About Thames:

FAQ

A comprehensive guide to all your burning questions including membership info, opening times etc

Rules

A guide to the rules and regultations of the club
Links

Some useful resources

History

Decade by decade

Club Rules

1. Name, Objects and Colours
2. Adherence to the Amateur Rowing Association
3. Classes of Members
4. Honorary Members
5. Life Members
6. Full Members
7. House Members
8. Student Members
9. University Members
10. Junior Members
11. Country and Overseas Members
12. Temporary Members
13. Affiliated Members
14. Captain of ICBC
15. Proposal of Members
16. Election of Members
17. Entrance Fees and Subscriptions
18. Failure to pay dues
19. Powers of the Honorary Secretary (Administration)
20. Change of Class of Membership
21. Resignation
22. Submission of Members to the Rules
23. Expulsion of Members or their Suspension
24. Exclusion of Expelled or Suspended Members and/or Defaulters
25. General Meetings
26. Annual General Meeting
27. Captain's Meeting
28. Special General Meetings
29. Quorum at General Meetings
30. Notice of Meetings
31. President and Vice-Presidents
32. Officers
33. The Committee
34. Proposal of Officers and Committee
35. Nomination of Committee
36. Imperial College Boat Club Representative
37. Casual Vacancies
38. Management of the Club
39. Control of Rowing
40. Alterations to Rules
41. Rights and Privileges
42. Use of the Name of the Club
43. Trustees

The Club shall be called the Thames Rowing Club and is constituted for the purpose of taking part in and encouraging amateur rowing. The colours of the Club shall be red, white and black in stripes, the white stripe lying between the red and black and being of half their width.

The Club shall observe the rules of the Amateur Rowing Association, and no member shall be eligible to compete for the Club who is not a qualified amateur as defined in those rules.

The Club shall consist of the following classes of members:

• Full
• House
• Honorary
• Overseas
• Student
• University
• Life
• Junior
• Junior Under 13
• Country
• Temporary
• Affiliated

The Committee shall have the power to elect as Honorary members, for life or for a period, any persons whom they consider to have rendered particularly meritorious service to the Club. Honorary members shall not be required to pay any entrance fee or annual subscriptions and shall enjoy all the privileges of Full members.

The Committee shall have the power to elect any candidate as a Life member on payment of the required fee and to elect any member to Life membership at a reduced fee after the payment of 7 annual subscriptions. The rights and privileges of life members shall be the same as those of Full members.

The Committee shall have the power to elect any candidate as a Full member on payment of the required entry fee and subscription. Full members shall be entitled to use any or all of the Club's facilities during normal hours and shall have the right to vote at Club General Meetings.

The Committee shall have the power to elect any candidate as a House member on payment of the required entry fee and subscription. House members shall not be entitled to use the boats, oars, tank, gymnasium or allied equipment of the Club, unless acting as coxswains, but they may use all other facilities of the Club and may vote at Club General Meetings.

The Committee shall have power to elect as a Student member any candidate, 18 years of age or more, who is undergoing a recognised course of full-time study or unpaid training. The rights and privileges of Student members shall be the same as those of Full members. They shall transfer to another class of membership on October 1st next following the completion of their course of study or unpaid training.

The Committee shall have power to elect as a University member any candidate who is undergoing a full-time course of study or training at any university or polytechnic in the British Isles, or equivalent officer training in the armed forces of Great Britain and who is able to use the facilities of the Club only during vacations. Candidates for such membership must be bona fide members of a rowing club of their university or other educational establishment as defined above. University members may use the facilities of the Club only during vacations and shall not be entitled to vote at Club General Meetings. They shall be required to transfer to another class of membership on October 1st next following the completion of their course of study or training.

a) The Committee shall have the power to elect as a Junior member any candidate who is within the Amateur Rowing Association's definition of a Junior Oarsman. Junior members may use the facilities of the Club as the Captain may decide and shall not be entitled to vote at Club General Meetings. They shall be required to transfer to another class of membership on ceasing to be within the definition.

b) The Committee shall have the power to elect as a Junior Under 13 member any candidate who has not attained the age of 13 before 1st of January of the current calendar year, on payment of the required entry fee and subscription. Junior Under 13 members may use the facilities of the Club as the Captain may decide and shall not be entitled to vote at Club General Meetings. They shall be required to transfer to Junior membership on ceasing to be within the definition.

