Serpentine Swimming Club

President Rob welcomed Tony and Christine. The Radfords have sponsored the mile race since the mid 1970s.

Club champion, 1968

Tony was a member at the time of the club centenary in 1964, having joined in 1963 aged 11. For many years he was the club champion, being of national competitive standard and one of the club's fastest ever swimmers. Though a member of the Serpentine SC his pool training and competing was under the banner of South London SC, coached by his father Alf. Tony regularly competed in the ASA Southern Counties championships, his favoured events being 220 yards and one mile (still imperial distances in those days). He won the Christmas Day race in 1967 and 1972, producing a sub 60 seconds time for the latter win. This has only ever been equalled by Nick Adams, some thirty years later. One July day in the early 1970s Tony swam our Bridge to Bridge race in the morning and then was driven by dad Alf to Brighton for the Pier-to-Pier race a few hours later, which he won.

Tony's wife Christine was also a very good competitive swimmer - that's how they met. It is not clear who was actually fastest of the two, but Christine was definitely the more graceful.

Rob spoke of the background to the magnificent Colin Cooper cup and that family's connection to the opening of the George Lansbury Lido to the public in 1930.

An anonymous donor ensured completion of fund raising of the Lansbury Lido and its opening to the public in 1930

In 1929 the 'public spirited' George Lansbury, Mayor of Poplar, leader of the Labour party and popular Commissioner of Works between the wars, suggested a public bathing space in Hyde Park. Funds were raised by a public appeal for the development of the Lido bathing area and pavilion. A private offer was also made on the strict understanding that it was entirely anonymous "and no one except Mr Lansbury shall know of my identity". The donation permitted the completion of the pavilion and, in the spring of 1930, the Lido complex opened to the public, replacing the old bathing huts with the ornate pavilion. A plaque in commemoration of Lansbury is built into the wall of the pavilion, with the inscription "who made this bathing shore for our enjoyment".

Though George Lansbury respected the donor's desire for anonymity, over the years it became accepted that it was Colin and other members of the Cooper family who made the generous and greatly appreciated donation towards the development of the facility where Colin bathed before the war. It also ensured a permanent physical memory to Colin's young brother, Jack.

Captain J O Cooper, 1896 - 1916

Presentation of the 1929 cup by Colin Cooper

For further detail on Tony Radford's club career and on the history and background to the Colin Cooper cup please follow this link to the 2021 report -

http://serpentineswimmingclub.com/news/51106/20210619-tony-radford-cooper-cup

The Radford Mile for the Colin Cooper Cup

A win for stormin' Norman

A win for Norman

A repeat of his feat 22 years earlier

Dani started the clock at 7.30 prompt. The club is proud to accommodate all ranges of ability and speed within our handicap system. The first racer started at half past seven; the final competitor dived in at 12 minutes past eight.

A lonely Tony Schiemann patiently awaiting his mark. Eleven minutes earlier Mike Olizar was the first to take the plunge.

The race underway at a leisurely pace

The chasing pack not so leisurely