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Post-1924 history of RCYC (& refs to Sunbeams in Falmouth)
Sunbeam Index Page


[For Sunbeam Class Captains and Officers, past & present, see Falmouth Sunbeams - published in 1998 by Ian Andrew
  Solent Sunbeams [page on the same site]


 1924
The RCYC was in profit from the large attendance at the club during the week's visit of the 6-metre class in 1923.
The sailing season of 1924 included the usual Corinthian Races and the [RCYC] Regatta.

That year  [1924] several keen racing members introduced a new one-design class designated the "Falmouth Sunbeams".

Mignonette was then owned by C. S. Goldman, her previous owner C. R. Stephens having bought a Sunbeam. [Berthe]

The owners formed themselves into a club within the club, with C. P. Foster as the captain of the class and Capt. H. L. Wilcox, R. N. as the Deputy Captain and Hon. Secretary.  It is interesting to record the  names of the boats and their owners, which comprised the original class, viz.:
[Note: Mead includes Maranui, but it is not clear whether she was delivered to Falmouth or raced in 1924.]

         1924
       2001
V20 Trent  (H. Stedman)      
V29 Sugar Daddy (Solent)
V14 Santa Baby (Solent)
 V15 Ecstasy (Falmouth) ??
V16 Little Lady  (Capt. H. L. Wilcox, R.N.)
 V6 Little Lady (Solent)
V36 Melody (Solent)
 V18 Polly (Falmouth)
V30 Emily (Solent)
V21 Maranui (C. P. Foster*** Class Captain 1924-28)
V21 Maranui (Falmouth)

The first ever Falmouth Sunbeam race took place on 31 May, 1924, and was won by Una, now Polly [see results]
[John Maunder's "Welcome" 75th Anniversary Programme, 1999)

At the RCYC Regatta on 9 September, 1924 , the first time the [Club regatta] event included a Sunbeam Class, Una was the winner, with Little Lady and Flame second and third respectively.  The remaining being in order of finishing being Trent, Berthe, Halcyon and Maranui.  [Mead, p.125]


* John Foster won the 1923 regatta race for raters and ex-raters in Firefly, beating Moth (*Miss Moira Foster) into second place.  Firefly (1895) was H. S. Tuke's old boat. [ Mead, p.123 ref to p.78], but Moth was new in 1923, designed by an amateur, *** C. P. Foster, and built by Jackett.  [ Mead, History of the RCYC 1871-1949, p.123 ],

** C. R. Stephens sold Mignonette to C. S. Goldman when joining the new Falmouth Sunbeam Class.

*** In the RCYC Regatta, on 6 September 1923, Mrs. C. P. Foster, in Cynthia, won the handicap for yachts of 6 to 15-tons, beating Kathleen (Col. Faulkner Brown) and Onaway (W. H. Dowman, owner of the Cutty Sark) which came 3rd.  


Mead, continued;
 1925
At a meeting of the Sailing Committee in July, it was reported that certain members had been allowing their dinghies to be steered by paid hands in the Corinthian Races, that there had been foul language on their part, and also that these hands had used obscene language in the presence of ladies racing at the invitation of the club.  It was decided, therefore, that the conditions printed on the back of the Sailing Directions, that no paid hands be allowed to steer, be rigidly adhered to.

The Club regatta was held on 15 August, 1925.  The Sunbeams finished as follows:

Berthe
Flame
Merrythought
Maranui
Una
Trent
Little Lady
Halcyone

During the year, gifts were made to the club, including a mezzotint engraving of the " Windsor Castle Packet Action ", presented by Major John Richardson. During the period 1925-1929, Richardson collected the complete set of ten pictures for presentation to the club.  These engravings, depicting the celebrated actions of H. M. Packet vessels, are the most rare and valuable objects in the club today, and they are all hung up in the Smoking Room.  The small brass plate on the frames of the pictures bear the modest inscription "By a member", which was typical of Major Richardson's hatred of modern ostentation.  [Mead p.127]

Misc.
[see FP Friday October 23, 1925: Cornwall Oyster Festival - Bright Prospects for the Coming Season
Cornwall will hold it's first Oyster Festival in Falmouth today.
Medium 4s. - 4s. 6d. a dozen.  [Account related under "Cornwall's Oyster Feast" (FP 30/10/1925)]

 1926
Early in the year it was learnt that there was a possibility of the old wooden battleship T.S. Implacable being moored in the inner harbour, which was already overcrowded by numerous coal hulks, Foudroyant and Cutty Sark .  The club then requested the Harbour Commissioners to keep the inner harbour as clear as possible with the result that the Implacable was allotted a berth off St. Just. [Not quite so. Although C.P. Foster wrote the Editor of the Falmouth Packet, as Captain of the Falmouth Sunbeam Class, the request to the Harbour Board to berth T. S. Implacable in Falmouth Harbour, specifying the former berth of the Ganges at St. Just, came from Mr. Wheatley Cobb, who was unhappy with a former (free) berth near King Harry Ferry, courtesy of the Port of Truro. (FP report, 1926]

Prior to the start of the sailing season it was found that the club Flagstaff had become unserviceable and C. P. Foster [Captain of the Falmouth Sunbeams, 1924-1928,) presented a replacement.

