The Committee

The Committee was first established in the Town by those interested in rowing, as might be expected. In 1860, the Committee was greatly enlarged, and for some years from 1862 the names of His Grace the Duke of Manchester, the Rt. Hon. Earl Cowper, the Rt. Hon. Lord Wensleydale and other local dignitaries appeared on the programme as Patrons of the Regatta, and some few years later Earl Cowper accepted the office of President, an office which he filled until his death in 1905. In 1870 and for some years afterwards the Presidents of the Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Clubs were members, as was the Mayor of Bedford who acted as Chairman. Today the Regatta is organised by a Committee made up of representatives from the local rowing clubs of the town.

The Regatta Draw was once a social event in itself in the days before computers. The Regatta Committee would meet the weekend before the Regatta to work out the racing programme using a card system, from which the programme was taken.

Today the draw is fully automated taking a few seconds to work out taking into consideration doubling-up, boat sharing and two-minute intervals

The first eight Regattas seem to have been purely local affairs in which the prizes were awarded in money, but in 1860 open races for fours, pairs and sculls were incorporated in the programme, and thenceforward silver cups of declared values were substituted for the money awards.

In 1863, two Challenge Cups were offered, both “open to the Ouse”, one for sculls and the other for fours. The Sculling Cup having been won in 1863, 64 and 65 by Mr Harry Thody of Bedford Rowing Club (in later life, Chief Constable of Bedford), became his absolute property. The Fours Cup having been won in 1863 and 1864 by Bedford Rowing Club passed from the programme in 1865.

In 1868 a Public Schools Four-oared Race was introduced but only two crews entered, with Derby Grammer School beating Bedford School by two feet! The Public Schools race continued until 1883 when it was withdrawn owing to lack of entries.

In 1873 the Bedford Grand Challenge Cup was added to the prizes. The beautifully designed trophy was purchased by means of a public subscription to which the Duke of Bedford, the Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Clubs, and the Thames Rowing Club generously contributed. It is 21 inches high and its weight is 130oz of solid silver. The cup was designed by Mrs Gillons, wife of C.E.B. Gillons, a Bedford Modern School master, who for many years was the Hon. Secretary of the Regatta. In the 1873 Regatta, Thames Rowing Club beat Bedford School by nearly two lengths to become the first winners of the Grand Challenge Cup. Thames continued this run of form winning the cup on eight occasions up to 1897. After that year it was many years before they came back to Bedford. To bring some light relief into the programme of racing the Regatta Committee introduced events such as ladies’ and gentlemen’s double sculls and punting races. These proved very popular, especially as the contestants were usually well known in the social life of the town, but when the rowing entries increased, these events had to be reluctantly abandoned.

The first post World War 1 Regatta was held in 1919 with a single event for eights. It was called the “Public School Eights” and there was only one race, between Bedford School and Bedford Modern School. Bedford School who had reached the final of the Elsenham Cup at Henley, won a good race by just over a length.

In 1938, the entries were sixty; in 1939, there were forty, while this continued to grow to 167 in 1959. Today the event regularly attracts up to 350 entries which has to be pared back to 320 to accommodate racing between 8.30am and 7.30pm with some 300 races.

In the mid 1990’s the Committee took the decision to restrict the Regatta to purely eights and fours. This decision was mainly taken due to the demand for entries in these categories.

The early Regattas did not enjoy the same promenade that we have today. The fun and festivity of the Regatta centred around the Swan Hotel and above the Bridge at what is now Star Club. A large marquee was erected for the purposes of the Regatta Committee, their wives, families and friends. Here, refreshments on a lavish scale were dispensed throughout the day. On the opposite side of the river, the townsfolk gathered to enjoy and celebrate the Regatta.

In 1904 the Regatta Committee obtained permission from the Bedford Corporation to enclose a portion of the Duckmill Meadows near the Locks for use of competitors and subscribers for the Regatta Fund, and permission has been annually renewed ever since. At the same time an enclosure for boats was made from the Locks to below the Suspension Bridge by means of booming some 12 ft. width of water along the south bank; this made it more comfortable for the family parties who spent the whole day in their boats and punts and also materially reduced the risk of accident. However, in the 1904 Regatta Bedford Rowing Club was robbed of victory in the final of the Grand Challenge Cup when they struck a family “tub” which had wandered onto the course.

Today the enclosure is positioned upstream of the Suspension Bridge and includes a tented area selling food and beverages for competitors and spectators alike. The facilities are run by the local rowing clubs with proceeds ploughed back into the clubs.

In 1854 the course was changed, the pairs and sculls being from Batt’s Ford (Star Club), round a buoy near the Locks and back, and the fours and rhandans from Mr. Pearse’s boathouse to the locks. It is probably true to say that in those days the rowing played second fiddle to the social aspects of the event as the Regatta for over two decades acted as the chief holiday of the year for Bedford.

From 1863 to 1885 the races were rowed over practically the same stretch of water as the present course but in a reverse direction – upstream. From 1886 the course was from the Caudwell Street Bridge (County Bridge) to the Overshot Island. In later years the winning post was changed to the Suspension Bridge, where it has remained ever since. During the late 80’s the course was shortened with the start being moved downstream from the County Bridge to Star Club making a straightened course. However, in the mid-nineties the start was once again returned to County Bridge where it remains today.