Jersey Boy Ian MacEachern, the 2023 Bridge to Bridge winner

Since its inception in the mid 19th century the race has always been billed as 1000 yards.  That said, we now start nearly 25 yards away from the Dell Bridge and finish at the chain about 25 yards short of  Rennie's Bridge.  Taking account of these deductions the distance could be better described as 950 yards (870m).  Mind you, with all the zig zagging around the moored rowing boats, let alone fiesty swans, geese, ducks and coots the club can still claim that we have a "1000 yard long" blue ribbon.

The race over approximately 1000 yards from the Dell bridge at the the east of the lake to Rennies Bridge at the west is second only to the Christmas Day Peter Pan cup in prestige for club members.

In the early years of the club a non-handicapped Bridge to Bridge race was used to decide the club Captain.  Harry Coulter was the first such race winner and thus club Captain from 1864 until the spell was broken in 1869 when T Morris successfully won the race and captaincy.  Coulter's 1864 winning time was 20 minutes and 10 seconds.  Harry Coulter was a swimmer of national standard, having come second to the great Harry Gurr in a "Champion of England race".  An indication of how technique, training and thus ability has improved is that nowadays the fastess racers complete the distance in under 13 minutes.

The 'Bridge to Bridge' race of the 17th July 1926 was featured in the 'Evening News', the headline reading 'Grandfathers in Serpentine Race'. The paper reported "While Londoners were sleeping, 59 swimmers turned out, a record entry, to race in memory of the Serpentine swimmers who fell in the Great War.  White-haired grandfathers struggled pluckily with schoolboys.  Fred Houghton, the handicapper, started the men from the Knightsbridge end with 75-year-old Richard Ledger leading the swimmers, saying 'I wouldn't miss this great race for anything'.  The last man in was W H Melhuish, a bus driver and Club champion for the past fourteen years. At the half distance J.Hughes, a comparative stripling in his sixties, was ten yards ahead of his nearest rival, playwright Henry Devereaux, but it was T. Wiggins, a Kilburn chauffeur, who forged ahead near the finish, which he reached forty yards ahead of W Bayly and Sam Youlton. 'It was a fine race' the winner said, 'but a wound in my leg I got in Ypres began to trouble me near the finish."

The old Club President, Harry Richardson, presented the prizes. A wealthy man, whose generosity was legendary and nothing pleased him more than to present his friends in the club with beautiful prizes and expensive silverware.  After his race, he gave each swimmer to complete the course an attractive bronze commemorative medal with the Serpentine Bridge embossed on one side and the inscription "Who Fell in the War" on the reverse to commemorate all the Serpentine swimmers who had fallen in the Great War. Harry suffered acutely from chronic arthritis and swam in thick padded gloves to lessen the pain. In spite of this, he never complained and always remained one of the most cheerful of Club members. After his death, his widow continued to give twelve prizes to this race, specially dedicated to the fallen war veterans of the Club.

(the above information courtesy of Alan Titmuss, club Secretary 1964 - 2009)

From 1935 Mrs G Varley, widow of Gilbert Varley presented the prizes.  Gilbert was club President 1926 - 1933.  The Varley family continued to sponsor the race until club Handicapper Dave Milne donated the current cup in 1959.  Dave and his wife Peggy carried on supporting the race even after they retired and moved to the south coast. Dave Milne died in 2003.

Since 2003 Anthony and Jenny Cleaver have sponsored the race and provided the prizes.

Dave Milne was a regular during the 1950s and 60s and served as Hon. Handicapper for many years.  He donated the current cup in 1959, alledgedly at the cajoling of Sid Levy (they were both in the camera trade).  Dave and his wife Peggy carried on supporting the race even after they retired and moved to the south coast. Dave Milne died in 2003.