6 September 2024
A statement from Steve O’Connor, the Director of Henley’s River and Rowing Museum, on the passing of Tom Weil:
We are deeply saddened by the passing of Tom Weil, a remarkable rowing historian, collector, and philanthropist, who played an enormous role in preserving the heritage of rowing. Tom’s contributions to the River and Rowing Museum are immeasurable.
His generosity extended far beyond his extraordinary collection of rowing artefacts, as he was a constant source of wisdom, advice, and unwavering support for our team for over two decades.
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I know Tom brought a unique combination of knowledge, curiosity, and kindness. As many have said about him, he was known to end all conversations with the words, ‘What can I do to help?’—a testament to his enduring commitment to our mission.
His collection, one of the largest in the world, has enriched our museum in ways that are hard to quantify. We are grateful for his friendship and his invaluable contributions, which will continue to inspire and educate future generations. Tom will be greatly missed, but his legacy will live on through the countless lives he touched and the history he helped preserve.
Tom’s passing has hit the international rowing community hard. Anyone who has some memories of Tom that they would like to share are welcome to publish it on this website. Please contact HTBS editor Göran Buckhorn at: gbuckhorn – at – gmail – dot – com