina (1909), Lady Daphne (1923) and Ethel Ada (1903). Unfortunately Ardwina was disqualified for using her engine to clear the Mucking No. 3 Buoy.
The breeze, at best ‘light’, then began to fail. Repertor (1924), Reminder (1929) and Alice (1954) in the Staysail Class, all crossed early and picked up 20 minutes time penalties, but Greta (1892) crossed 12 seconds after the gun, winning the Capt RD Duke Cup for the fastest start. At the Champion Bowsprit Class start at 08.30 all three barges were almost becalmed in the slack tide to the west of the start line. Whilst Xylonite (1926) managed to stem the tide, May (1891) and Adieu (1929) were forced to anchor. Adieu broke out on the wrong tack and ran aground. Xylonite managed to cross 32 minutes after the gun and May crossed 42 minutes later, once she had cleared mooring wire debris from her anchor. The light wind prompted the Bridge Committee to shorten the course to the SE Leigh Buoy. Repertor rounded first at 10.18 followed by Gladys two minutes later with Greta four minutes behind her. Xylonite, despite starting an hour after the first start, rounded at 10.34, a minute behind Ethel Ada, but just ahead of Alice, Reminder and Lady Daphne which rounded at 10.36. May at 11.16. The Fleet – with the exception of Lady Daphne who sought the slack tide on the Essex shore – held to windward in the new Force 3 southerly breeze. The leaders fetched up Sea Reach with a ‘soldiers wind’ by then increased to Force 4. The later barges were headed off by the Mid Blyth Buoy and were forced to sail a longer course. Xylonite crossed the finishing line at 13.21 followed by Repertor at 13.25 and eight minutes later by Gladys. Greta crossed at 13.35. May crossed at 13.49 and some 28 minutes behind Xylonite. Reminder crossed at 13.53. Lady Daphne, Alice and Ethel Ada all crossed within a minute of each other by 14.02. Steve Cuthbert, the Chief Executive Officer of the Port of London Authority completed the presentation of the prizes just as a thunderstorm, which had been threatening, finally made its mark on the Clarendon Royal Hotel lawn. Mark Boyle
	72nd Match, 15th June 2002
	Blue sky and a respectable south westerly breeze, greeted the 11 barges that made it to the start line of the 72nd Match. Phoenician (1922) led the Coasters away at 07.00.47 quickly followed by Cabby (1928), Centaur (1895), Montreal (1902) and Lady Daphne (1923). In the Staysail Class, Marjorie (1902) crossed the line 31 seconds after the gun, winning the R. D. Duke Cup for the fastest star. Repertor (1924) followed with Greta (1892) and Reminder (1929) 3 minutes later.
Edme (1898) led Xylonite (1926) over the start line by a minute in the Bowsprit Class. With a freshening breeze, the fleet, at 10-11 knots, took just under 2 hours to sail the 19 miles to the outer mark, the North Oaze Buoy. They rounded in an 18-minute period, Phoenician first at 09.17, and finally Xylonite at 09.35. With an hour's ebb still to run and the wind by then fresh, the fleet stood over to the Essex shore, the leaders approaching Southend Pier as the flood started to run. The order of the fleet changed little, though the gap between the leading group and the tail-enders increased as the boards became shorter and the staysails started to disappear. Edme having created a substantial lead crossed the finish line at 13.45, followed by Marjorie and Xylonite 13 minutes later. Cabby led the Coasters home, crossing the line at 14.07 followed by Repertor and Greta. Phoenician second in the Coasting Class crossed at 14.47. Centaur crossed at 15.14 followed at 15.40 by Lady Daphne. Reminder, which earlier in the day had lost her topmast, crossed at 16.03. Last but not least the swim headed Montreal crossed at 17.00. Tony Lapthorne of R. Lapthorne and Company presented the prizes, following a supper on the riverside lawn of the Clarendon Royal Hotel. Mark Boyle
	71st Match, 28 July 2001
	The day opened hot and sunny with a light easterly breeze. The Coasters were first away at 10.00, Lady Daphne (1923) crossing the line backwards and early, therefore incurring a time penalty. Phoenician (1922) crossed sideways followed 1 second later by Cabby (1928). In the Staysail Class, Marjorie (1902) had the misfortune to cross the start line 20 minutes early
make ground back over the ebb to the start line, was forced to anchor to maintain her position. and, unable to Reminder (1929) and Repertor (1924) crossed 3 minutes after the gun. Edme, sailing backwards, crossed the line 24 seconds after the gun in the Bowsprit Class, followed just 12 seconds later by Xylonite (1926), with May (1891) some 3 minutes after. As the lower end of Shell Haven was passed, the breeze picked up a little and the Staysails and Bowsprits narrowed the distance on the Coasting Class, by then led by Cabby. Repertor had established a half-mile lead over Reminder, while in the Bowsprits, Xylonite had drawn ahead of Edme. As the wind remained steady at ‘light’, the Committee decided to shorten the course to the Mid Swatch Buoy on the Kent shore. Cabby rounded first after 3 seconds short of 3 hours, followed a few minutes later by Repertor, Xylonite and Edme. Reminder and May rounded 42 seconds apart at 13.35. Lady Daphne led Phoenician round clearing the Mark at 13.46, just as the anchored ships at Southend and Leigh started to swing to the flood. Edme now led, followed by Xylonite, Cabby and Repertor, ahead of May and Marjorie. followed by Reminder, Lady Daphne and Phoenician. In the Lower Hope the wind fell light and fluky, allowing Xylonite to close Edme’s lead. Edme crossed the line just 2 minutes ahead of Xylonite. Cabby of the Coasting Class crossed some 12 minutes later having maintained her position ahead of the Champion Staysail Class Repertor. They were shortly followed by Marjorie and May. Lady Daphne crossed 10 minutes later, followed by Reminder and Phoenician. The prizes were presented, following a supper on the riverside lawn of the Clarendon Royal Hotel, by Colin Middlemiss, the Clerk of the Company of Watermen & Lightermen of the River Thames. Mark Boyle
	70th Match, 24th June 2000
	A light chilly SW breeze greeted the day. With the exception of the Lady Jean (1923), the Coasters got off in a bunch; just 1 minute and 46 seconds separated the Class over the line. Centaur (1895) picked up the Captain R. D. Duke Cup for the fastest start, 39 seconds after the gun. The Staysails too, led by Wyvenhoe (1898), got away in close order with less than two minutes between first and last to start. The Bowsprits
followed suit and crossed with their spinnakers set, May (1891) first, just 17 second ahead of Portlight (1925). With less wind than forecast and the prospect of it falling even lighter, the Committee decided to turn the Coasters and Staysails at the South Shoebury Buoy. Cabby (1928) rounded first at 10.33 followed closely by Lady Daphne (1923) and Phoenician (1922). The leader of the Staysails, Marjorie (1902), rounded at 10.41 followed quickly by Pudge (1922), Centaur, Repertor (1924) and Ena (1906), then 10 minutes later Reminder (1929) and Wyvenhoe. The Bowsprits continued on to the South West Barrow Buoy, Portlight rounding first at 11.40, with May five minutes and Xylonite (1926) a further two minutes behind her. The fleet soon fell into three distinct groups on both the Kent and Essex shores, as the barges worked their way up river, over the last of the ebb and the beginning of the flood. Cabby, Marjorie and Repertor led, with the three bowsprits bringing up the rear. Repertor crossed the line first at 15.13 with Cabby two minutes behind her and Marjorie eight minutes later. The bulk of the fleet crossed the line shortly after 4pm led by Wyvenhoe and followed by Pudge, Ena, Reminder, Lady Daphne and Centaur. May, having established a lead in the Bowsprits, was overhauled at the top of Sea Reach by Portlight which crossed the line at 16.52, winning the Championship of the London River for the first time since 1928, the first barge in the current Match series to emulate a success of the past. Richard Ormand, Director of the National Maritime Museum, presented the prizes after the traditional supper at the Clarendon Royal Hotel, Gravesend. Mark Boyle
	69th Match, 17th July 1999
	Race day dawned cloudy but with the promise of fine summer weather and a SW breeze. The Coasting Class were first away at 07.00. Cygnet (1881), Lady Daphne (1923) and Lady Jean (1923) all picked up 20 minute time penalties, leaving Ena (1906) to cross first with Pudge (1922) seven minutes further back. In the Champion Staysail Class Wyvenhoe (1898) picked up a 20 minute penalty. Reminder (1929) crossed the line 1 minute 34 seconds after the gun
with Repertor (1924) 6 seconds after, closely followed by Ironsides (1900), with Greta (1892) and Marjorie (1902) 2 minutes later. In the Champion Bowsprit Class Thistle (1895) retired after having to use her engine. Portlight (1925) crossed 1 minute 18 seconds after the gun and in so doing won the Captain R D Duke Cup for the fastest start. Xylonite 1926) followed May (1891) over the line in third place. Conscious that the SW breeze might fail, the Bridge Committee selected the SE Leigh Buoy as the Outer Mark. The first to round was Ena at 09.22 followed by Reminder at 09.17 with Ironsides at 09.18. Portlight, leading the Bowsprits, rounded at 09.22. The rest of the fleet rounded between 09.23 and 09.34. As the barges turned up over the last of the ebb the wind began to fail as the sun burnt off the cloud cover. In these fickle conditions the fleet quickly became spread out, with the exception of the bunched up Staysails, where no less than five of the six barges held the lead at one time or another. However the wind filled in again and May crossed the line at 14.29 with Repertor 2 minutes behind. They were followed in quick succession by Marjorie, Ironsides and Portlight. In the Coasting Class Lady Daphne crossed at 16.33 with Pudge just 39 seconds behind with Ena 3 minutes later. Mrs Rosemary Shotton, great grand-daughter of F. T. Everard, presented the prizes. She informed those present that this was the second time she had done so, the first being in 1963 when as a school girl she undertook the role for the Centenary Match aboard the Committee steamer Royal Sovereign. Mark Boyle