In view of the impending visit of the "King's Class" , it was decided to hold two regattas in 1926, a special race in June for the big yachts only, followed by the usual annual regatta in August.  The Corinthian races opened on 26 May and, in the case of the Sunbeam class, it was decided to award a 4th prize of 2s. 6d. where seven (of the eight sunbeams) started, and also that there should be three starters or no 2nd prize and five starters or no 5th prize.  A finishing gun was fired for each prizewinner. [Mead p.128]


The Yachting Monthly, December 1925,   " Westward and the Others" by Leigh Hoe
In 1926 a special race for yachts over 110-tons, Thames Measure took place on 19 June, the first  time since 1894 that the biggest class had competed in the RCYC programme.  Sailing under Y.R.A. allotted handicaps over a course, two rounds totaling 42 miles,  four vessels took part. The 221-ton cutter Britannia (H. M. the King), the 179-ton cutter White Heather II (Lord Waring), the 175-ton cutter Shamrock (Sir Thomas Lipton) and the 338-ton schooner Westward (T.F.B. Davis).  The race was controlled from a Committee Boat (Joyce Mitchell) the Officer of the Day being Major John Richardson, with J. Harley Mead and assisted by F. Latham, R. C. Cripps, C. J. H.. Mead (Harley's son), H.V. Willcox, and the Secretary (H. H. Tresidder).  There was an exciting moment when White Heather got jammed between Westward and the Committee vessel, scraping her side against the Committee Boat.  Shamrock won the first prize, and Britannia, who crossed the line 39 seconds later, secured the 2nd prize [£40, so, the joint-patrons got their money back!]. Westward  was 3rd and White Heather last.

The Club Regatta was postponed from 21 August to 8 September, 1926, due to bad weather holding up the return of the yachts from Fowey.
The results for the [1926 RCYC Regatta] Race for Sunbeams was as follows: 1st Una, 2nd Little Lady, 3rd Berthe.  The others follows in this order, Trent, Caprice, Halcyone, Merrythought and Maranui.   Caprice, owned by Mrs. H. G. Sicklemore was a newcomer to the [Falmouth] class and built that year. [Mead p.130]

Competitors in the handicap for yachts not exceeding 6-tons included a newcomer, Cobalt (J. Harley Mead), a 4-ton Bermudian sloop built by Summers and Payne in 1898.  The dinghies included a newcomer, Basket (Cumming Mead.)

 1927
In May, the Corinthian Races opened.
The accounts for 1926 showed a wine profit of £304, unequaled until seventeen years later (1943), and was probably due to an increased attendance at the club during the first visit of the big yachts.  The big boats which arrived for two days special races were as in the previous year, except for the addition of Lulworth (Sir Mortimer Singer), ex Terpsichore, a 168-ton cutter built in 1920. [Mead recounts Mr. T. B. T. Davis, owner of the biggest racing yacht afloat, the 338-ton schooner Westward, saying he started life as a fisher lad in Jersey....] [Mead p.131]  White Heather II came 1st., Shamrock 2nd and Britannia 3rd, Lulworth 4th and Westward last.  On the second day's racing, C. J. H. Mead was invited by  Sir Philip Hunloake, who had known him in pre-war days as a small boy in Cowes, to sail in Britannia. Mrs. C. Foster and her son and daughter, John and Moira, were the other guests that day. "Unfortunately, Britannia gave up." [Mead p.131]

Britannia (H.M. the King) leading Lulworth  & White Heather II, RCYC race off Falmouth in 1927 [Osborne]  

The Club Regatta took place on 3 September, 1927. In the Sunbeam class the results were as follows: 1st Berthe, 2nd Caprice, 3rd Flame, 4th Jasmine (Capt. R. T. Dixon), 5th Little Lady, 6th Trent, and 7th Merrythought.  Maranui gave up.    Jasmine was previously named Una, when owned by Major Watson-Smythe.  It is also noteworthy that, commencing with the 1927 regatta, the protest fees were raised from 5s. to 10s. [Mead p.131]

Cambria (1928) 23-metre
by Kirk, see Dear p.109
Astra (1927) 23-metre
by Kirk, see Dear p.113

 1928
It was decided to hold two club regattas in 1928, the first on 20 July, to include special races for the big yachts of the ex-21-metre class and the 12-metre class, and the second in August for the usual classes. There were no entries in the 12-metre class, due, in part, to a regatta in [Le] Havre.  In the big boats, all last year's competitors took part, except Westward, plus two new cutters, Cambria (Lord Camrose) and Astra (Sir Mortimer Singer, K.B.E. (died 1930)).  Shamrock (Sir Thomas Lipton) was the winner, Lulworth (A. A. Paton) second, and Astra third, followed by White Heather II, Britannia and Cambria.

The [20 July 1928 RCYC Regatta) results in the Sunbeam class were:
1st Jasmine (Capt. R. T. Dixon), 2nd Caprice (Mrs. H. C. Sicklemore), 3rd Blackbird (W. H. Dowman*), 4th Trent (F.  H. Stedman), 5th Merrythought (H. G. Sicklemore) and 6th Little Lady (Capt. H.  L. Wilcox, R.N.).
It should be added that  Blackbird was a new name for Berthe, which was bought by Dowman from C. R. Stephens that season.
[* In the second regatta, on 20 August,1928, the handicap race for yachts of 6-15 tons was won by Sylvia (W. H. Dowman), the previous owner of Sylvia (E. R. Thatcher) died that year and his boat was bought by Dowman)

At the second [RCYC] regatta, held on 20 August,1928, The results in the race for Sunbeams were: 1st. Blackbird, 2nd Little Lady, 3rd Caprice, 4th Maranui, 5th Trent and 6th Merrythought. The other two competitors, Jasmine and Halcyone, gave up.

