Boathouse Background

In 1958 Medway Rowing Club and Chatham & Gillingham Rowing Club amalgamated to form Medway Towns Rowing Club and moved into a purposely built hut erected on Slipway on the Rochester Esplanade.

The Boathouse in 1959

However, the members leading the Club at that time immediately recognised that the new facility was not ideal and would have a limited lifespan. The Committee began to consider other possibilities. This continued throughout the following decades but little or no finance meant that very few options, if any at all were available. In 1990 Cyril Baker began looking at one last possibility, at Jane's Creek near Rochester Bridge, when he suddenly became ill and died. In his will he left a bequest to the Club for the purpose of building a new boathouse and the debt owed to him cannot be underestimated.

The Boathouse in the 1990's

The search for a site was stepped up and numerous potential solutions were considered.  Many blind alleys were encountered but in the year 2000 a solution was found to build on our current site but, in the form of the weather, the Gods were not with the Club. At the end of the very first week of work, torrential rain caused the site to collapse and regrettably, there was no option but to abandon the venture. The Club was at a low morale and it took time for the members to get back on their feet.  It had long been recognised the slipway was the best site for our Club. In recent years the managing authority of the river changed hands several times and a decision was taken to review the Club's tenure.  It was found that a lease giving rights to build on the Slip was the way forward.  A lease was negotiated and agreed and Jim Beaney came forward with a design solution that met with the committee's approval. It was considered that this would be the last chance that the Club would have to bring Cyril's ambition into fruition. Planning permission was obtained, contractors appointed and plans made to remove the old boathouse and build anew. The old Boathouse was demolished and taken away on Tuesday 3rd July and work on the new building commenced on Monday 9th July 2007.