Lord Alfred Paget's 'Mystery' passing 'Blue Belle' May 23, 1843.
The burgee of the Thames Yacht Club was probably a red one, with the letters T.Y.C., as we find that on February 3, 1831, a red burgee was agreed to having the letters R.T.Y.C. under a crown. There were two cups given by the club, on September 15, 1831, to celebrate the coronation of their Majesties William IV. and his Queen. The first was won by the 'Lady Louisa,' and the second by the 'Water Witch.' In December 1834 a white burgee was adopted with a crown and the letters R.T.Y.C. in red; and on February 19, 1835, an Admiralty warrant was granted to the club authorising their vessels to carry a white ensign without a red cross, but with the union-jack in the upper corner, and bearing in the fly a crown over the letters R.T.Y.C. in red. William IV. died on June 20, 1837, and on July 27 of the same year Her Majesty Queen Victoria became patroness of the club. The following year special prizes were given in honour of the Queen's coronation, and there is in possession of the club a portrait of Commodore Harrison holding the cup in his hand. In 1840 a challenge cup of the value of 100 guineas was given, to be won twice consecutively by the same yacht, without reference to ownership. It was eventually secured by the 'Secret,' Mr. J. W. Smith, on June 8, 1847. The Admiralty took away the white ensign from the Royal Thames Yacht Club in 1842 (as well as from several other clubs that had the right of flying it), and only allowed the Royal Yacht Squadron to continue its use. In July of the same year, however, the Admiralty granted to the Royal Thames a blue ensign with a crown in the fly. On June 30, 1845, a cup of the value of 60l. was presented by Earl Fitzhardinge, and the yachts had to be manned, steered, and handled by members of the club only. The 'Belvidere,' 25 tons; the 'Prima Donna,' 25 tons; the 'Phantom,' 20 tons; and the 'Widgeon,' 24 tons, were entered, the cup being won by the 'Belvidere,' belonging to Vice-Commodore Lord Alfred Paget. In the year 1848 the Admiralty granted to the club a further warrant, dated July 24, giving them the plain 'blue ensign of Her Majesty's Fleet,' and of this they still enjoy the use. Time allowance first appears in the matches of the Royal Thames on June 29, 1849, in a race from Erith to the Nore and back, when half a minute per ton for difference of tonnage was allowed. July 8, 1851, the Queen for the first time gave a cup to be raced for by the club, the course being from Erith, round the Nore and back; it was won by the 'Cygnet,' 35 tons, owned by Mr. H. Lambton, M.P. The club established an annual schooner match, which was held regularly for several years, the first having been on June 1, 1853. In 1855 the club had 170 yachts in its fleet, but in 1861 they had reached to 241 vessels; at the present date they are some 350 strong. In 1862 the 'Marina,' on rounding the Nore lightship, ran into the club steamer, the 'Prince of Wales,' damaging herself considerably, and had to be towed back. As she was leading vessel at the time, and it was the fault of the steamer getting in the way, she received a special prize. On May 21, 1866, the first Nore to Dover race of the club took place, although they had one or two matches to Harwich and the Isle of Wight before that date. At the beginning of 1868 there was another split in the Royal Thames, and those who left established the 'New Thames Yacht Club,' which is still in existence. The same year the club was again honoured by the presentation of a Queen's Cup, which was raced for from Gravesend to the Mouse and back. In 1874 His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales became commodore, and for the first time in the history of the club a rear-commodore was elected, Mr. Thomas Brassey. Queen's Cups have also been given to the club in 1874, 1880, and 1885; but in the year 1887, on the occasion of Her Majesty's Jubilee, the club, to mark that event, gave a special prize of 1,000 guineas in an ocean match round Great Britain, the winning-post being at Dover. This was won by the 'Genesta,' belonging to Sir Richard Sutton, Bart.
START OF 25-TONNERS, ROYAL THAMES YACHT CLUB, FROM GREENWICH, 1848.
'Phantom,' 25 tons, R.T.Y.C., 1853.