Twenty year old Ann Pidler, a member of Bideford and District Ladies’ Rowing Club, who is recovering from an operation, should have been in bed on Friday evening.

Instead, wearing evening dress, she received, as a member of the West of England crew that was placed second in the fours event at the South Coast championship regatta at Deal, her individual trophy.
The Mayoress of Bideford, Mrs A C Hooper, presented the award to Ann, and to other members of the crew – Rosalind Ford, Patricia Brown and Shirley Peel. Doreen Balsdon was unable to attend to receive her award.
In recognition of what they had done for the Club, Mrs P Plumtree, the team’s trainer, and Mr S B F Pidler, who had helped with training, were also presented with awards. The Mayor commended the help given to the club by Mrs Plumtree and its other ‘mothers’, Mrs J Williams, Mrs S Mounce and Mrs Griffiths.
Miss Rosalind Ford, proposing ‘The Guests’ gave a special welcome to a past chairman, Mrs Mary Pennington and to the visitors from Exeter. Mr F A Pearson, chairman of Bideford Regatta Committee, responding said that the club had become so popular at Bideford Regatta, that now spectators always asked ‘When are the ladies rowing?’.
The full Gazette article is dated 6 February 1959