Who remembers

[byron]

Here's a real character of the river who has been dead a couple of years now. His Pub for around 30 years was The Outrigger at Kingston which the brewery demolished after his death. His real name was Roy Stringer but he better known as Captain Carruthers or even just 'Stringles'. He raised fortunes for charity with stunts like rowing from Cherbourg to Hamble.
Brian Fitzpatrick who had the Little White Hart at Henley once described Roys pub customers in a nutshell. "anyone in there with their own teeth is a visitor" he was right, that was one tough pub heavily used by people who earned their living on the river.

 

[Wavey]

Never a patron myself, but a good friend was when he lived in Kingston, and he has the scars to prove it Brian Fitzpatrick's comment is bang on but you're right about the charity fund raising. Never the like to be seen again.