Cliff Salt
Cliff's 90th Birthday Celebrations
Northwich Rowing Club members, family and friends gathered together on Sunday 15th April to celebrate Clifford Salt's 90th birthday. Cliff, from Weaverham, is a highly respected and much loved member of the rowing club of which he is very proud to be President.
Cliff has had an affinity with the River Weaver all his life. Growing up in Northwich and inspired by his father, who was a "Steam Packet Captain" of some repute. It was while he was an apprentice at ICI in 1931 aged 13 he was introduced to the rowing club and asked to cox a men's crew. Lightweight, with a natural aptitude and loud voice, Cliff inspired his crew to victory at Lancaster when they won the County Plate Trophy in 1932! He was a key figure at ICI in the development in 1939 of polythene used in radar. Cliff, subsequently, joined the Royal Navy and saw active service during the war on HMS Jamaica.
A chance encounter brought Cliff back to the club 60 years later in 1992 where he resumed his eloquent duties as a coxswain with senior and junior crews. He was delighted, in 1997, to win a tankard at Warrington regatta in his 80th year with a Novice Women's crew.
 Cliff the cox. |
 Cliff with the juniors past and present |
We believe he is the oldest active cox in the UK. His last win was coxing the Northwich Junior girls Eight at Northwich Regatta in 2006.
He was in action once again, on Sunday, with the same crew to race 350 meters against two eights comprising of former "junior" members now in their early twenties, in honour of his birthday.
Cliff was presented with a memorial display trophy: The Cliff Salt Boxing Day Trophy which features the bow section of "Brunner" an old wooden rowing boat. Boxing Day Eights is a very traditional, good humored race and this will be a much coveted award presented to the winning crew.
For more pictures see the Flickr page.