Posted on by Dominic McLoughlin

June 2019

Vincent’s Club e-News, June 2019

Please see below for the Club’s news and events:

a) 13 June: Vincent’s Golf Day at Huntercombe (last call!)
b) 15 June: Vincent’s & Atalanta’s Cocktails and Ian Williams memorial match
c) 25 June: Oriental Club, London, welcome reception
d) 26 June: Vincent’s Speaker’s Evening and Wine-tasting
e) 5 July: Vincent’s Picnic at Henley Regatta
f) 4 September: Vincent’s Celebration of Sport Dinner in London
g) 13 November: Major Stanley’s Match and Vincent’s Alumni Gathering

Did you receive your email regarding the Annual Report? if not see:
http://vincents.org/about/the-annual-report/
NEWS
Vincent’s Club New President

Harry Fitzpatrick was elected Vincent’s Club President for 2019-20
at the end of Hilary Term. Harry has won three Golf Blues, is the current President of OUGC, and is now in his 3rd year of Chemistry at University College. He was made a member of Vincent’s in Trinity term of his first year, and was the Food and Bar Rep. on the committee last year.
Vincent’s Club Members will wish to congratulate the new Emperor of Japan, Emperor Naruhito. An Honorary Member of the Club since 1984, he acceded to the Chrysanthemum Throne on 1 May 2019, beginning the Reiwa era, following the abdication of his father, Emperor Akihito.
The Hon. Bob Hawke speaking at the Vincent’s 150th Anniversary
Dinner in Sydney. Credit: Maxyphoto
The Club would like to pay tribute to one of its most famous Members,
The Hon. Bob Hawke, Prime Minister of Australia from 1983 to 1991,
who sadly passed away on May 16th.

A Rhodes Scholar at University College from 1954 to 1956, Bob Hawke was the Guest of Honour at the Club Dinner in 1992. On the back of his presence, and with Sir Colin Cowdrey in the Chair, the attendance that year topped 400 and in between delivering a typically funny and rambunctious speech Hawke also led and conducted a spontaneous rendition of ‘Waltzing Matilda’ by the whole room.

He was a regular all-rounder for the Blues and Authentics, but achieved lasting famefrom this period by entering the Guinness Book of Records for downing a Yard of Ale in 11 seconds. The fact that this took place at Vincent’s is well attested – themeretricious bid for this honour by the advertising boards outside the Turf Tavern is discredited by claiming 1963 as the year of the feat!

Amongst many prominent Australians paying tribute to Hawke in recent days was fellow Vincent’s Member Tony Abbott, Australian Prime Minister from 2013 to 2015.
Reg Clark
EVENTS

LAST CALL

Late entries welcome for this year’s

 Vincent’s Golf Day at Huntercombe on Thursday 13th June

 

Please contact: Chris Atkinson at chrisatkinson565@btinternet.com
Vincent’s and Atalanta’s Summer Cocktails

Saturday 15 June. Opens 5:00 PM at Oxford University Rugby Club

Ever popular and not to be missed! Book at: https://fixr.co/event/544437254
Ian Williams Memorial Match
at Iffley Road before Summer Cocktails

Following the Inaugural Ian ‘BGI’ Williams Memorial Match last year, which saw them succumb to a 30-man-strong Dark Blue side, Swansea alumni return to Iffley Road this year to settle the score…

Ian Williams was a professional rugby player who sadly passed away in February 2018 whilst training with Doncaster Knights.  After graduating from Swansea, Ian continued postgraduate studies at Oxford University winning three Blues and becoming a member of Vincent’s Club. He is pictured above scoring in the Varsity Match.
 

His two alma mater do battle once again as a precursor to the Vincent’s & Atalanta’s Summer Cocktails on Saturday 15th June 2019. It promises to be a game full of pride and passion, so clear your diaries and head down to Iffley Road for what guarantees to be a cracking day. 

 

For more information please see the event details on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/2219604554729439/ 

For more information on Ian’s story please see www.theianwilliamsfoundation.org 
Vincent’s & Atalanta’s Clubs have kindly been invited by theOriental Club (above) to enjoy a drinks and canapes reception
on Tuesday 25th June from 6.30pm to 8pm. Dress is smart casual (no jeans or sports clothes). Alumni Member Stephen Plunkett will speak. The event will take place in the Hill Station Bar & Grill in the Club’s Courtyard.  The Oriental Club would like to encourage all recent leavers and alumni members to consider to apply for membership.  Please email v150admin@vincents.org to book your place. More details about becoming a member  of the Oriental Club will be on the website soon
Speaker’s Dinner
26th June 2019 at the Club, from 6.30pm

Alumni member Philip Weaver (1978, Pembroke, Athletics) has generously offered to present wines and port from his wife Sophia’s family vineyard, Quinta del Rosa: https://www.quintadelarosa.com/content/tourism (Above) There will be a Portuguese themed three course meal and 6 wines/ports to taste. Cost: £35 alumni members, £27.50 resident members. Please email Tom Smith directly to book: steward@vincents.org.uk 

HENLEY ROYAL REGATTA PICNIC
Vincent’s be holding its usual picnic lunch in the Cricket Club Carpark on the
Friday (5th July) of the Henley Royal Regatta 2019.

 

The cost of the informal lunch for you and your guests will be £22.50 per person.
The picnic will include plenty of sandwiches, cheese, savoury and sweet nibbles,
Pimms, wine and soft drinks.

Please contact v150admin@vincents.org for more information and to book
VINCENT’S CELEBRATION of SPORT DINNER 2019
SAVE THE DATE

All Vincent’s members, their spouses, partners, and guests, are cordially invited to the 2019 Vincent’s Club Dinner which will be held in the magnificent Merchant Taylor’s Hall,
30 Threadneedle Street, London, EC2R 8JB, 
on Wednesday 4th September 2019.

The Dinner Chairman is Dr David Hemery, CBE, (St. Catherine’s, 1969, Olympic and Commonwealth Gold medallist and Superstars winner) who will introduce The Right Honourable Lord Coe, CH, KBE. (Seb Coe is himself a multiple Gold medal winner and is currently President of the IAAF)

The Club is holding a dinner in September as this year is the 150th Anniversary of OURFC who will be holding a celebration the night before the Rugby Varsity match in December. In addition, Vincent’s is taking the opportunity to allow the focus to be on other sports, including athletics. The ideal table size is ten, and members booking a whole table will receive a discount.

Whilst the primary aim of this Celebration of Sport dinner is to have an evening of good fellowship with both members and guests, the Club also wishes to build on the remarkable success of the New York dinner in March, and encourage members to support their Club, in particular by contributing towards endowing the Bannister Awards to assist outstanding Oxford sportsmen and women. The Club is proud that the Vincent’s Awards are the largest block of funding open to scholar-athletes competing in officially registered sports at Oxford University.

Following the death of former Vincent’s President Sir Roger Bannister, and with the encouragement of his family, the club is seeking to raise capital for the Sports Development Fund to endow at least one new major Bannister Award.

Booking details are available on our events page.