Some people were rowing

July 6th. Henley Royal Regatta. Stewards’ Enclosure. Ladies dresses must be below the knee. Gentlemen must wear long trousers, jackets and ties. Preferably the jackets will be university rowing club blazers; most of them now rather too tight! A typical, eccentric, classic, English event. It was truly wonderful.

David Hickey, the chairman of Fairstone, organised the day and hosted it along with Jane. They attend the whole week every year, meeting up with their university friends, so they know how to make the most of this incredible event. The non-execs and the execs plus partners got together socially for the first time; it was great fun. Fabulous lunch with several bottles of Gavi (mea culpa) and high calorie high tea. It was a very hot day and about one o’clock there was an announcement that, for the first time in many years, gentlemen could remove their jackets. Thank God for that.

Apparently there was some rowing going on. I gave up trying to work out what was happening when Jane explained to me that The Ladies Race involved male rowers. Jenny watched some of the races from a deckchair on the river; quite a feat with her eyes closed!