	68th Match, 18th July 1998
	The day of the 68th Match dawned breezy with a WSW 4-5 which promised a quick run out of the river, but a dead beat back. The first decision of the day, due to the late low water, was to turn the Coasting Class at the West Shoebury Buoy and the remainder at the South Shoebury. Lady Jean (1923) in the Coasting Class crossed
the line on the dot of 10.30 and for so doing was awarded the Captain R. D. Duke Cup. Cabby (1928) followed 33 seconds later with Gladys (1901) one second behind and Lady Daphne (1923) 5 second after. Ena (1906) and Hydrogen (1906) picked up 20 minute start line penalties, starting what turned out to be a foretaste of what was to come in the other Classes. Reminder (1929) and Wyvenhoe (1898) in the Staysails followed suit and were penalised, leaving Greta (1892) to cross 55 seconds after the gun, followed by Marjorie (1902) and Adieu (1929). In the Bowsprits it was the turn of Thistle (1895) and Repertor (1924) to pick up time penalties, start line honours going to Portlight (1925) 47 seconds after the gun, followed by May (1891) and Xylonite (1926). The Coasters all rounded the West Shoebury Buoy in a fifteen minute period led by Cabby at 11.28. The rest of the fleet sailed on down river leaving the Coasters to do their best, clawing their way back up river against the last three hours of the ebb. Marjorie led the Staysails round the South Shoebury Buoy at 12.05, the last in her Class, Adieu, rounding at 12.38. The Bowsprits all rounded in an exciting six minute period led by May at 12.23, Thistle as back marker rounding at 12.29. Once round the Outer Mark, both Marjorie and May quickly began to dominate their respective Classes. In the Coasters, Cabby and Gladys, who had been racing neck and neck, were finally overhauled by May at the bottom of Gravesend Reach. May went on to cross the line at 16.33 to win the Championship pennant for the third time. Coasting Class winner Cabby crossed at 16.37 and Portlight at 16.38. Gladys finished at 16.40 and the Staysail Class winner Marjorie at 16.49. The third places went to Xylonite, Reminder and Ena in the Bowsprits, Staysails and Coasters respectively. All barges still racing finished before the 18.00 deadline. The prizes were presented, with accompanying anecdotes, by Barrie Lawrence, President of the Thames Barge Sailing Club. Mark Boyle
	67th Match, 12th July 1997
	As the fog of the previous night gradually burnt off, the Coasting Class was led off the line by the Ena (1906), two and a half minutes after the eight o'clock gun. The Champion Staysail at 08.15 were led by the Thistle (1895) which also picked up the Captain R D Duke Cup, being one minute and fifty-six seconds after the gun. In the Champion Bowsprit Class the Portlight (1925) was first over but picked up a twenty minute time penalty for
being the wrong side of the Mucking Nº 3 Buoy, leaving Gladys (1901) to pick up the start line honours. Although the light west to south-west breeze, gradually died, the Committee still decided to take the fleet as far as the South Shoebury Buoy, confident that the afternoon sea breeze would get the barges back to Gravesend. The Marjorie (1902) was first to round the Outer Mark, at 11.11. The Cabby (1928), leading her Class, followed twenty minutes later, with the Reminder (1929), Cygnet (1881) and Wyvenhoe (1898) close on her heels. The rest of the fleet rounded between 11.48 and 12.04, only the Hydrogen (1906) failing to reach the Mark, when the young flood got the better of the dying breeze. As the Committee Boat made its way back up river, it became clear that the sea breeze was not going to materialise, indeed at one point the much spread out fleet were drifting to four differing wind directions. To end the Match in a manor which would ensure that all the competitors would cross a line and be timed, the Bridge Committee decided to anchor the MFV Adax just above the West Nore Sand Buoy to establish the southern end of a line which stretched northward to the shore at Westcliff. A smart south-west breeze then picked up along the Kent shore. The May (1891) tacked to this breeze and crossed the line at 15.32, six minutes behind the Marjorie, and in so doing gained the Championship of the River for the second time. After a slow plod back up river to Gravesend, the Clarendon Royal Hotel was again the venue for the Supper & Prize Giving. The prizes were presented by Rear Admiral Bruce Richardson CB, Chief Harbour Master of the Port of London. Mark Boyle