At the end of the year, Capt. R.T. Dixon agreed to represent the club at the Y. R. A. Conference, and to invite the big yachts, the 12-metre class and the dinghy class to race at Falmouth in 1929.  

 1929
 14-foot Estuary Class
Arthur West described the above as 14-foot Estuary Class, which preceded the International 14-footers.
[Can anyone please confirm the class details, above (Solent/Clyde?) location, and possible date?]
In March, 1929, the death of H. S. Tuke, at the age of seventy-one, took place.  Although he had only joined the club in 1912, Tuke was one of the most able helmsmen in the locality, as he had been the Vice-Commodore of the old Falmouth Sailing Club for many year prior to joining the Royal Cornwall.  Following his death, his sister, Mrs. [Maria] Sainsbury, presented the club with an old cup won by him at the port of Falmouth Regatta in 1905. This trophy was known as the "Tuke Memorial Challenge Cup".  It was allocated as the first prize for the dinghy class.  After Tuke's death his boat Flamingo was bought by Dr. T. H. R. McKiernan, who raced her for several seasons.

The Special Race for the big yachts took place on 19 July, 1929.
1st. Candida (H.A. Andreae), a new 174-ton cutter built by Camper & Nicholson that season.
2nd. Westward (T.F.B. Davies)
3rd. Lulworth (A. A. Paton).
4th. White Heather II (Lord Waring)
Unfortunately, Britannia did not fit out that year owing to the illness of H. M. the King.

The Club Regatta was held on 7 September, 1929.
The handicap race for 6-15 tons was won by Anthea (H. G. Sicklemore), a new 8-metre boat built that year by Camper & Nicholson.
Sylvia (W. H. Dowman) came second, and Kathleen (Col. Faulkner Brown), third.

In the Sunbeam class, the results were: 1st Flame (W. H. Dowman), 2nd Halcyone, 3rd Maranui and 4th Trent. The other competitor, Caprice, gave up.
It may be noted that Flame was bought by W. H. Dowman from the executors of the late H. S. Tuke.  In the dinghy class, Mrs. Norman Lanyon, of Flushing, won the "Tuke Memorial Challenge Cup" with her Alert. [Mead, p.137]

In 1929, the whole of the club was re-wired and parking for motor-cars was provided by removing a portion of the lawn and flower-beds. [Q. Which year did an electrical fire destroy Carclew Manor  House?]

 1930
Repairs to the landing steps were carried out at a cost of £43, and to the wall under the main road.
Corinthian Races started on 19 May and it was decided to have two regattas in 1929, the first, in July, a ten-day programme to accommodate the big yachts, and the second, in September, following the race from Fowey, to coincide with a week's visit of the International 8-metre class.

On 17 July, 1930, the first day's racing, Mayfly (J. Harley Mead), the scratch boat,  won the handicap for yachts between 5 and 15 tons. Mayfly was a newcomer to Falmouth, a 7-ton Bermudian sloop built by Summers & Payne in 1898,  which Harley Mead bought at Cowes that season with a view  to having a boat bigger and faster than his Cobalt and Red Heart that could compete successfully with the larger and faster craft in the West Country.  In the years which followed,  Mayfly became one of the greatest prize-winners in the locality and was Harley's favourite boat, and the most near perfect of her type that he had ever known.  [Is Mayfly the boat immediately behind Victory in the Regatta Photograph? (click on the thumbnail to view enlargement)]

Victory 1931 Regatta?

[On 18 July, 1930, the patron of the RCYC, H.M. King George V, won with his yacht Britannia, at their regatta, her 199th victory.]

The RCYC 1930 Regatta results of the Sunbeam race were; 1st Halcyone, 2nd Maranui, 3rd Trent, 4th Flame, 5th Caprice, 6th Blackbird (Mrs. R. Foster), 7th Jasmine, and 8th Merrythought.  Mrs. Foster bought Blackbird from W. H. Dowman when he bought Flame. [Mead, p.139]

On 2 September, 1930, Mayfly (1912) won the Fowey Race, with Osprey (1913) (P.M. Holman) and Kathleen (A. Cochran) 2nd and 3rd respectively. [Osprey was a 13-ton auxiliary cutter designed by Shepperd in 1913.]

On 3, 5, 8 and 9 September*, the 8-metre class raced under the RCYC flag.
Anthea. (H. G. Sicklemore)
Cutty, (W.H. Dowman)
Unity. (B. W. & F. R. W. Preston)
Sposa, (Sir Ernest and Miss E. Roney), and
Emily, (E. J. and E. R. Roney)
* The old wooden frigate  Foudroyant left the port of Falmouth for Milford Haven, on 9 September, 1930.
[ Mead, History of the RCYC 1871-1949, p.139 ]

 1931
It was ruled that no waterman's boat would be permitted to take part unless she had been chartered for a period of not less than 30 days and the charterer had been invited by the club [RCYC] to compete.  In this connection, it is noteworthy that a request was received from a person, not a member of the club, to enter a local boat,  Victory, [owned by a local waterman, Bertram 'Toby' West  Sr.] which he had chartered, in the Club regatta. [see image of Victory at a Club Regatta]   The club then gave the ruling that this charterer could not race unless he was a member of some recognised yacht club or, failing this, that he joined the Flushing Sailing Club before the regatta.

