Boat Club History
Welcome to the Lady Margaret Boat Club (LMBC) - the biggest and best Boat Club on the Cam! The LMBC was founded in 1825 by twelve members of the College. In its original rules, the Club was to consist of eighteen 'contributing Members besides Honorary ones' and all members had to be able to row. These days, the majority of the Club's members learn to row at Cambridge and the Club is open to all members of St John's College. The Club is primarily dedicated to the enjoyment of its members, whatever their level of commitment to rowing.
The greatest influence in the 1860 and 1870s was JHD Goldie who raised LMBC to the Headship of the River, won the Colquhoun Sculls, and stroked Cambridge four times. The Goldie Boathouse, used by the University Crews commemorates his services to Cambridge rowing. Another important name in LMBC history is LHK Bushe-Fox who had a long career with LMBC, becoming President of the Club in 1897. One of the greatest influences this century was Roy Meldrum who established the Lady Margaret style, which he detailed in his rowing books.
The Boathouse was opened in the May Term 1901. It was extended in the 1970s and was the first Boathouse to have a workshop for the Boatman. In the early 1980s, when the college began to admit women, further modifications were made upstairs to create the women's changing rooms. The boathouse was extended further in 2000 to create more indoor training space, giving us some of the best training facilities on the Cam. A shed is now being planned to house the club's fours, which are currently racked outside.
The Club's heyday was in the late 1940s and 1950s. LMBC won the Ladies Plate in 1949 with a new course record. In 1950 they made 4 bumps to go Head of the Mays and stayed Head for five years (this run of Headships giving the LMBC the privilege of building a weathervane on the Boathouse). In 1951 Lady Margaret won the Grand at Henley and had five members of the successful Cambridge crew which also defeated Harvard and Yale in the US.
Five members of the Grand crew coached by Roy Meldrum and Brian Lloyd formed the basis of the crew which won a gold medal at the European Championships for Great Britain. In 1952 Lady Margaret provided six of the Olympic VIII, which rowing as Leander had won the Grand. We also provided three more members of the Olympic team, but LMBC still retained the Headship and won the Ladies Plate at Henley.
Members of the Club are well known for their scarlet jackets which gave rise to the term 'blazer'. Members with First May Colours are entitled to wear trim and gold buttons on their blazer, while First Lent or Second May Colours are entitled to wear silver buttons on their blazer.
Two volumes of the History of the Lady Margaret Boat Club have been published and the third volume (up to 1992) is due to be published shortly. The existing volumes are available in the College Library and provide an insight into the earlier years of the Club.