	66^th Match, 25^th May 1996
	Bad weather in the days leading up to the 66^th Match looked likely to keep many of the barges wind bound in their home ports. Nevertheless ten barges made it to the start line on Saturday morning.
First away at 08.40 was the Coasting Class lead by the Ena (1906), which crossed the line 21 seconds after the gun, followed by the Champion
Staysails at 09.00 which marked the beginning of an epic duel between Marjorie (1902) and Reminder (1929). The Champion Bowsprit Class was last away at 09.15, and was soon dominated by the Edme (1898). The light westerly breeze caused the Committee to shorten the course to the West Shoebury Buoy. The Gladys (1901) rounded at 11.09, followed ten minutes latter by the Cabby (1928). Marjorie, Ena, Edme, Hydrogen (1906), Lady Jean (1923) and Reminder all rounded the outer mark within a hectic four minute period between 11.29 and 11,33, followed by the May (1891) at 11.38 and the Portlight (1925) at 11.39, just thirty minutes after the first to round. As the barges began the windward beat back to Gravesend over the last hour of ebb, the west wind gradually picked up. The Edme and Gladys in their respective classes looked unlikely to be troubled by their rivals. The former crossed the finish line at 15.43 and the latter at 16.12. The two staysail barges continued to battle it out tack for tack right up to the line, the Marjorie crossing at 16.01 and the Reminder just one minute and seventeen seconds latter, after seven hours racing. In the Coasting Class Cabby dropped to third after breaking her bobstay, allowing Ena to take second place. In the Champion Bowsprits May took second place from the Portlight which had incurred at the start. The day was again rounded off with the traditional supper and prize giving at the Clarendon Royal Hotel, the prizes being presented by Peter J. Morgan, Chairman of Kent County Council. Mark Boyle
65^th Match, 6^th May 1995
	On Saturday 6^th May 1995, after an interval of 32 years, the Thames again saw sailing barges competing for the Championship of the River when the Committee promoted the Match to celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of VE Day. Race day opened with a glassy calm. The Coasting Class got away first. The Committee then decided