"J" Class boats racing at Falmouth.  [Steel Barque believed to be 'Viking']

In 1931, the special race for the "J" class and old yachts of 76 feet rating and above, took place on 17 July.  There were only four competitors - Britannia (H. M. the King), Astra (Hugh F. Paul), Candida (H. A. Andreae) and the vessel Shamrock V (Sir Thomas Lipton). Shamrock V beat Astra, while Britannia and Candida gave up..

In  1931,  the International 8-metre class visited Falmouth for a week's racing in the port.  At the club regatta, on 5 September, Cutty (W. H. Dowman won, Unity (B.W. & F. R. W. Preston) was 2nd and Anthea (H. G. Sicklemore) third.  Sagitta won a second place (to Cutty) in a race on 7 September.   Cutty, a new boat built by Camper & Nicholson the previous year, won the Gold Medal of the Solent Classes for the best record in the International 8-metre during the 1931 season.  Steered for the owner by an expert Cornish helmsman, Capt. R. T. Dixon, she captured 20 first prizes, 8 second and 5 third prizes, a total of 33 prizes in 35 starts.   

On 5 September, the race for International 14-foot dinghies, the  "Tuke Memorial Challenge Cup" was won by Catherine (Morgan Giles).
There was no race for the Sunbeam class included in this [1931 RCYC] regatta.  Apparently there had been some disagreement among certain of the owners which resulted in the class breaking up after 1930 and not starting again until three years later. [ Mead, History of the RCYC 1871-1949, p.142]

By the end of 1931, the project, started in 1929, for purchasing the leasehold of the club was achieved.  The scheme, enabling members to secure the leasehold of the property, was prepared and carried through by F. C. Polglase and the late Harry Stedman. [ Mead, History of the RCYC 1871-1949, p.143 ],

 1932
In the absence of both the "J" class and the Sunbeams, the Club regatta, on 10 September was rather disappointing.
In the dinghy class,  Sabrina (Miss J. Cree) won the Tuke Memorial Challenge Cup).

In the 1932 Summer General Meeting,  H.G. Sicklemore was promoted Commodore [of the RCYC] in place of the late Col. L. Faulkner Brown, and W. H. Dowman was promoted Vice-Commodore.
Captain C. H. Tremayne, M. C., late 11th Hussars, of  Carclew, who joined the club the previous year, was appointed Rear Commodore.  Captain Tremayne was the son of a former member, and his grandfather and great-uncle had been founder members and flag officers of the club.  At this meeting, Capt. R. T. Dixon agreed to represent the club at the next R.Y. A. Conference and to offer the "J" and 12-metre classes a race in July 1933.

In 1932, W. H. Dowman gifted the RCYC a photograph of Cutty and the cups won by her.

[Note: No Falmouth Sunbeam races between 1930 -1933, but from the summer of 1932, the club's senior officers were all Sunbeam owners.]

 1933
On 23 May, the first occasion a member of the Royal family, H. R. H. The Prince of Wales, visited the club.  He arrived at Falmouth by train in the morning, went by air to the Scillies, and returned again in the afternoon.  The Prince and his party was brought ashore from the seaplane to the club by the motor boats of club members.        

The Special Races for the "J" and 12-metre classes took place on 17 July, 1933.  There were four competitors in the "J" class, of which Shamrock V (T. O. M. Sopwith) was the winner, Astra (Hugh J. Paul) 2nd, Britannia (H. M. the King) 3rd, and a new vessel, Velsheda (W. L. Stephenson) 4th.   
Only two boats took part in the race for 12 metre boats, Veronica (Sir William Burton) winning the first prize of £25 and Iyruna (G. Glynn Terrell) the second prize of £10. [ Mead, History of the RCYC 1871-1949, p.146 ]

At the [RCYC] Regatta on 9 September, 1933 in the Sunbeam class, Caprice (Mrs. H. G. Sicklemore) was 1st, Merrythought (H. G. Sicklemore) 2nd, and Speedwell (R. Foster) 3rd.  The other two entries, Flame (E. K. Tremnayne) and Maranui (Capt. C. H. Tremayne), did not start.  This was the first time the Sunbeams had taken part in the club regatta since 1930, and during their absence Halcyone and Trent had left the port, while Jasmine, previously owned by Capt. Dixon, had been [sold to R. Foster, and] renamed Speedwell. [ Mead, History of the RCYC 1871-1949, pp.146-147 ]

Three silver cups were purchased by the club in 1933, as prizes to be awarded on the results of the weekly Corinthian Races.
In the Sunbeam class, first series, Capt. C. H. Tremayne's Maranui won a cup, and in the second series H. G. Sicklemore's Merrythought tied for a cup with his wife's Caprice. [The third cup, allotted to the St. Mawes O.D.C.. was won by N. A. Britain's Tern.] [ Mead, History of the RCYC 1871-1949, p.147 ]

At the Summer General Meeting, it was moved by the Commodore (H. G. Sicklemore) and seconded by the Rear-Commodore (Captain C. H. Tremayne) that the club's Y.R.A. representative, Capt. R. T. Dixon be empowered to invite the "J" class to race again at Falmouth in 1934. An amendment by J. Harley Mead, and seconded by F. C. Bond, that the big yachts be NOT invited to race in 1934, having been put to the vote and defeated, the original motion was adopted.

