A return to competition, with the Cygnets Race acting as a curtain raiser to the All Clothes Race

When formed in 1864, one of the objects of the Club was to save life from drowning and lifesaving figured prominently in the club's activities. In 1866 the committee, ever anxious to promote the noble art of swimming in every possible way, introduced the “All Clothes Races” and undressing in deep water contest. The clothes worn were jacket, trousers, waistcoat, shirt and leather boots, at the minimum weight of 8lbs.

Swimmers would race across the Serpentine, starting from the north shore opposite the “Old Elm Tree” (roughly where the pavilion is now) to the diving boards.  On their way across they would divest themselves of their clothing by treading water and undressing in the middle of the lake.  After putting their clothes into a rowing boat manned by John Green, the Royal Humane Society's boatman, Bert to his friends, they would then continue across the lake to the opposite bank.  No mean feat considering it would be 100 yards to swim in waterlogged clothes to the boat, and 200 yards in all. The race taxed the agility and stamina of the swimmers to the utmost.  A report in the Daily Telegraph enthused at the value of such races, even when one of the competitors, one of the fastest swimmers in the country, "got into difficulty and became exhausted by the weight of his wet clothes".

By the late 20th century the race become more relaxed, with a light-hearted view taken on proceedings.  Nowadays members have turned up jocularly clad as tramps, police officers, jockeys, friars, popes and sheikhs, with many donning glamourous evening wear and fashionable garments scoured from their local charity shops. The weight today is stipulated at 2.7kg (6lbs), a measure in place since the early 20th century.  However, the handicapper no longer brings a spring balance to ensure no competitor is underweight.  In fact, given the lightness of modern fabrics, a swimmer would have to try very hard to meet the minimum weight.  Today’s plethora of fancy dress outfits would be but a small fraction of the “official” minimum weight.

Writing at the time of the club centenary in 1964, Fred Haughton (a member since 1907) told the story "of one old member who, during the First World War, was aboard a laden troopship on a journey from Egypt to France. The ship was torpedoed at twelve o'clock midnight and sank in half an hour. He was one of the lucky survivors and was rescued at two o'clock on the following day. He never failed to praise and thank the Club for teaching him not only how to swim but, by participating in All Clothes Races, gave him the confidence and experience that enabled him to survive such a terrifying ordeal".

John Sexton sponsored the All Clothes race from 1982, the race previously being sponsored for many decades by Arthur Goffrey.  John was a founder member of the Serpentine Running Club and has completed seventeen marathons.

John is currently in ill health, and the club sends all its love to John and those close to him.