Deja vu...?

'The 1960 match took place on Wednesday, June 15th, [...] and [...] the morning started with a glassy calm. [...] Occasional airs stirred the surface of the river, giving the crews plenty of sail drill, and some had anchor drill, to avoid colliding with the Refinery jetties.'

F. S. Cooper, Racing Sailormen, Percival Marshal, London, 1963

that due to a delay the Staysails would be sent off with the Champion Bowsprits at 08.00. As the barges drifted down on the ebb not even a catspaw stirred the surface. This gave the crews plenty of time for sail drill, and some had anchor drill as well in order to avoid colliding with the refinery jetties!

All manner of staysails and spinnakers were boomed out as the barges meandered down Sea Reach. The experience was enlivened by the passing of a large gas carrier through the midst of the Fleet.

With no wind and only an hour of the ebb left to run the Committee decided to send the Coasters around the West Shoebury diffuser Buoy. The Hydrogen (1906) rounded first followed 10 minutes later by the Lady Jean (1923) at 12.02.

The two other classes turned at Sea Reach Nº 5, which May (1891) rounded at 11.40 followed by the Staysail Class Ironsides (1900) and Wyvenhoe (1898) at 12.05 and 12.11 respectively.

With the now flooding tide the May (1891) held the lead in the Champion Bowsprit Class, whilst the Ironsides (1900) and Wyvenhoe (1898) battled for the Staysail Class lead in the drift back up river.

The May eventually crossed the finish line off the Clarendon Royal Hotel at 16.40. The rest of the fleet was spread out down river from Gravesend, unable to make the finish line before the tide was done at 17.45. Thus the Match was finished.

The day was rounded off with the traditional dinner and prize giving at the Clarendon Royal Hotel, a celebration which went a long way to recompense for a long and frustrating day on the London River.

Mark Boyle M. W. 2003

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The barge photographs used in the posters were courtesy of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. The artwork was by Tony Collins, The Design House, Ware, up to and inc. 2005.

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