 1934
At the Winter General Meeting, the Financial Statement disclosed, that although the club was solvent, there was no money available for anything beyond normal expenditure. [(freehold) assets exceeded liabilities by £1,209... wine stock value was taken at selling price, instead of at cost, as in the previous (57) years]
The Y.R.A., having agreed the International 14-foot dinghy class [45 entrants] would race for the Prince of Wales cup at Falmouth in August, it was decided to hold a regatta during their visit [11-18 August].  
The Corinthian Races. which opened on the second Wednesday in June,  were limited that year to three classes, Sunbeams, 10-footers and dinghys.  Prizes for the Sunbeams and 18-footers were, 1st. 10s.,  2nd, 5s., 3rd, 2s. 6d.  
When the 18-footers were not racing, prizes for the Sunbeams were increased to 15s., 10s., and 5s.

The Special Races for the "J" and 12-metre classes took place on 29 June, 1934.  There were six competitors in the "J" class.  The American Cup competitors Endeavour and Velsheda were both scratch vessels.  On corrected time, Astra (Hugh F. Paul) was the winner, Britannia (H.M. the King) 2nd, Candida (H. A. Andreae) 3rd, Endeavour (1934) (T. O. M. Sopwith) 4th, Shamrock V (C. R. Fairey) 5th, and Velsheda (W. L. Stephenson) 6th.  In the 12-metre class, Flica (Hugh Goodson) 1st., Westra (W. & A. C. Connell) 2nd., Veronica (Sir William Burton) 3rd., and Miquette (Major R. S. Grigg) 4th. [ Mead, History of the RCYC 1871-1949, p.149 ]

The [RCYC] Club Regatta took place on 15 August. 1934.  In the race for the Sunbeams, Maranui (Capt. C. H. Tremayne) was 1st., Merrythought (H. G. Sicklemore) 2nd, Flame (E. K. Tremayne) 3rd., Caprice (Mrs. H. G. Sicklemore) 4th, and Speedwell ( R. Foster) 5th.   [ Mead, History of the RCYC 1871-1949, p.150 ]


 1935
Prior to the 1935 season, it was decided that entrance fees for the three classes taking part in the Corinthian Races should be 2s. 6d. for Sunbeams and 1s. for International 14-foot dinghys, and the 18-foot St. Mawes O.D.C.  It was also ruled that owners of Sunbeams who were not members of the [Royal Cornwall Yacht] Club might race, by invitation of the Committee during 1835 only, but in future years they must join the club in order to participate. [ Mead, History of the RCYC 1871-1949, p.152 ]

 The Special Races for the "J" and 12-metre classes took place on 28 June, 1935.  There were six competitors in the "J" class.   Astra (Hugh F. Paul) was the winner, Endeavour (T. O. M. Sopwith) 2nd, Shamrock V (C. R. Fairey) 3rd,  Velsheda (W. L. Stephenson) 4th, Yankee (Gerard L. Lambert) 5th.  Britannia (H.M. the King) gave up during the race.

 In the 12-metre class,  Marina (Sir William Burton) [see Vernonica 1934] was the winner,  Westra (W. & A. C. Connell) 2nd., Flica (Hugh Goodson) 3rd.   [ Mead, History of the RCYC 1871-1949, p.152 ]

At the club Regatta on 10 August, 1935, in the race for Sunbeams, Aida (H. G. Sicklemore)  was first,  Maranui (A. Farrant) 2nd., Merrythought (C.B. & Mrs. Tracey) 3rd, Flame (E. K. Tremayne) 4th, Solaire (Mrs. Claude Lanyon) 5th.  Aida was a new boat built in 1935, and Maranui had been sold by Capt. C. H. Tremayne to A. Farrant on the undertaking that she would not leave the port for three years.  Solaire was the new name given to Speedwell by Mrs. Lanyon when she bought the boat from R. Foster.

In 1935, the Flagstaff was lowered, painted, fitted with galvanized collars and re-erected at a cost of only £11 by the Ponsharden Shipyard.
For the first time, the club had its own Christmas Cards printed. 1,000 were ordered and sold to members at 5d. each or 4s. 6d. a dozen.

 1936
On 20 January, 1936,  King George V died.  H.M. King Edward VIII acceded to the throne, and in April, the Vice-Patron graciously consented to become the Patron of the club, following the custom of his father, grand-father and great-grandmother.

In March 1936, Wilfred H. Dowman, the Vice-Commodore, died at the age of 56.  A retired Master Mariner, he had been mate of the cadet training ship Port Jackson, and, like many deep-sea mariners, unaccustomed to yacht racing technique, shied away from steering the several well-known boats which he had owned. A rich man and a genial host, he delighted in giving a dinner party at the Green Bank Hotel, and to rope in anybody he chanced to meet at the club.  Certainly no one who availed themselves of his hospitality could complain at the quality or quantity of the champagne and liquor brandy provided.

Special Races for the "J" and 12-metre classes took place on 25 June, 1936, preceded by identical races the previous day under the auspices of the Port Regatta Committee.  On the first day's racing, The "J" class results were, 1st Astra, 2nd Endeavour I, 3rd Velsheda, and 4th Endeavour II.