The Committee shall have the power to elect as a Country or Overseas member, as appropriate, a candidate, other than one qualified to be a university member, residing not less than fifty miles from the Club, or to transfer to such membership a member of another category. Country and Overseas members shall be allowed to use the facilities of the Club during temporary visits to London, provided that such visits do not exceed one month in the aggregate in one year, but the Committee shall have power at their discretion to extend this period. Country and Overseas members shall not be entitled to vote at any Club General Meeting.

The Committee shall have power to elect as a Temporary member for a period not exceeding six months any candidate considered suitable. The privileges of temporary members shall be prescribed from time to time by the Committee. They shall not be entitled to vote at Club General Meetings.

a) Each Captain of the Imperial College Boat Club may, while he is Captain, and subject to the provisions of Rule 2, nominate members of the Imperial College Boat Club in statu pupillari as candidates for Affiliated membership. The names of the persons so nominated shall be exhibited on the Club notice board in a separate list for at least six days before the Committee meeting at which the nomination is to be considered. The nominees may be elected at the Committee meeting at which nomination is to be considered next after nomination.

b) Affiliated members so elected shall not be required to pay any entrance fee or subscription to the Club, but shall pay instead to the Imperial College Boat Club the entrance fee (if any) and subscription required by the Rules of that Club. Affiliated members may, during residence or within six months of ceasing to be in residence at Imperial College, apply for election to Full membership in accordance with the provisions of Rules 15 and 16. If then elected they shall not be required to pay any entrance fee but shall pay the normal subscription of Full members.

c) Affiliated members shall not be entitled to make full use of the Club bar and dining accommodation with the full privileges of Full members and to purchase refreshments thereat. They shall not be entitled to use any other part of the Club premises except as members of the Club or when taking meals at the Club.

d) Affiliated members shall not be entitled to do any of the following things:

• Except on the invitation of an by arrangement with the Captain of the Club to row in Club boats, to use the Club tank, oars, gymnasium or allied equipment, or to represent the Club in any regatta or to house any boat in any part of the Club boathouse or other building.
• Except when representing the Club to wear the Club colours.
• To vote at any Club General Meeting.

Each Captain of the Imperial College Boat Club shall on assuming the office of Captain be elected automatically to Full membership of the Club. He shall not be required so long as he remains Captain of the Imperial College Boat Club to pay any entrance fee or subscription to the Club, and he shall, unless elected under the provisions of Rules 15 and 16 or otherwise, cease to be a Full member on his ceasing to be Captain of the Imperial College Boat Club.

Every candidate for election to membership, other than Affiliated membership, shall be proposed by one member and seconded by another. In all cases one of the sponsors shall be an Honorary, Life, Full, Student or House member. The proposer or seconder shall furnish such information about the candidate as the Committee may require.

The names and addresses of every candidate for election to membership other than the Captain of the Imperial College Boat Club elected under Rule 14, together with the names of the proposer and seconder, shall be exhibited on the Club notice board for at least six days before the Committee meeting at which the proposal is to be considered. Election shall be at the absolute discretion of the Committee. A candidate for election to any class of membership whose entrance fee and subscription have been received may use the facilities of the Club at the Captain's discretion but may not purchase intoxicating drinks at the bar until after his election.

a) Entrance Fees. Annual Subscriptions and Fees payable for Life membership shall be determined from time to time by a General Meeting of the Club, and are shown in the schedule appended to the Rules.

b) The entrance fee and first year's subscription of every candidate for election to membership, other than Affiliated membership, shall be deposited with the Honorary Secretary (Administration) before the proposal is submitted to the Committee and shall be refunded if the candidate is not elected.

c) Every member elected between October 1st in one year and March 31st in the next shall pay the subscription appropriate to his class of membership for the current year.

d) Every member elected between April 1st and 30th June inclusive in any year shall pay a subscription for that Club year of one half the annual subscription appropriate to his class of membership.

e) Every member elected between July 1st and 30th September inclusive in any one year shall pay the subscription appropriate to his class of membership for the current Club year and shall be exempt from payment of any further subscription until October 1st in the succeeding year.

f) The annual subscription of all members other than Affiliated members is payable on October 1st each year.

g) No member shall be entitled to wear the colours of the Club or to use the Club property or to row in any Club race or to represent the Club in any regatta, or house any private boat in Club premises until he has paid his subscription and other liabilities, unless invited to do so by the Captain.

