Looking back through the local history, the Regatta appears to have been started by a Wivenhoe fishing smack captain, Captain Hopkins in the 18th Century.  Old photographs exist of Rowhedge Regatta being held in the early 1900s, when most prizes were donated by very wealthy yacht owners (including Royalty), who wintered their racing yachts in Rowhedge.

It is interesting to note that most of the men that crewed these large yachts were from Rowhedge, Wivenhoe or Brightlingsea therefore local rivalry was rife.  Traditionally the Regatta was held at the end of the racing season when the yachts and crews returned to Rowhedge for "laying up".  The racing did not involve the large yachts themselves but many locally based fishing, oyster or smuggling sailing smacks for which this village became famous.  They also held pulling - or rowing races and races for yachts' tenders plus many traditional shoreside activities.

The Regatta survived until 1913, alternating between Rowhedge and Wivenhoe prior to the Great War.  A few were held after the War but then lapsed until 1962 when they again became a very popular local event.  In those days, the races would have the added excitement (or terror!) of large ships coming through to Colchester Docks or turning and mooring at Rowhedge or Wivenhoe Docks - scattering dinghies in all directions!!  These events were run very much along the traditional lines still used today.  In the early 1980s, they once again lapsed until Jubilee year 2002, when a group of dedicated enthusiasts got together and the tradition was once again continued.

If you have any old Regatta photographs or stories, then please let us know. e-mail us at :

                history@rowhedge-regatta.org.uk

Further references:
A very useful reference is a book called 'Rowhedge in old picture postcards' by George Pluckwell.  This has a number of photographs of the Regatta dating from 1904 and 1910.  Also a book published to celebrate the Silver Jubilee in 1977 by the Village Association and Parish Council refers to the Regatta's of the early twentieth century.  The description of the Regatta is one of brass bands playing, crowds thronging the quayside, smacks racing down the river and a finale of fireworks  Over a hundred years later, the vision was not actually that different in 2006.  The Colchester Silver Band played outside Ye Olde Albion, as the Smacks sailed down the Colne, thousands of people lined the quayside and the evening was rounded off with an excellent fireworks display.