This was the last appearance of the "J" class yachts at Falmouth.  The event was marred by the absence of Britannia and the death of her Royal owner. In July, Britannia was taken from her berth at Cowes and purposefully sunk.  As a child, C.J. H. Mead remembered her well, from 1906 - 1909, watching her race with King Edward VII aboard. "Her sinking was a sad but majestic finish.  Who knows had she not gone in this manner, perhaps eventually she might have come into the hands of some profit-minded person of Semitic persuasion to be opened to all and sundry at so much a head.  It is horrible to contemplate the King's Britannia desecrated by noisy trippers happily dropping their  'aitches and fish and chips on her once hallowed and spotless deck."  [ Mead, History of the RCYC 1871-1949, p.155-156 ]...
[after all that, 'Adam & Eve' it, Mead says..."Through the influence of Sir Philip Hunloake the club acquired Britannia's racing flag, which was framed and hung in the Smoking Room." (C. J. H. Mead's father, Harley Mead was a friend of Hunloake, from his Cornubia Shipyard days, in Cowes)]
  [ Mead, History of the RCYC 1871-1949, p.157]

On 12 June, , the second day's racing (R.C.Y.C. day) The new "J" class boat Endeavour II (1936) (T.O.M. Sopwith) was the winner, Astra (Hugh F. Paul) 2nd, Velsheda (W. L. Stephenson) 3rd, and the remaining competitor, Endeavour I (H. A. Andreae) last.
In the 12-metre class, Evaine (C. R. Fairey) was 1st, Marina (Sir William Burton) 2nd, and Flica (Hugh Goodson) 3rd.
[On 3 July, 1936, the big yachts started their race from Falmouth to the Clyde.]

In August 1936 a weeks racing in conjunction with the other local clubs took place.  The [RCYC] Club Regatta took place on 11 August, 1936. In the Sunbeam class Caprice (Mrs. H. G. Sicklemore) was the winner, with Maranui (A. Farrant) and Merrythought (C.B. & Mrs. Tracey) second and third respectively. The remainder, in order of finishing, were Judy,(1923) a visitor from the Solent, (H. G. Reynolds),  Pintail, a newcomer to the fleet, built that year, (Francis Williams), Una, (Mrs. Claude Lanyon), Flame (E. K. Tremayne), and Aida (H. K. Sicklemore).  In the case of Una, this was her original name, which Mrs. Lanyon had adopted after the boat had been known under several different titles.   The Sunbeam Amateur Cup was won in 1936 by A. Farrant.
At the Summer General Meeting, Captain C. H. Tremayne was elected Vice-Commodore to fill the vacancy caused by the death of W. H. Dowman*. [*15 years a member of the club]

During 1936, Messrs. Coastlines Ltd., having purchased from the Mead family the foreshore, extending from Boyer's Cellars to the Green Bank Laundry, the club took the opportunity of acquiring the frontage to the harbour and eighty feet of the Well Beach on the southern side of the premises (see Plan 1).  By the help of Harley Mead, this additional property was purchased for the nominal sum of £50.
In 1936, Bass Mild sold at the RCYC for 6d. a pint, and St. Austell Bitter at 5d.

During 1936. the death of two well-known local sailing members, C. R. Stephens [Berthe (1924)] and Capt. ("Skipper") H. L. Wilcox, R. N. [Little Lady (1924)] took place. [ Mead, History of the RCYC 1871-1949, p.157]

 1937
His Majesty King George VI graciously consented to become the Patron of the club, in the place of his brother H. R. H. The Duke of Windsor.
[Coronation Day, May 12th]  In May 1937. Mrs. W. H. Dowman was invited to join the club as an Honorary Life Member in recognition of the services of her late husband when a Flag Officer.
The Club regatta took the form of a two-day programme, in which the same events were repeated.  At the first day's racing, on 7 June, 1937, the 12-metre results were; 1st. Marina (Sir William Burton), 2nd, Flica (Hugh Goodson), and 3rd Evaine (C. R. Fairey). On the second day, 8 June, Evaine was the winner, Flica and Marina  2nd & 3rd. Little Astra (Hugh J. Paul) gave up.

In the event for cruisers over 5 -tons, Happy Return (G. Romney Fox) was 1st. [Mayfly, J. Harley Mead, came 4th]. Happy Return was a 12-ton cutter designed by Nigel Warrington Smythe, and built by Frazier of Mevagissey, in 1936.

In the Sunbeam class, the results of the first day's regatta racing (7 June, 1937), were: 1st Maranui (A. Farrant), 2nd Aida ( H. G. Sicklemore), 3rd Caprice (Mrs. H. G. Sicklemore), 4th Pintail (Francis Williams), 5th Binaiya (1937) (C. B. & Mrs. Tracey) and 6th Mabs (J. C. Annear).
On the second day, 8 June, Caprice was the winner, Maranui 2nd, Aida 3rd, Pintail 4th, Binaiya 5th, and Mabs 6th.  A new addition to the class, Binaiya was built in 1937, while   Mabs was yet another name for Una when she was purchased from Mrs. Claude Lanyon by J. C. Annear.  
The Sunbeam Amateur Cup in 1937 was won by Maranui (A. Farrant).   [ Mead, History of the RCYC 1871-1949, pp.160-161]

At the Summer General meeting of 1937, it was announced that the Vice-Commodore, Capt. C. H. Tremayne, having left the county. did not wish to be re-elected.  A new club pram was built for the club by Jackett, at a cost of £16.