Any member whose current liabilities are in arrears on April 1st in any year shall be debarred from the privileges of the Club until such payment is made. Any member whose subscription or other liabilities up to the preceding August 31st remain unpaid at November 1ts shall be declared a defaulter at the Committee meeting next following and his name shall be posted as such on the Club notice board. Every member declared a defaulter shall cease to be a member of the Club unless a written guarantee approved by the Committee be given that the amount due to the Club will be paid within one month and unless the amount so guaranteed shall be so paid.

All subscriptions and other moneys due from members and other persons shall be personal debts to the Honorary Secretary (Administration), for the time being, who shall hold the same in trust for the Honorary Treasurer; and the Committee shall have power to allow the Honorary Secretary (Administration) from the Club funds all legal and other expenses he may incur in recovering such debts.

Every member wishing to be transferred from one class of membership to another shall give due notice in writing to the Honorary Secretary (Membership). No member shall be so transferred without the approval of the Committee.

Any member wishing to resign his membership shall give notice in writing before September 1st to the Honorary Secretary (Administration), who shall submit such notice to the Committee. The resignation shall not be valid until it has been accepted by the Committee.

All members shall submit to the Rules and By-Laws of the Club for the time being in force and shall accept as final the Committee's interpretation thereof and the Committee's decisions.

a) The Committee may, for any reason which to them seems sufficient, by notice in writing addressed to the member in question, request any member to resign his membership for such period as they may direct. If the member is an Affiliated member the Committee shall at the same time give notice to the Captain of Imperial College Boat Club.

b) If a member so required to resign fails to comply with the request within fourteen days, a General Meeting of the Club may be convened, of which fourteen days notice shall be given, stating that the object of the Meeting is to consider the request of the Committee for the resignation of such member, and it shall be lawful for the General Meeting so convened to resolve, by a majority of votes in the ratio of two to one, to expel the member from the Club. Any member so expelled shall not be eligible for re-election and shall forfeit all rights to, or claim upon, the Club, its property or funds. At any Meeting held under this Rule twenty-five shall be a quorum.

c) The Committee shall forthwith after resolving to suspend a member under the provisions of this Rule cause a notice of the suspension to be given or sent by post to such member and to be posted on the Club notice board and shall notify the member concerned that the Committee will, if requested by him in writing not less than ten days after the date of the notice, bring forward the matter of suspension at the next General or Special General Meeting of the Club, which may either continue such suspension for such period as the Meeting shall specify or, alternatively, may determine such suspension if the same shall then be in force. A member shall not be entitled to any refund or rebate of his subscription during the period of his suspension.

No member shall introduce into the Club premises any person who is a defaulter or who has been expelled from the Club or (during the period of this suspension) any member who has been suspended from his membership.

A General Meeting of the Club shall be held whenever the Committee directs and shall be competent to deal with all matters of which notice has been given.

An Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held during the first quarter of every year on a date fixed by the Committee. This Meeting shall consider the accounts for the past year ended August 31st, elect Officers for the ensuing year other than the Captain, Deputy Captains, Honorary Secretary (Rowing), and Imperial College Boat Club representative, and shall be competent to deal with all other matters brought before it, of which notice has been given previously to the Honorary Secretary (Administration).

A General Meeting of the Club shall be held in July after Henley Royal Regatta every year for the election of a Captain, Deputy Captains, Honorary Secretary (Rowing), and shall be competent to deal with all other matters brought before it, of which notice has been given previously to the Honorary Secretary (Administration). The officers elected at this Meeting shall assume office on the 1st of September of that year.

