Lady Margaret (referred to as 'Maggie' around here) is one of the biggest and (arguably) the best
boat clubs on the
River Cam. Up to 250 members of
St John's College, Cambridge row in L.M.B.C. boats every
term and compete in the Cambridge University Bumping Races - "
bumps".
LMBC crews row with
red blades and members of the club can be spotted around
Cambridge by their proud display of
red kit (usually in lectures after an
early morning
outing).
The club was founded in 1825 by a number of illustrious
Johnians who managed to
procure an eight-oared
boat from either
Oxford or
London. The
River Cam was then used primarily by
barges bringing coal,
etc. to the
Colleges. The early boats were for pleasure-trip use, but impromptu races with passing boats were regular and soon,
University organised races were set up. (Their form, on a narrow river like the
River Cam is very interesting, see "
bumps").
Many L.M.B.C. oarsmen were influential in the evolution of
rowing, including
JHD Goldie,
LHK Bushe-Fox and
Roy Meldrum (who detailed the Lady Margaret style in his textbooks).
The club rules stipulate
"that the uniform of the Club be a scarlet flannel coat, red and white striped jersey, grey chequered trousers and scarlet cap.". Members were obviously highly recognizable in these
bright red jackets and they gave rise to the name "
blazer" in the
English Language!
The Club's
heyday was in the late 1940s and 1950s. LMBC won the
Ladie's Plate at
Henley in 1949. In 1950 they made 4 bumps to go
Head of the
Mays and stayed
Head for five years, 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.
Nowadays, the uniform isn't worn often (but we still wear the blazers!) and the
rowing isn't of quite as high a standard, but Lady Margaret are always in the top few positions in
bumps and at all levels, we enjoy rowing in a Club with great
facilities and great
tradition.