First ever silverware for the great Sarah

The Serpentine Swimming Club's Christmas morning handicap is swum over a 100 yard course for the Peter Pan Cup.  The club's Christmas Day swim has been held every year since 1864.  In the early years it was customary for the winner to be presented with a medal.  Author J M Barrie became associated with the Christmas Day race in 1903 when he presented a gold medal to the winner.  The following year Barrie presented the Peter Pan cup, which coincided with the play Peter Pan's debut on the London stage.

Barrie's connection with the club is not clear, but it is thought one of our members was a theatre impresario who was an associate of the author.  We do know that Barrie lived close by and had an affection for walking in Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park.  Sir James Barrie (he was appointed a baronett in 1913 by King George V) continued to present a cup for the winner each year up to 1932.  The honour then fell to Albert Greenbury, a dedicated member since 1909 who served as club president from 1935 to 1955.  To this day the Greenbury family continue the tradition.  Albert's granddaughter, Lucy Harris, is a current member and races all through the year and competed in the race today.

Another granddaughter, the appropriately named Wendy, had the honour of presenting the morning's trophy.

On the rare occasions when ice has prevented the race from going ahead on Christmas morning, the Peter Pan cup has been swum once the ice has cleared.  Normally this means a race in January, though in 1981 the ice lingered and the race was eventually swum on 27 February 1982.  Covid restrictions meant the club could not hold the Christmas race in 2020.  However, we were allowed to swim "socially distanced" and many members swam the traditional 100 yard course -  each undertaking their own personal Christmas Day race.  So in fact the club's 157th Christmas Day swim did take place and in 2023 we can proudly proclaim this year's event as the 160th.