Learning From History - The Intercolonial Champion Gig Race 1872.

THE INTERCOLONIAL CHAMPION GIG RACE OF 1872

This week the Barwon Rowing Club is represented at the Australian Masters Rowing Championships in Tasmania. It is said that those who don't remember history are doomed to repeat it. With that in mind, this is the story of a Barwon crew who rowed in Hobart in 1872.

The Start of the Intercolonial Gig Race. Derwent River. Hobart.

Described in The Australasian as the most exciting race ever to take place in the Southern Hemisphere, the Intercolonial Amateur Gig Race, for bona fide  amateurs, was rowed over a five mile course [8000m], before 20,000 spectators on the 30th January 1872, for a cash prize of £100 and the title of Champion Crew  of Australia.

Initially there was little interest in competing at the regatta by Victorian rowing clubs, despite an offer by Edwards, a Yarra River based boat builder, to make at his own cost a boat, to train any crew and to accompany them to Hobart. Then, at a special meeting held in the middle of December 1871, the Barwon Rowing Club decided to accept the challenge and to send a crew of their own. Costs were expected to exceed £70, to be raised by the club members and public subscription. The crew chosen was Edward Nicholls, 30 years, bow, 11st. 2lb. [70kg], Charles Shannon, 31 years, 11st. 6lb. [72.5kg], and Captain of Barwon, James Strachan, 23 years, 12st. 4lb. [78kg], the crack oar from the winning Cambridge crew of 1870 and James Cullin, stroke, 11st. 6lb. [72.5kg], a pocket Hercules who pulled a splendid oar with extraordinary force and precision. Training commenced immediately with outings from the boatshed to Lake Connewarre and back, 15 miles at a smart 34 to the minute all the way and the men returning as if they could do it all over again! They would be up against two crews from Sydney - Sydney Rowing Club and a Parramatta River crew - and two crews from Hobart.

Early in January, the crew travelled to Melbourne for their first trial in Edwards' boat. Named the "Victoria", she was built of varnished cedar with brass fittings, and fitted with watertight compartments fore and aft and the option to fit a false bow and washboards should the weather prove rough. The Sydney boat was 42 ft [12.8m] long with a beam of 3ft. 6ins. [1m] deep, cedar planking and decking, with a keel and gunwhale of kauri pine, and weighed about 120lbs [54.5kg]. The Victoria was said to be about the same weight. She was then loaded onto a steamer bound for Hobart, accompanied by one of Edwards' men.

The four Barwon rowers, with member John Arthur as emergency and J. Ogilivie, the club's coxswain, departed Geelong on Friday 19 January by steamer for Launceston and then travelled overland by coach, arriving in Hobart on 28 January. The papers described them as a fine looking lot in tip top condition. They row a short, quick but powerful stroke, their time and swing are particularly good. They are as fine a lot of men as one would want to see step into a boat. Their rowing is unequalled by any four in Australia. At their first training row in local conditions, the Hobart Mercury declared them overall favourites: their swing is perfect; there are no bent arms, no meeting of the oar with the body before the stroke is finished; the hands are thrown well up, and ease and grace in the backward swing are thereby obtained.. Unfortunately the boat half filled with water, necessitating the fitting of the washboards and adding to the weight of an already heavy boat and crew. All the betting was on Barwon and many pounds changed hands in the hosteleries of Hobart.

On a fine Tuesday with a slight breeze, the five crews rowed to the start, with Barwon in the centre station. A good start was effected at 38 to 42:  the boats took the water well together and all dashed off in a splendid style, the Victoria's crew rowing a magnificent spurt to obtain a lead. But passing the first of four buoys the Sydney Rowing Club was in the lead and never lost it. At about the halfway point Barwon was in third place and their stroke called upon his men, making a desperate effort they gained ground. For a time a neck and neck struggle ensued, the Victorians not feeling disposed to take the last place without a struggle for the honour of the go-ahead colony.

The start of the race, Barwon Rowing Club in the centre.

To the general astonishment of the crowd, they passed the finish line in the following order: Sydney Rowing Club 36mins. 20secs., Parramatta 37mins. 10secs., Hobart light crew 37mins. 30secs., Hobart heavy crew 37mins. 45secs. and Barwon 39mins. 30secs. Many were the cheers for the winners, and also for Barwon, although the Mercury noted that these were of an ironical character, by heavy losers who had backed them too confidently. James Strachan later commented that the papers had expressed opinions which were not those of the crew, and that they had rowed their best.