In 1937 [should read 1936]  Mrs. A. Farrant presented the club with a cup for the Sunbeam class, to be competed for by amateur helmsmen and crews during the weekly Corinthian Races, with the provision that the same helmsman should steer the same boat in at least two of the series of three races.

 1938
The weekly Corinthian Races opened on 8 June, 1938.
On 1 July, 1938, the RCYC, on behalf of the Royal Ocean Racing Club, started the yachts in their race to Kingstown (Dublin)

The Club Regatta took place on 3 September, 1938
In the race for yachts of 10-tons and over there were five competitors; 1st Anthea (H. G. Sicklemore), 2nd Caryl (Hartley Shawcross), 3rd Clodagh (A. T. Holman), 4th Morva (P. M. & Mrs. Holman), and 5th, Shuttle (A. McDougall)
Morva was a new 26-ton auxiliary Bermudian cutter, designed by Milne and built by Mitchell at Portmellon, in 1938.
Caryl was an 8-metre boat, designed and built by Fife of Fairlie in 1929.
In the Sunbeam Class; 1st Pintail (Francis Williams), 2nd Mabs (J. C. Annear). 3rd Aida (H. G. Sicklemore), 4th Caprice (Mrs.  H. G. Sicklemore), 5th Maranui (A. Farrant), and 6th,  Phantasy (D. G. W. Teasdale), a visitor from the Solent.   [ Mead, History of the RCYC 1871-1949, p.164]

... The  uniforms worn by paid hands consisted of a blue jersey with the name of their yacht, within a scroll, with the letters R.C.Y.C. below embroidered in red or white wool; blue trousers; white sand shoes; and either a sailor's round cap with the yacht's name on the ribbon, or, when racing, a white linen hat.  
Racing crews generally wore white jerseys with the yacht's name thereon, in red or blue, and white duck trousers.  Even if a crew was limited to two, the senior, as "skipper"., often wore a reefer suit with gilt club buttons and a peak cap, with without a badge.   The recognised kit for club boat boys is a blue jersey, trousers, and a sailor's cap with the letters R.C.Y.C. on the jersey and cap ribbon.   [ Mead, History of the RCYC 1871-1949, p.167]

The Sunbeam Amateur Cup, for the 1938 Corinthian Races, was won by A. Farrant.   At the end of 1938, P. Adams presented the club with a cup for a golf competition.  Apparently golfing members held this competition at Tehidy.. "a festive occasion, with the club's burgee flying at the golf clubhouse."

 1939

The weekly Corinthian Races opened on 31 May, but were limited to the Sunbeam and St. Mawes 16-foot classes.
The club's annual regatta had to be canceled due to the international situation. (Outbreak of War, 3 September, 1939)
The Farrant Cup was won by Mrs. H. G. Sicklemore's Caprice.

For the first time on record, a R.C.Y.C. yacht, owned by a Cornishman and built in the county won a cup in a R.Y.S. regatta; P.M. Holman's yacht Morva participated in the Royal Yacht Squadron Regatta and was presented with a cup by the town of Cowes for the handicap race for yachts of 25 tons and upwards. [ Mead, History of the RCYC 1871-1949, p.168]

In  1939 the club had a 16-foot St. Mawes Design built for the use of its members.  Teal was constructed by the Ponsharden Shipyard at a cost of £70, plus a royalty of £1 for the designer, Mr. Ferris of St., Mawes.  She was completed in June, but was little used before the outbreak of war.   As predicted by members such as Capt. R. T. Dixon, members soon lost interest in looking after a boat that was nobody's baby,   

In an unsuccessful attempt to deter the unruly young persons who invaded the landing steps, the boundary of the club property on Well Beach was demarcated by a wire fence. [ Mead, History of the RCYC 1871-1949, p.170]

 1940 - 1946 (WW II)

From 1940, all racing at the club ceased, and it was not started again until 1946. Government duty added forced whiskey & gin prices up fro, 8d to 10d. a tot, and draught beer from 7d. to 8d. a pint.  

In 1941, St. Austell Brewery reduced the supply of beer from six, to two firkins a month, whiskey sales doubled,

In 1942, Whiskey prices were increased from 10d. to 1s. a measure (F. C. Polglase secured a supply of one case per month of Queen Annes's Whiskey direct from Edinburgh) and the stock of sherry was exhausted. The club's income from billiards was £42, the largest since 1931, while the profit on the sale of 'wines' fell to £93, the lowest since 1919.

By 1943, the selling price of whiskey had risen to 1s. 5d. a measure, and the profit on wines rose to £323, (due in part to increased prices).

During the year ending 31 December 1944, income exceeded expenditure by £108, compared with £179 in 1943, mainly due to higher expenditure on wages.

During 1945, the club purchased the freehold of the premises from the executors of the Basset Estate, for the sum of £203, prior to which the club held the property n a perpetual renewable lease for a term of 3,000 years.  Cost prevented the replacement of the iron gates at the entrance to the drive which had been removed in the war for salvage [a requirement which defaced property nationally]

In 1946 the Sailing Committee met in March, for the first time since 1939.  It was  resolved to revive the Falmouth-Fowey races and to cooperate in the Falmouth Town Regatta on 31 August.

