Are These Two Gents with the Surname Cordery Part of Your Family History?

Published on: 27 Jul, 2023
Updated on: 28 Jul, 2023

Are these gentlemen part of your family history?

The Cordery brothers pictured in the 1920s. Are any of their descendants still around?

Percy, known as Jim, and George Cordery, were part of the history of pleasure boating on the River Wey in Guildford.

Leroy’s boathouse on the River Wey at Guildford in about the 1920s. Picture: David Rose collection.

They were involved in the locally well-known Leroy’s boat hire business at Millmead from about 1923 until 1946.

Both came from backgrounds as watermen and lightermen on the River Thames.

However, they also formed an important part of elite rowing history as coaches at Yale University in the United States in the early 1920s.

The photos of them are from the official souvenir programme for the Harvard Yale race in 1922.

This fascinating story has come from research into the boating businesses on the River Wey and it would be wonderful to find out more about them and share what has been found.

Leroy’s boathouse and tea garden.

It’s believed members of the family were living in the Guildford area not so long ago.

If you can help and are happy to talk, please get in touch. Email me, David Rose, at drosedragon@gmail.com or phone on 07557 0456502.

And have you seen The Boathouse, a new building on the site of the former boathouses?

It is open for business and has a lovely cafe beside the river.

Click here to see a video all about it, now uploaded to You Tube.

Responses to Are These Two Gents with the Surname Cordery Part of Your Family History?

Stuart Barnes Reply

July 28, 2023 at 11:13 am

I believe that Kath Cordery (widow of Harry Cordery) is still alive.

I think I am correct that Harry and Kath were part of the Leroy business.

Until comparatively recently they both played bowls at Albury Bowling Club.

I think that after they left the Leroy business they ran The Parrot pub.