‘I need George to get George on The George’
Campaigner looking to add Hollywood glamour to plaque unveiling for George Yeomans Pocock
Blue plaque campaigner Thomas Wigley is on the lookout for Sonning’s George Clooney to help him with a special project.
The rowing historian is hoping that the Hollywood actor and filmmaker, who most recently made rowing film,
The Boys in the Boat, will join him in a plaque unveiling to honour rowing legend George Yeomans Pocock, who played a key role in the true story behind the film.
Earlier this year Thomas revitalised his campaign to see a blue plaque installed at the childhood home of George Yeomans Pocock, a celebrated boat maker from Eton.
Thomas felt that Pocock’s enormous contribution to the global rowing industry should be honoured with a blue plaque at the place of his childhood home – The George – a historic inn on Eton’s high street.
Until last week the application for the plaque was pending, but the Royal Borough has since approved the request and installation will go ahead.
Little was known of Pocock outside of the rowing world until George Clooney released his epic film, The Boys in the Boat.
The adaptation of Daniel James Brown’s book of the same name features Pocock and portrays how his boatbuilding skills and coaching helped the USA team of underdogs win gold in the eight-man race at the infamous 1936 Olympics. This is just one of his many achievements.
Having established himself in the USA from 1912 until his death in 1976, the Pocock name is synonymous with high quality rowing and craftsmanship and it is time his legacy is strengthened here, said Thomas.
The plaque and plaque sponsor plus the entire rowing community in Eton are now in place for the unveiling, and Thomas is hoping ‘the third George’ in the story, George Clooney, will help to really bring about an occasion.
Thomas just needs to find him first.
Thomas is hoping to catchup with Mr Clooney to ask him to unveil the plaque in April, to coincide with a second showing of ‘The Boys in the Boat’ locally.
He said: “I’d love to have George Clooney unveil George Pocock’s blue plaque because he directed the ‘Boys in the Boat’ film which has brought some well-deserved attention
to George Pocock who built the boats used by the winning US Olympic crew in 1936.
“Pocock was born an Englishman, lived in Eton but died
an American, and Clooney would provide a fitting US contribution to the ceremony.
“I need George to get George onto The George.”