Lines of the 'King's Fisher,' of the Cumberland Fleet, 1776.
Commodore Thomas Taylor's yacht.
Winner of Silver Cup, 1776.
On account of the weather, however, the race was postponed until July 13, when it came off with great success, and the 'Aurora,' owned by a Mr. Parkes, described as 'late of Ludgate Hill,' won the cup. The second boat in was named the 'Fly,' but who owned her the newspapers of the day forgot to mention. From 'the Morning Post'[6] we get the information that only those boats 'which were never let out to hire' would be allowed to enter, and also that 'the Gentlemen, about 18 or 20 in number, who sail for the prize have come to a resolution to be dressed in aquatic uniforms.' This seems to prove that the club had already been formed before the match, and was probably an outcome of the club at Battersea mentioned above. We also find from the old newspapers that the owners (who, by the way, were always styled 'captain') had to steer their respective vessels, and in the case of this first match were allowed two assistants; so it would seem that what nowadays are called 'Corinthian rules' were in the early period of yacht-racing a sine quâ non.
Button, 1776.
There were very solemn ceremonies attending all these early races. The Duke embarked on board his state barge from one of the stairs, and the royal standard was immediately hoisted at the bow. Another barge was in company with a band of music, and they then proceeded to the place of starting. The racing boats were anchored in line, with their sails furled; their places having beforehand been determined by lot. Each vessel, when racing, carried at her gaff a white flag with a red St. George's Cross upon it, and with one, two, three, or more blue balls, according to her position at starting. The captains were stationed in wherries, and on the arrival of the Duke's barge were by signal ordered on board their respective vessels. Then, on the firing of a gun, the race was started. Time allowance was an unknown quantity in those primitive days, and the boat which succeeded in passing the winning-post first claimed the cup. The victorious captain was then taken on board the commodore's barge, and with great ceremony introduced to his Royal Highness. In the meantime the Duke's butler had filled the cup with claret and handed it to his Royal Highness, who thereupon drank the health of the winner, and then presented him with the cup. The captain then drank to the Duke and Duchess, with three cheers; the whole ceremony having been performed amidst the strains of martial music, salvos of artillery, and the huzzas of the crowd upon the river and its banks. The fleet then proceeded up the stream to Smith's Tea Gardens, which lay where the gasworks now are, on the Surrey side of Vauxhall Bridge, and dined together. The Duke himself was very often present at these festive gatherings, and later on in the evening they all visited Vauxhall Gardens and made a night of it. The first commodore of the club was a Mr. Smith, who, we believe, was the proprietor of Smith's Tea Gardens, and he probably held the office until 1779. That year the commodore's broad pennant was changed from red to blue, and the club dined at the Royal Oak, Vauxhall, which seems to show a change of officers. Anyhow, the following year, 1780, Mr. Thomas Taylor was commodore, as is shown by the cup he won,[7] and he held that office until the year 1816, when he gave up yachting. The Cumberland Fleet had the white ensign, but without the St. George's Cross in the fly, and their burgee was a white one, with an equal armed red cross on it; i.e. the cross did not come out to the point of the flag. At the Royal Thames Club House they have several relics of the ancient fleet; there is the chairman's ivory gavel with the inscription 'Cumberland Fleet,' which is still used at every annual meeting; there are also (besides some curious prints and pictures) a cap of one of the rowers of the commodore's barge, and a club button, though it is not known whether it belonged to one of the rowers or to a member of the club. The Cumberland course originally was, as we have already shown, from Westminster Bridge to Putney and back, but in 1776 it was altered to Blackfriars Bridge, Putney, and back. Later on, the winning-post was at Smith's Tea Gardens, by that time called Cumberland Gardens.
The fleet evidently used to sail together and manœuvre as well as race, for in 1776, in honour of His Majesty's birthday, 'they went up the river with colours flying and music playing'; and in 1793 a set of signals were printed (a copy of which may be seen framed at the Royal Thames Club House) whereby the commodore could manœuvre the sailing boats like a fleet of men-o' war; indeed there is a print extant, dated 1778, wherein the fleet are being so manœuvred off Sheerness.
First 'Cumberland,' 1780,
midship section.