On receipt of a requisition signed by not less than ten members of the Club, not being Affiliated members, and specifying the business which such members wish to bring before the Club, the Honorary Secretary (Administration) shall within six days issue a notice convening a Special General Meeting to be held on a date not less than six and not more than twelve days after the issue of the notice. A Special General Meeting so convened shall be competent to deal with all matters specified in the requisition.

At any duly convened General Meeting fifteen shall form a quorum.

The Honorary Secretary (Administration) shall send a notice of the date and general purpose of each General Meeting, not later than one month before the date of the Meeting, to every Honorary, Life, Full, Student and House member and at the discretion of the Committee to any other members and shall cause a copy to be displayed on the Club notice board. The notice shall invite members to submit items for the agenda and nominations for any vacancies due to be filled by election at the Meeting under Rules 34 and 35. He shall cause a copy of the agenda to be displayed on the Club notice board six days before the Meeting.

There shall be a President of the Club and such Vice-Presidents as may be appointed by resolution of a Club General Meeting, and they shall continue in their appointments as long as they remain members of the Club. They shall be entitled to attend any meeting of the Committee but not vote unless they are elected members of the Committee.

The Officers of the Club shall consist of the following: A Chairman, a Captain, not more than four Deputy Captains, an Honorary Treasurer, an Honorary Secretary (Rowing), an Honorary Secretary (Administration), an Honorary Secretary (Membership) and an Honorary House Steward. The Chairman, the Honorary Secretary (Administration), the Honorary Secretary (Membership), the Honorary Treasurer and the Honorary House Steward shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Chairman shall hold office for three years, retiring at the Annual General Meeting of the third year following his election and shall be eligible for re-election. The Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Secretary (Administration), Honorary Secretary (Membership) and Honorary House Steward shall hold office until the Annual General Meeting of the year following their election. The Captain, Deputy Captains and the Honorary Secretary (Rowing) shall be elected at the Captain's Meeting and shall hold office for one year from the 1st September and shall remain members of the Committee until the next General Meeting for the election of other officers. The Committee shall also have power to appoint a Vice-Chairman who, if not already a member of the Committee, shall be a member of it during the period of his appointment. He shall hold office until the first Committee meeting after the next Annual General Meeting. All these officers shall be eligible for election or re-appointment as the case may be.

The Committee of the Club shall consist of the Officers, twelve other members elected at the Annual General Meeting and an Imperial College Boat Club representative appointed under the provisions of Rule 14. The twelve elected members shall hold office for three years, four retiring at each Annual General Meeting and then being eligible for re-election.

No members other than Life members, Full members, Student members and House members shall be elected as Officers or as members of the Committee. Nomination of a member for election as such shall be made by two other members, who shall give notice of nomination and of the consent thereto of the member concerned in writing to the Honorary Secretary (Administration) at least fourteen days before the date fixed for the General meeting at which the election is to take place. The notice shall specify the name of the member proposed and the names of the members nominating him.

If the number of vacancies to be filled at a General Meeting exceeds the number of candidates nominated as above, or if in the opinion of the Committee any member is specially qualified to fill any particular officer, the Committee may at any duly convened Committee meeting, held before the General Meeting at which officers are to be elected, nominate by a majority of four-fifths of those present, a member for election at such subsequent General Meeting.

Each Captain of the Imperial College Boat Club may in a letter addressed to the Honorary Secretary (Administration) nominate himself or some Full member of the Club to represent the interests of the Imperial College Boat Club on the Committee of the Club during his period of office as Captain. This nominee is referred to throughout these Rules as the Imperial College Boat Club representative, and he shall take office at the next Committee meeting after his nomination.

Casual vacancies among members of the Committee (other than the Captain and the Imperial College Boat Club representative) shall be filled by the Committee, each member so appointed holding office until the next General Meeting, when an election shall be held to fill the position for the remainder of the unexpired term of the original holder.

