tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249798928755398547.post5553663630963924931..comments2024-03-01T10:49:12.079-05:00Comments on 'Hear The Boat Sing': The 300th Coat, the 300th Badge: The 2014 Doggett’sHTBS editor Göran R Buckhornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09996970312143298372noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249798928755398547.post-11991313046032178312014-12-27T19:01:40.647-05:002014-12-27T19:01:40.647-05:00The picture in Fishmongers Hall that you suggest i...The picture in Fishmongers Hall that you suggest is Kenny Dwan, is in fact Herbert Clark from Ilford, the winner in 1948. I have much research on the history of the race and the man, and I truly believe that Thomas Doggett (buried at Eltham) did die a pauper. I have named and given evidence to the Watermen's and Fishmongers' Companies regarding the winner of the first race in 1715 - which has been accepted. I do enjoy your blog and have come back to it numerous times to double check my own findings. However, I do get fed up when people say that the coat colour was RED (WRONG) and that the Fishmongers' Company took over the administration of the race within Thomas Doggett's will (WRONG) and that Doggett died a wealthy man (PROBABLY WRONG). He had to borrow money from various sources in 1715 to get the race initiated. Regards Rob Cottrell.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249798928755398547.post-34634953287423205362014-07-19T16:21:08.472-04:002014-07-19T16:21:08.472-04:00Dear Colin,
Many apologies if I have offended or ...Dear Colin,<br /><br />Many apologies if I have offended or misrepresented the Fishmongers' Company. My piece was not intended to be a criticism (veiled or otherwise) of anyone but, because I am not immune from being ill-informed or inaccurate, I have carefully re-examined what I wrote. <br /><br />Importantly, the part about class was an 'observation' and not, as you suggest, a 'jibe'. This is not just semantics, I do not think anyone can deny that most of the members of the Fishmongers' Company and most of the members of the Watermen's are from different social groups. Not 'better', not 'worse', just 'different'. I think my lazy use of the cliché 'class divide' was wrong as this could suggest that the social differences are some sort of problem - which they are not. <br /><br />I think my other observation, that most 'Watermen' still work the river while most 'Fishmongers' do not work with fish, is true but this could have given the impression that the Fishmongers' Company as a body now has little to do with fish. As you point out, this is certainly not the case.<br /><br />My other sins were ones of omission but this was consciously done. I cover the Doggett's more as a piece of 'living history' and less as a 'news report'. Thus I deliberately did not write about the other work of the Fishmongers or the Watermen, I did not mention the sponsors and I did not report on your support of London Youth Rowing. <br /><br />If I have any regular readers, they know that my writing style is often somewhat light hearted and this means that it is sometimes misinterpreted - though this is a fault of the writer, not the reader. <br /><br />Be assured that, were my piece a genuine attempt to push forward the class struggle, I would have liberated your silver mustard pot in the name of the people.<br /><br />Best wishes,<br /><br />Tim.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249798928755398547.post-51057592500533616402014-07-19T08:00:35.503-04:002014-07-19T08:00:35.503-04:00The Company website (fishhall.org.co.uk) gives det...The Company website (fishhall.org.co.uk) gives details of just some of the Company's involvement in the fish and fisheries sector. An historic connection it continues to take very seriously. As for rowing, the Company is an active supporter of London Youth Rowing and those attending last week will have seen the Duke of Edinburgh and Mark Hunter present prizes to the winners of the Row4Results indoor rowing competition race held at the Hall on the day. We are also doing our bit to promote and enable rowing in schools in the East End of London. Class doesn't come into it; as many young kids involved in and enjoying rowing is our aim.vladhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15017944426895515053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249798928755398547.post-7283071348784362952014-07-19T07:31:28.794-04:002014-07-19T07:31:28.794-04:00Dear Colin, HTBS is widely read in the rowing frat...Dear Colin, HTBS is widely read in the rowing fraternity and we should be grateful if you could share any additional perspectives or corrections. I am sure we would be all very happy to find out more about the Fishmongers in particular. Kind regards.Generalsurfinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09346611162265705354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4249798928755398547.post-33643083668598300742014-07-19T06:25:29.421-04:002014-07-19T06:25:29.421-04:00A good account of an excellent race, spoiled somew...A good account of an excellent race, spoiled somewhat by an unfair jibe about 'class' and an ill-informed and inaccurate observation about the Fishmongers' Company. Colin Boag (Clerk to the Fishmongers')vladhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15017944426895515053noreply@blogger.com