TMSC member Aubrey Long

With 118 years of history and a membership these days of more than 1400, it is not surprising that we can look back on many outstanding developments and members who have shaped the Club. I recently, along with other longstanding members, attended the funeral service of Aubrey Long, who passed away at the venerable old age of 96.

 In my book he was a true sailing legend of the region, involved as he was with the post war construction of the Club at its new site. He, and other dynamic members of the late 1940s such as Fern Bradford, successfully encouraged the development of the Flying 15 keel boat class at TMSC. These boats were hand built in Torpoint and Aubrey provided a workshop for their construction, near the present library. I believe I’m right in saying that when, in the 1960s the Club fell on hard financial times, Aubrey was more than generous in helping to stabilise our finances, along with other members who also offered loans.

Aubrey’s sailing prowess continued over decades with his famous series of "Yellow Birds," earning much respect from the sailing community in Plymouth. In winning a prestigious Trans-Atlantic race, when in his 70s, Aubrey could well have been the oldest skipper to have won such an event.

 Sufficient to say, the number of people who turned up to wish Aubrey “bon voyage” on his final journey, was so numerous that half were forced to stand outside the crematorium. Jenny, Aubrey’s daughter, has graciously allowed the eulogy read by Robert Paige at the service, to be appended here for Club members to read. I’m sure that I speak for many Club members when I say “Thank you Aubrey for service well rendered to TMSC”.

David England, Club President.