The Committee of the Club shall be responsible for the general policy and management of the Club and shall appoint Sub-Committees directly responsible to it to assist in this. The Sub-Committees shall include a Rowing Committee, which shall assist the Captain in controlling and organising the rowing of the Club; a Finance Committee which shall be responsible to the Committee for the finances of the Club; a House Committee which shall be responsible for the day to day running of the Clubhouse; and such other Sub-Committees as may from time to time become necessary. The Committee may appoint the Chairman of each Sub-Committee or may require a Sub-Committee to nominate its own Chairman, whose appointment is subject to approval by the Committee. A Sub-Committee shall have power to co-opt other members subject to confirmation by the Committee. The Chairman and Captain shall be ex-officio members of each Sub-Committee. Each Sub-Committee shall submit regular reports to the Committee. The Honorary Secretaries and the Honorary Treasurer may be assisted in their respective offices by Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers, whom they shall select and who shall be approved by the Committee.

A House Committee of at least three members responsible for the purchase, for the Club, and supply by the Club, of intoxicating liquors shall be formed consisting of the Honorary House Steward and at least two others (all of whom shall be elected members of the Committee).

Each Sub-Committee of the Club shall be elective within the meaning of Schedule 7 para. 4 of the Licensing Act 1964.

The Captain, or in his absence a Deputy Captain, shall have entire control over the composition and management of any crew which rows in a Club boat, over all Club races, and, subject to any resolution of the Committee, over all matters affecting the rowing of the Club. In the Committee, over all matters affecting the rowing of the Club. In the absence of the Captain and the Deputy Captains any member of the Committee authorised by the Captain may act in his place except with regard to the composition of crews for regattas or Club races. All entries at regattas shall be made and the entry fees forwarded by the Honorary Secretaries only, on the authority of the Captain only; but no entry shall be made in the Club name for the Diamond Challenge Sculls, Wingfield Sculls, Silver Goblets or any other international race except by the authority of the Committee.

Alterations to the Rules and By-Laws shall be made only by the authority of a General Meeting of the Club and the proposed alteration shall be specified in the notice convening the Meeting; but the Committee shall have power to make By-Laws and Regulations having the force of Rules and to alter or suspend any Rule, such alteration or suspension to remain in force until the next General Meeting.

No Rule or By-Law or alteration thereto affecting in any way the status and privileges of Affiliated members as such shall be valid unless the concurrence of the Imperial College Boat Club representative shall have first been obtained in writing.

The rights and privileges of a member of any status shall not be affected by his being at the same time an Affiliated member.

Except for the necessary business of the Club, or for the purpose of entry on the authority of the Captain at any athletic competition, no member shall cause his name to be published as a member of the Club without the previous authorisation of the Committee.

All property of the Club shall be vesteed in Trustees under and with the powers provided by and subject to the restrictions contained in the Trust Deeds of the Club.

By-Laws

I - Members rowing in Club crews, taking part in Club races, or representing the Club at regattas, shall wear clothing bearing the Club colours in red, white and black and approved by the Committee.

II - (a) All members of the Club except Affiliated members shall be entitled to wear the Club coat, which shall be a double-breasted coat of approved pattern with Club buttons, and Club cap, which shall be of white flannel trimmed with red and black braid or black flannel with the Club monogram.

(b) Members who represent the Club at Henley Royal Regatta or Henley Women's Regatta, shall be entitled to wear the regatta coat, which shall be of white flannel trimmed with red and black braid and having Club buttons.

(c) Members who represent the Club in the Grand Challenge Cup, the Stewards Challenge Cup, the Prince Philip Challenge Cup, the Silver Goblets, the Diamond Sculls, the Double Sculls Challenge Cup or Queen Mother Cup races at Henley Royal Regatta, and those who have held the office of Captain of the Club, shall be entitled to wear a white cap with the Club monogram.

III - No racing boat which is the property of the Club shall be taken from the rack in the boathouse without the permission of the Captain or his representative.

IV - The member rowing stroke in any Club boat shall be Captain of such boat for the time being, unless otherwise specified, subject to the control of the Cpatin or his representative.

V - Every member, on landing from a Club boat, shall be bound to assist in housing it and in doing so shall follow the direction of the Captain or his representative.

