Robert Ernest Bridges MBE

Memory Book of

Bob was an amazing man who helped so many people throughout his life. He worked tirelessly to help people in his work at Westcombe Industries and as a member of Peterborough City Rowing Club for most of his life he helped many people especially young people to progress in the sport.

We know it is not only our loss and you grieve with us, so let’s celebrate his life together to help us all through this difficult time.

In the last few days we asked Bob if he needed any shopping. Thinking there may be some food or drink he would like. He said very firmly that he would like a racing boat. A very fast racing boat. We would like to honour his wish and donate a boat to Peterborough City Rowing Club. If you would like to donate to Bob’s Boat Fund please click here

As a family it would mean a great deal to us if you could take some time to share your memories, thoughts, feelings or funny stories. He loved a funny story.

This book isn’t intended for sadness or sorrow we would like everyone to use it as a place to celebrate Bob’s life.

Please take time to post your photographs, videos, memories or stories and celebrate the life of a truly remarkable man with us.

Bob’s Family

Book Owner: Helen Curtis-Bridges

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Helen Curtis-Bridges

This is from Westcombe industries who have asked me to post this. I can’t thank you all enough for your messages and stories they mean so very much and are wonderful at bringing back fond memories. Our hearts and best wishes are with you at this sad time, from everyone at Westcombe Engineering. I had the pleasure of meeting your Father during his numerous his visits to Westcombe Engineering,where he joined us for Christmas Lunches along with his good friend John Westcombe. A wonderfully delightful man, who was a real driving force in pionering the start up of Westcombe Engineering in 1970. I am so very grateful to John Westcombe for giving me the opportunity of meeting him and sharing some very fond memories of his time at Westcombe Engineering. I do hope he was so proud to see how far the business has progressed since he retired. Andrew Lesiw – Managing Director Westcombe Engineering …

February 8, 2021
11:30 am

Nicola Bridges (Nikki)

I have loved reading these messages and hearing tales of times gone by. I guess the man I knew was different to the man some of you knew as he wasn’t Bob to me, he was and will always be my Grandad. I remember him sitting in his chair by the fireplace, in “Grandads room” listening to the (boring-to me as a child) football scores or cricket scores in the summer. I remember going upstairs with my siblings and cousins building dens.. jumping from the double bed and landing on the sofa bed in as spectacular style as we could manage to try to out do the person who’s turn it was before us. I remember secretly playing with Grandads magical device that shot out the golf balls and there were always so many golf balls.. we knew we’d gone too far when Grandad got sent to read us the “riot act” (which was never very scary), I remember my Grandads deep chuckle and his joy when he was allowed a special treat of a sausage at teatime. I remember the phone call every single birthday without fail.. no conversation needed just the loudest rendition of Happy Birthday you could …

February 4, 2021
10:16 pm

Steve Brown

Many great memories of Bob as a coach, mentor, friend, boss and club volunteer. He guided me when taking over, from him, as Junior Coordinator. His tireless work for PCRC will always be remembered.A great loss to the sport and his many friends.RIP Bob! …

February 3, 2021
2:30 pm

Judith Wilson

Bob was always helpful and liked.One of my memories of him was when the Probus ladies played scrabble at Bob’s home.He had diabetes but would always come and say hello just as we were having our biscuits,so that he was able to have one with us,as a special treat.He so loved his sweet food but was not allowed to have it and missed this so much. May he rest in peace. God Bless. …

February 1, 2021
3:25 pm

Mike Jaggard

I first met Bob in 1955, coxed his crews in 1956-58, and have many happy memories of the time we have spent together since. I will miss Bob for our Sunday lunchtime drink in the Club bar reminiscing on the old days, his wry sense of humour, and provocative comments to engage in discussion. I will always remember the good times. …

