Serpentine Swimming Club

The Andean Project and the Serpentine connection

Club members Bill and Patricia Vincent were heavily involved in the project.

Established in 1985, the principal aim of the Andean Project was "to enable research to be carried out into the ability of the plants of the Atacama Desert to thrive at different altitudes, and to develop their medicinal and nutritional potential". The end goal was to provide assistance to the indigenous people of this part of the Andes to develop sustainable farming practices.

The Andean cup first appeared on our fixture list as a relay event in May 1987

The Chilean government conferred on Patricia the "Order of Bernardo O’Higgins in the grade of Knight Commander (Comendador)"

Patricia was born in Welwyn Garden City in 1925 but grew up in Buenos Aires where her father was a civil engineer. Patricia dated her interest in desert gardens from the age of four when she was presented with a small plot of desert land. Patricia's husband and fellow devotee to the Andean Project (and to the Serpentine Swimming Club) was a retired British diplomat named Ivor Francis Sutherland Vincent, though Pat and all of us at the Serpentine always called him as Bill - no idea why!

Sadly Bill died in 1994, but Patricia carried on the work in Arica, northern Chile, splitting her time between London and Chile until Patricia's own illness meant she had to ask for the Project to be closed down in late 2009.

In January 2010 the Government of Chile conferred on her the Order of Bernardo O’Higgins in the grade of Knight Commander (Comendador) for the valuable contribution she had made to the development and preservation of the flora and fauna of the Chilean Andean region. Just before Patricia left the UK for the last time she visited us at her beloved Serpentine to watch the Saturday morning race. It is a testament to Pat's powers of persuasion that the taxi driver brought the black cab down to the Lido for her to view proceedings.

Patricia died on 23 May 2011 in her own bed in her own flat in Arica, Chile, in the country in which she wanted to end her days.

(source for the above is my own recollections of Pat and Bill, plus "The Clarion", October 2011 - the parish magazine of St Mary the Boltons. Brian Thomas)

The Luckhursts have become an integral part of the Serpentine extended family

John Luckhurst joined the club in September 2010. A new office location fortunatley entailed a journey from Charing Cross station across Hyde Park and past the Serpentine. John also "persuaded" oldest son Alan to also sign up at the same time. John's enthusiasm for racing in the Serpentine spread to the other family members, who joined in 2014. Perhaps they were puzzled as to where John and son were disappearing on a Saturday morning and returning with a big smile of satisfaction on there faces? They have all become dedicated members and regular racers (though of late daughter Katherine has enjoyed quite a few Saturday morning lie-ins).

As a family they have become very involved within the club. Club vice-Captain Alan is very much involved in organising "Team Serpentine" in external events. John took over the role of organising cup engraving when John Reid moved to Brighton and, with Mike Harris, has been busy cataloguing the club's cups and trophies. Concerning Mrs Luckhurst, Mr Luckhurst wrote: "Linda is one of those quiet, thoughtful, intelligent and beautiful individuals that the club has so many examples of. She is completely sold on the club and loves the privilege of providing the desserts for the SSC Christmas party. She has been an exceptional mother to our three children whilst managing life as a busy GP". Linda has recently retired and now entertains herself by getting under John's feet at home and tidying up anything not nailed down (at least I think that is the gist of what Mr Luckhurst said?).

A champion family who really can claim to have been part of the country's oldest swimming club (hint - despite what's stated on The Royal Parks' website it is not the one in Hyde Park)

Both Alan and Will Luckhurst have been crowned club champions in recent years . Alan, Will and Katherine have previously been competitive pool swimmers with Maidstone Swimming Club. It should be noted that, despite what is says on The Royal Parks' website, the Serpentine SC is not the oldest swimming club in the country. That honour goes to Luckhurst's old club, formed in 1844, some 20 years before ourselves and 16 before Brighton SC. That said, Maidstone SC long ago ceased to be an all-the-year-round outdoor swimming club and for many, many decades have been an indoor pool outfit.

The Andean cup, with yummy, tummy filling prizes from the Luckhursts

Tira Shubart's first Serpentine silverware

Past president Alan Mitchell again stood in for current president Laure Latham

Tira Shubart won her first Serpentine cup

Andrew Wilson cooked up a second place

Salad days for third placed Vanessa Marshall

Prior to racing Vanessa assisted with the handicap marks

Much discussion

To be avoided