VI - Any damage that occurs to any Club equipment or boat shall be reported in writing to the Captain or his representative forthwith by the person then using the equipment or in the case of a boat, the stroke. The Committee shall have power to charge any member whose default or negligence contributed to the damage with the whole or part of the expense of repairing or renewing the equipment or boat.

VII - The Captain or his nominee shall act as starter and umpire in all Club races and shall appoint one or more judges.

VIII - All entry fees for races shall be due at the time of entry.

IX - Expenses incurred by the Club in entering members selected by the Captain at regattas or in other races shall be apportioned between the Club and the members concerned on a basis determined by the Committee each year and published at the Annual General Meeting.

X - Every member or candidate for membership entitled to row or steer shall certify their ability to swim 100 metres in light clothing.

XI - The charges for housing private boats, which shall be at members' own risk, shall be determined from time to time by the Committee.

XII - Notice shall be given to the Honorary Secretary (Administration) of the date at which it is desired to leave a private boat or remove it from the Club premises.

XIII - The Club shall have a first and paramount lien and charge on every private boat kept in the Club, on any account whatsoever, and for the purpose of enforcing the lien, the Committee may sell or otherwise dispose of such boat as they may think fit. The net proceeds of any such sale shall be applied in or towards the satisfaction of the amount due, and the residue, if any, shall be paid to the owner.

XIV - The Committee shall have power, from time to time, to prescribe the hours during which the Clubhouse shall be open each day.

The permitted hours during which alcoholic refreshment may be obtained in the Clubhouse are: on weekdays, and from 11am to 11pm; on Sundays, from 12 noon to 3pm; and at such other times as the General Committee shall approve within the permitted hours or any extension thereof allowed by the police or local magistrates.

XV - Only members may purchase refreshments at the Clubhouse. Refreshments so obtained must be paid for by the member ordering them before leaving the premises always provided that:-

The House Committee may at its discretion permit bona fide guests of the Club to purchase refreshments at the Clubhouse. Refreshments so obtained must be paid for on the spot unless otherwise agreed with the House Committee.

XVI - No paper or placard shall be exhibited in the Club without the sanction of the Committee. In no circumstances shall any member remove, injure or destroy any pamphlet, book or other article belonging to or housed in the Club.

XVII - No member or visitor shall bring a dog (other than their guide dog) into the Clubhouse.

XVIII - Any member who damages any property of the Club or any property held in trust by the Club shall immediately have the same repaired or replaced at his own expense.

XIX - Any member introducing a guest into the Club shall be responsible for his expenses and for any damage caused by him to the property of the Club.

XX - Any complaint respecting the administration of the Club, or in respect of its servants or agents, or the conduct of any member, shall be made in writing to the Committee, and not to the person concerned. The conduct of a servant or agent shall in no case be made a matter of personal reprimand by any member.

XXI - No member or visitor shall smoke in the changing rooms, tank or gymnasium of the Club, or bring any refreshment into them.

XXII - No member or visitor shall ride a bicycle into the forecourt of the Club or bring any vehicle into it, except for the purpose of loading or unloading equipment. Bicycles may only be left in those parts of the Club premises that may be designated for the purpose by the Committee from time to time.

XXIII - The rent of lockers shall be determined by the Committee from time to time.

XXIV - Intoxicating liquor is not supplied or intended to be supplied to members on the premises otherwise that by or on behalf of the Club. No arrangements are or intended to be made:

(i) for any person to receive at the expense of the Club any commission, percentage or similar payment on or with reference to purchases of intoxicating liquor by the Club; or

(ii) for any person directly or indirectly to derive any pecuniary benefit from the supply of intoxicating liquor by or on behalf of the Club to members or guests apart from any benefit accruing to the Club as a whole and apart also from any benefit which a person derives indirectly by reason of the supply giving rise or contributing to a general gain from the carrying on of the Club.

XXV - House, Oversaeas, Affiliated and Country members may not house private boats in the boathouse or other Club buildings.

XXVI - Any member using Club boats shall abide by all rules of navigation (Statutory or otherwise) currently having the force of law.