We are saddened to have to report the death on 21st April of Malcolm Sheppard, who was a member of the club from the 1960s through to the 1980s. Malcolm was 82 years old. A number of current and ex-members remember him well and will have sat in a boat with him. Lionel Bailey, who was in the Wyfold Four with Malcolm that lost by ½ length in the final at Henley Royal Regatta in 1967 has sent us this appreciation:
An Appreciation from Lionel Bailey
Malcolm Sheppard was one of the finest oarsmen and scullers of his generation. He represented Quintin Boat Club nine times at Henley Royal Regatta between 1964 and 1976, reaching four semi-finals and one final, of the Wyfold Cup, in 1967. See that race report in the Club’s HRR File. He rowed in numerous VIIIs HORR for QBC and was bow in the 1964 crew finishing 12th in a time of 17min. 55 sec, still a club record. In the IV’s HORR he stroked the winning coxless four in the ‘66 and ‘67 races and was bow steers in the outright winning crew of ‘68 , finishing 20 seconds ahead of the second placed crew.
As a sculler he was equally successful, winning the Marlow Long Distance Sculls and the Reading Scullers Head in 1967 and finishing 3rd in that year’s Wingfield Sculls. His best result in the Scullers HORR was 5th in 1966 and he invariably finished in the top 10 of that prestigious event in the mid ‘60s early ’70s when that race, effectively, was the benchmark of the best scullers in the country. He carried on as a veteran for some years after his serious rowing was over often pairing with Ron Brown.
A man of unpredictable talent he was a memorable character of QBC and the sport of rowing sixty odd years ago.
Malcolm’s funeral will take place on Monday, 19th May, 12:45pm at the Isle of Wight Crematorium, Station Lane, Whippingham, East Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO32 6NJ. Afterwards a wake will be held at Lakeside Park Hotel & Spa, High Street, Wootton Bridge, Ryde, Isle of Wight, PO33 4LJ.
The photograph is of the Thames Cup crew at Henley Royal Regatta in 1966, with Malcolm at 5, Lionel at 7 and our current president, John Peters at 3.