 1947
Weekly races were resumed on 16 June, for the first time since 1939, with evening racing substituting afternoon races.  The term 'Corinthian' was removed.  Only the Sunbeams O.D. Class and a Menagerie class took part in the weekly racing that year, which ended on 17 September.  

The Sunbeams, all owned by members of the club, included; Aida (J. V. Ratcliffe), Binaiya (C.B. & Mrs. Tracey), Caprice (H. A. J. Silley), Maranui (A. Farrant), Phantasy (D. W. Teasdale), Pintail (Capt. J. N. E. Vaughan), and a newcomer, Harmony (Major A. B. Matthews)  
The ownership of Aida, Caprice and Pintail; had changed since 1939.

The races to Fowey and back took place on 25 and 28 August.  The Warrington Smyth Challenge Cup was won by Morva (P. M. Holman) and the competing vessels included Vanity V (Sir Hartley Shawcross) and Clodagh (A. T. Holman), Istar (Brig. O.L. Prior-Palmer) and Asgard (Lt. Col. E. Mulock).

The club regatta, (described in the local press as The Falmouth Regatta) took place on 30 August, with racing controlled from Kiln Quay, instead of from the club premises.  Unfortunately the racing finished in almost a flat calm.  Results in the Sunbeam class were 1st Maranui, 2nd Caprice and 3rd Aida.

In 1947, the number of tots to be yielded from a bottle of spirits was increased from 23 to 25 and the selling price reduced from 1s. 7d., to 1s. 5d. The price of a pint of draught beer was increased from 1s. 3d. to 1s. 4d. a pint.  P. M. Holman presented a cup for the West of England Redwings, however, owing to these boats not taking part as a class, the cup was re-allocated to the Sunbeams. [No further details provided]

The financial statement showed the club made a profit of £48 in 1947, compared with a loss of £188 in 1946. In 1947 the cost of wages was £494 and total subscriptions yielded £567, exceeded by the wine profit of £601. "This big rise in wine profit was not due to any increased consumption by the comparatively small number of members, probably less than twenty who visited the club daily and patronized the bar; on the contrary, it was due almost entirely to these few members being required to pay an unduly high profit percentage on their drinks.". [ Mead, History of the RCYC 1871-1949, pp.182-183]

 1948
P. M. Holman's idea was adopted by the RCYC when they decided to inaugurate a  Port of Falmouth Regatta Week*, supported by the various sailing clubs in the area, including the Town of Falmouth.

The weekly races began on 5 May, but, apart from the Sunbeam class, which raced regularly, they were poorly attended.
In the Sunbeam class, all the boats of the previous year competed, with the addition of Dawn (ex Mabs) (J.F. B. Madge) and a newcomer, Verony (Major G. W. D. Jennings)  The races ended on 14 September, and the Sunbeam Amateur Cup, for the highest number of points during the season, was won by Pintail (Capt. J. N. E. Vaughan).

The Port of Falmouth regatta week took place from 28 August to 4 September, 1948, one day being allotted in the following order to Porthallow, St. Mawes, Flushing, Falmouth, Restronguet, R.C.Y.C., and Helford.   In the place of money,  medals were awarded, except in the case of working boats. [ Mead, History of the RCYC 1871-1949, p.184]

 1949
Weekly races opened on 25 May [1949].  The Sunbeam class was joined by Melody (Paul & Miss J. Holman) and Painted Lady (Mrs. N. Greville Williams), both boats having belonged previously to the Solent Sunbeam class.
At the beginning of the season the two most successful boats were H. J. Silley's Caprice, steered by Mr. Carlyle, and Mr. J. F. B. Gage's Dawn, steered by Mr. L. West [Leonard West], a member of a well-known family of local boatmen.
At the time of writing, September 1949, the final results of the season for the Sunbeams are not yet to hand.

The Port of Falmouth Regatta Week was held from 27 August to 5 September. On the Club Regatta, 30 August, the results of the Sunbeam class were 1st Binaiya (C.B. & Mrs. Tracey), 2nd Dawn (J. F. B. Gage) and 3rd Pintail (Capt. J. N. E. Vaughan).


"This history would hardly be complete without some mention of those "In-port" members who were in the forefront of racing helmsmen.  With regard to racing not confined to western waters, the two names which naturally come to mind are Capt, R. T. Dixon, late Royal Engineers, and J. Harley Mead.  Both octogenarians, they started racing over sixty years ago and gained their early experience in the Solent with raters and half-raters, etc., in competition with the best helmsmen, who knew every aspect of the racing technique.  Dixon and Mead are two of the oldest surviving members of the Island Sailing Club at Cowes, Dixon having joined in 1898 and Mead two years later, and both of them are well-known members of the Yacht Racing Association. Mention should also be made of a former lady member of the club, Mrs. G. Turner-Farley, of Flushing, who also raced successfully on the Solent some forty years ago.  Turning to local racing in Falmouth, apart from those mentioned, H. S. Tuke was probably the most experienced racing man of his day. Lady members who have figured prominently as local helmswomen, particularly in dinghy racing, are Mrs. Dudley Harris and her sister, Miss "Baby" Cooke, (now Mrs. C.B. Tracey) and Mrs. Norman Lanyon (now Mrs. Scott Willcox)."   [ Mead, History of the RCYC 1871-1949, p.187-188]