Jack Beresford Tribute To Be Held at Thames Rowing Club
Event marks 90th anniversary of his win at the Berlin Olympics
Jack Beresford on Putney Embankment in 1922 with his coach 'Bossy' Phelps . Picture: Jack Beresford/Thames Rowing Club
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May 12, 2026
Thames Rowing Club will turn its attention to one of the greatest figures in British sporting history next month, as it marks the 90th anniversary of Jack Beresford’s gold-medal victory at the 1936 Berlin Olympics with a special evening led by his son, John. The club, which Beresford represented throughout his long and decorated career, will host the event on Wednesday 3 June at its Victorian clubhouse on Putney Embankment, inviting members, supporters and the wider community to reflect on a life that helped define British rowing between the two World Wars.
Beresford remains the most celebrated athlete in Thames RC’s 166-year history, a rower whose dominance stretched across eights, coxless fours, pairs, doubles and, most famously, the single scull. At a time when international competition was still taking shape, he repeatedly took on — and beat — the world’s best. His Olympic record alone remains astonishing: five consecutive Games, three gold medals and two silvers, a tally unmatched by any British athlete until the arrival of Steve Redgrave before which he was the most successful Olympian – not just in rowing but in any sport.
The British crew prepared for the final of the Berlin Olympics in 1936. Picture: Jack Beresford/Thames Rowing Club
John Beresford will return to Putney to share stories from his father’s life, bringing with him a selection of Jack’s medals and trophies. He says revisiting his father’s achievements has prompted reflection on the values Jack carried with him — fairness, curiosity, and an ability to speak to anyone without pretension. “Dad always had the ability to chat to anybody, but didn’t ‘suffer fools gladly’,” he recalls. “He wasn’t a stuffy rowing heavy, as some were” . His talk will draw on anecdotes from across Jack’s career, offering a personal perspective on a man who helped shape British rowing culture.
The evening will also highlight a major archival project underway at the club. Thames RC archivist James Elder is digitising Beresford’s extensive personal collection — six large albums of photographs, postcards, telegrams and memorabilia, along with scrapbooks and hundreds of loose images. “Together they form a fascinating record of the life of one of the UK’s greatest sportsmen,” Elder says, adding that the material has until now been accessible only to the family but will be made public later this summer . Selected items will be shared during the event, accompanied by a Q&A with John.
Crowds on Putney Embankment in 1925 come to see Jack race against the American Walter Hoover. Picture: Jack Beresford/Thames Rowing Club
The celebration is open to all, with tickets priced at £5 including light refreshments. The club hopes the evening will not only honour a towering figure in its history but also introduce new audiences to a remarkable archive of British sporting heritage.
Tickets are available via Thames Rowing Club’s website.
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