Devonport Royal Swimming Association is a thriving swimming club operating in the Plymouth area, but with members drawn from as far afield as South-East Cornwall, Ivybridge and the South Hams. It is a competitve club which also runs a learn-to-swim programme, a masters section and a water polo division. The club competes in the National Speedo League Division 3 (Western) and the Cornwall and West Devon Swimming League. Swimmers also take part in the Devon County Championships, the Devon Development Galas, the City of Plymouth Championships and a wide variety of Open Meets.
History
Some interesting facts that need a historian to link them together (and possibly add some more):
- DRSA was formed in 1863 and is a year younger than Port of Plymouth Swimming Association
- Even before DRSA was formed, there were swimming baths at Mount Wise which were then known as the Royal Clarence baths
- The "Royal" in Devonport Royal was given to the club by the then Duke of Edinburgh in the early 1890s. This Duke of Edinburgh was the second son of Queen Victoria. He was a career naval officer and served all around the world, eventually becoming Admiral of the Fleet. He married Maria Alexandrovna, only daughter of Tsar Alexander II of Russia. They had 6 children, some of whom swam with the club when he was CinC at Devonport Naval Base.
- The full and correct title of the club is the Devonport Royal Swimming Association and Humane Society. The Humane Society part of the title dates from when members of the club were responsible for retrieving bodies from the Hamoaze and Plymouth Sound. Port of Plymouth Swimming Association was responsible for the Plym, the Barbican area and around to Western Kings. Devonport was responsible from Western Kings up to Saltash. Today, this function is carried out by the Ministry of Defence Police river patrols.