January 27, 2021
4:43 pm

Neville Walker

I first met Bob in 1955 as an apprentice at Newall Engineering, Bob a turner. He convinced me and three other apprentices to form a crew. In those days we travelled to regattas by bus with boats strapped on top. On one trip I remember (Norwich regatta after the dance) I challenged Bob to lead the singing all the way back to Peterborough (rowing songs) and he did. When I started coaching in the 70s the crew lost in the final. Again Bob came to the rescue – he said tell them you have reset the boat to go faster. l did this and they won! One of Bob’s rules was that all were meant to be broken, and he would always be controversial if possible. A good friend for the last sixty five years who I will miss. (And from Esme – vivid memories of Bob, on Sundays at noon in the bar, deliberately scattering crisps for the dog to scoop off the floor. And he was adamant that Jaffa cakes were part of his diet plan.) …

January 26, 2021
4:50 pm

Shirley & Michael Saunders

Through our contacts with Colin Brooks Associates we both knew Jill before we met Rob; Mike introduced them to The CPSO and we met Rob at a following Concert. Thereafter we nearly always had a chat in Concert intervals and during one of these chats we discovered that we shared something rather special with Jill & Rob – we got married on the same day – 25th July 1959. Fate treated the four of us kindly and we celebrated our Diamond Weddings in 2019 and reached another milestone in 2020 when we celebrated our 61st Wedding Anniversaries. Mike & Shirley Saunders. …

January 26, 2021
4:26 pm

Bev Stevens - Probus’87

In addition to his involvement in rowing, Bob was also a long-standing member of Probus’87 and contributed hugely to the activities of the club. For many years he was Director of Golf (or DOG as we call it), and regularly played twice weekly until a combination of failing eyesight and the frailty of age began to limit his enjoyment of the game. When he stopped regular play, he was to be found at the golf range each Friday morning practicing “his swing,” although the incentive to do so might have had more to do with the light refreshment in The Woodman after his session… As someone who only took up golf after my retirement, I shall be eternally grateful for his patience during the period when my hitting the ball at all, never mind in the right direction, was an event. It must have been quite irritating for him watching me dig up big chunks of earth whilst I learnt to achieve a passable round. He was well known for his coaching contributions, he could always tell you how you might have played a shot better than you did, which was not always welcome when it came after a particularly …

January 26, 2021
11:36 am

Helen Curtis-Bridges

I can’t thank you all enough for your brilliant messages they trigger so many precious memories. Please do keep them coming. I loved your message Julian it reminded me of Dad announcing some time ago ‘now that I am in my eigthyth year of life, I have to accept there may not be that many more years, so I mustn’t waste time and am only going to do things I want to do’. Dad was on the whole good at avoiding doing things he really didn’t want to do. There are many family jokes about his skills in avoiding DIY especially decorating. On one occasion somewhere around the mid 70’s whilst pedalling on that fold up bike beside a crew along the river he had an accident. Now the exact details of it are a bit of a mystery if anyone knows do please let me know. It may or may not have involved an emergency stop to avoid hitting a cow. The chain came off the bike and the pedal smacked into his knee. At around the same time he was doing the last bit of decorating he ever did at home. Somehow he managed to convince …

January 25, 2021
12:42 pm

Steve Casey

I joined PCRC in 1977 and although I believed I was technically “ok” at rowing I didn’t have the strength to pull the skin off a rice pudding so I knew I was never going to progress. It was with this realisation that I turned to coaching and it was Bob who encouraged me to take courses and attend as many workshops and seminars as I could. It was Bob that told me “you may think you know rowing ……. but you don’t! study from those that are coaching National Crews and learn from them”. It was Bob who also encouraged me to take the Bronze and Silver level coaching courses run by the then Amateur Rowing Association. In 1985 I was stepping down after serving two years as Captain. Bob approached me and said he felt he and I had a similar passion and that was to try and raise the standard of rowing at PCRC so crews would compete competitively at the major competitions and the best place to start with that aim was with juniors. Bob said he would stand as Captain after me if I took on the role of Junior Coordinator, a newly created …

January 25, 2021
12:18 pm

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