Serpentine Swimming Club

Past president Brian Thomas stepped in for President Rob Ouldcott

A bunch of goodies provided by series sponsors Bill and Andy Deeley

Mike's "hinderance" was reflected in his race handicap - he was always first away

Fifty-eight years a Serpie

Bill Deeley joined the club in 1967. He faithfully served the club as Hon. Auditor from the mid-1970s until 2017 and is a club vice-President.

Bill entered the merchant navy straight from school in the early 1950s. By the age of 16 he was at the helm of a ship heading to Cyprus. The navy life gave Bill the chance to travel all over the world but he especially enjoyed the far east, Hong Kong and Singapore. He became a navigator but his naval career was cut short due to an accident in Vancouver where he broke his leg. On return to England he trained to be an accountant, hence his value to the club as an auditor and advisor on all things financial.

For many years through the 80s and 90s Bill would be accompanied both in and out of the lake by Steed, his golden Labrador. Steed regularly swam along with Bill in the races and his name even graces one of the cups. The 1996 engraving on the Daily Telegraph cup (now the Emmi Hunte series) reads: 1st Steed; 2nd W Deeley. (Club silversmith and engraver Bill Phipps smilingly "denied all knowledge").

Andy Deeley has also been with us quite a long time

A sense of deja vu. Been there, done that, polished the silverware.

1996 and all that

On the board, with a backdrop of the Lido refurbishment

Brian told tales of Mike Small and his friendship with the Deeleys

"The Spring Series"

The forever optimistic Serpentine SC

The club held races all year round until WW2. After the war club members continued to swim in the post Christmas months, but the race calendar did not commence until Easter.

In 1964 the new, fresh faced club Secretary Alan Titmuss reintroduced what was optimistically known as the "Spring Series". We competed initially for the C P Bryant cup, and then for the Edward Young Dark Fire Rum cup from 1968. The series ran from early January through to the end of March, hence "the Spring series". Over the years the series has been shortened to allow additional race sponsorship opportunities for club members. The six race series now completes on the first weekend of February.

The Mike Small cup was introduced for the series in 1994, with prizes presented by Mike's friend Mark Frazer.

From 2001 Tony Cuthbert and Saundra Satterlee sponsored the series until Tony's sad passing in 2011. Sponsorship then passed to the then club handicapper Mark Fabik.

Bill Deeley, who was a good friend of Mike's and would often give him a lift home on a Saturday morning, has sponsored the cup since 2015.

This year's series commenced last year - Saturday 28 December 2024. Water 6.5c. Air 5c.

4 January. Water 5c. Air 0c. Warmer in than out?

11 January no racing, but the enthusiasm was not at all dimmed. Water 2.3c. Air -4c.

18 January and back to racing. Water 4.6c. Air 2c.

25 January. Water 4.4c. Air 4c.

A few absences due to the Cold Water Championships at Tooting Bec.

1 February, the final Saturday. Water 5.5c. Air 5c.

Previous club Secretary Alan Titmuss wrote the following about Mike and how the trophy came into being -

“The Mike Small Cup is in memory of Mike, a big man, who joined the club whilst doing the rounds of the London swimming pools and watering holes by courtesy of London's first elected Mayor, Ken Livingstone and his free bus pass scheme. Mike had a horrific motorcycle accident in his youth, which left him disabled with a clubfoot, only one arm, and in continuous pain. But this disability did not destroy his wicked sense of humour. Before the race he would sit down and do “The Times” crossword or an intricate origami bird or butterfly while he waited for his mark, then struggle to put his rubber swimming hat on his head with his one good hand, and would remark to onlookers, “if you think that's difficult, try putting a condom on with one hand in the heat of the moment”. With such a handicap he was usually the limit man, swimming on his back, he would be in the water twice as long as most of the other swimmers. He would make an action like throwing salt over his shoulder with his one good arm, slowly making progress along the course, cheered all the way, only to be overtaken by all the other swimmers on the finish line. He wouldn't have wanted it any other way. Before he died, he summoned the club Secretary to his home, and coolly announced, “I’ve only got a month to go on this earth and I want to present a cup” - it was to have only one handle and a dodgy base, for a competition. This was duly fashioned by the club's silversmith, Bill Phipps and presented to Mike by Alan Titmuss just days before he died. I suspect he's up there somewhere looking down and laughing at all those silly sods battling their way through the icy waters, in the coldest part of the year, for his unusual trophy."

Lewis has committed to guard lovingly the trophy for the next twelve months

(Report compiled by Brian Thomas. Images provided by Brian and the club's archives, unless credited to individuals)

Final Saturday of the series for the Mike Small trophy

Brian Thomas pipped Stuart Bowman by one point to repeat his 1996 success