Dave Taylor (Thames Ironworks F.C. founder) and their reserves for the club's inaugural season of 1895–96. Before Thames Ironworks played their first game Dave Taylor returned to refereeing and the organisational duties of the club were handed over to another Thames Iron Works employee, Ted Harsent, who became the first official club secretary. Dave Taylor (Thames Ironworks F.C. founder) Dave Taylor was one of the co-founders of Thames Ironworks, the team that became West Ham United, in 1895. He was a foreman at the Thames Iron Works as well as being a local football referee. Taylor approached the Ironworks owner Arnold Hills with the idea of
Thames Rowing Club by older oarsmen (and more recently oarswomen) has been a part of the club's activities throughout its history, but has increased since the 1970s in line with more national and FISA (international) Masters Competition now on offer. A group of casual and veteran men came into existence in the 1970s; separate groups of masters oarsmen and women of different ages have since arisen from time to time. Thames Rowing Club Thames Rowing Club is the joint third-oldest non-academic rowing club on the Thames and is in Putney, London. It was founded in 1860, the same year as Twickenham Rowing Club.