News

Swimming in the Serpentine has been temporarily stopped as of Wednesday 27th May 2020

Today, our wonderful Serpentine Swimming Club friends Caroline and Mike were married. We are delighted to be part of the celebrations.

As all couples do on their wedding day, they both looked sensational. The beauty, the smiles, and greatest of all the love.     

Dear Serpies,

Our dear friend Mike and his beautiful partner Caroline are getting married on Friday 22 May at 2.30 pm.

Vicar Graham will officiate. Because of the difficulties at this time can we ask that you set a reminder to send our very warm thoughts to them as if we were all with them on this joyous and special occasion.

With all our love for two great loves. 

From all at Serpentine Swimming Club

By Laure Latham

As we all miss our dear Serpentine, a group of Serpentine members got together online on Saturday 11 April 2020 for a Zoom chat around the topic of swimming books. Though we listed a few usual suspects, many of the books were either old books now out of print or more obscure books that deserved a shout out. This is an informal selection of our favourite swimming reads. 

Many in the club will be aware of the recent passing of our most senior member Alan Lacy and were with his family in thought and sprit at 1.15pm today, the event of his funeral.

By coincidence, this month's edition of Aeroplane magazine has an article on Sunderland flying boats which includes an interview with Alan.  (Thank you George Brutton for sending it to me).

Alan joined the club in 1948.  He sponsored the breaststroke race for many decades, choosing to do so in order to avoid swimming the stroke he despised.  In recent decades Alan's race was swum for the Clary Reed cup, in memory of the man who kept the club going during WW2 and who also invited Alan to join the club.  Alan served two terms as President.  1974 - 1977 and 1998 - 2001.
Alan lied about his age to join the RAF in 1940, aged 17.  After the war Alan worked for J Lyons & Co. and led a groundbreaking team that introduced the first business payroll computer.  Whilst at Lyons he played for their sports club rugby team.  This enabled him to jokingly boast that he "had played rugby for the Lions'."

Alan, a true gentleman, is greatly missed and will be forever a club legend.

Brian Thomas