Back in Geelong the mood was one of disbelief. The results were slow to come in by electric telegraph, announcing merely that the race had been won by the Sydney crew. Charles Shannon and Edward Nicholls had left Hobart on the following Saturday and successfully evaded the press waiting at the Geelong railway station by catching a steamer and disembarking at Queenscliff. However they could not avoid the media speculation for long. Rumours abounded that the crew had shown the white feather once they lost the lead, even that the stroke had shown his well known propensity for "caving in". The Captain's only comment was that the boat had proved to be unsuitable; after going a mile it lay like a log.

Another rumour surfaced some weeks later in the papers; that the Barwon crew, elated at their prestige and reception in Hobart, were anything but asleep during the witching hours of the night and morning before, and that they had paid more devoirs to Bacchus than to the muscular deity. 

Hence history's warning - make sure you pay your devotions to Bacchus after the race, not before!

THE BARWON BOY IN THE BOAT RACE

       As you enter the Barwon Rowing Club, you ascend the stairs between walls lined with old honor boards and photographs of past Barwon River floods and the club's boat shed. But the eagle eyed amongst you may wonder why there is also an aerial photograph of the finish of the 1930 Head of River race. The answer lies with a member of the Geelong Grammar School crew.

Finish of the 1930 Head of River.

           

       The sixty-third race was held on Saturday 10^th May at 3 p.m., in mild and pleasant weather and with a large crowd, estimated as at least 40,000, lining the south bank and eagerly awaiting the final between Melbourne Grammar, Wesley College and Geelong Grammar. Since the 1929 race the rowing course had been straightened and cleared of weeds, making it the best mile course in Victoria.  Motorists were encouraged to park along the south bank, from the starting to finishing lines for a fee of two shillings, with further parking areas on the south to the east of the bridge, in front of the Belmont Common aerodrome, and on the northern bank in the reserve at the foot of Yarra Street. Pedestrians were warned not to linger on the Moorabool Street Bridge in an effort to watch the race for free. For the price of one shilling, the purchase of the official programme gained entry to the north bank, west of the bridge. The coaches of all competing schools had lodged a protest with the Director of Civil Aviation against planes being allowed to fly over the river during the race and the headmasters viewed the prospect with alarm.

      The race got off to a clean start and at the quarter mile Melbourne Grammar appeared to be leading Wesley by a canvas, with Geelong Grammar close up on them both. Then a shot from the umpire's launch stopped the race. Unseen by the majority of spectators, Geelong Grammar on the north station had clashed oars with Wesley in the centre lane. The race was stopped, Geelong Grammar disqualified and Wesley and Melbourne Grammar instructed to row back to the start. Old boys and supporters on the banks were puzzled to see Geelong Grammar rowing alone down the length of the course, slowly through the bridge and back to their boathouse.  According to the umpire, Mr. T. Crosthwaite, "Geelong Grammar not only left its own course but actually clashed with Wesley so seriously as to prevent both crews from rowing. It would obviously have been unfair to Wesley to have allowed the race to continue". In the rerun, Melbourne Grammar was victorious over Wesley by ¾ length.

      The incident cast a gloom over the victory celebrations. The sympathies of the whole crowd went out to the Geelong boys, whose months of hard work had gone for nought. In trying to avoid the dead water on the north bank their cox had kept too far out. But it wasn't the cox, D. L. Green: the fault lay with 7 seat, one John G. Gorton. Years later Gorton could still feel the pain he caused and experienced during the Head of River race in 1930. Gorton's oar dislodged from its rowlock at the start of the final; and, as the cox failed in his struggle to hold his line, the Geelong Grammar School boat came in sharply, collided with Wesley, and was disqualified. This is the same Sir John Grey Gorton, Prime Minister of Australia from 1968 to 1971.

Geelong Grammar School crew. Head of River. 1930.

           

      And so we return to the stairs at Barwon Rowing Club and the photograph that captures the final few metres of the race. The Barwon connections are many: the coach of the winning crew, W. N. "Wally" Ricketts, began his rowing career as a coxswain with the club in 1910; the coach of the Geelong Grammar crew, William H. Pincott commenced his rowing career in 1899 with Barwon and had been President, Secretary, Treasurer, Captain and Coach of the club, and was a Vice-President until 1937; the coach of the Geelong College crew, beaten in the heats by Melbourne Grammar, was Barwon member and champion sculler, C. J. Collyer; the starter of the race was Barwon member H. Speed; even the umpire T. Crosthwaite may have been related to the Barwon member of 1888, B. Crosthwaite.

      But why the photo on the wall? The race is notorious for the only disqualification, the Barwon connections are many, but the answer lies in 2 seat of the Geelong Grammar crew, Ronald Errol White. Although still a schoolboy, Roland had joined Barwon to participate in the sport he loved, being unable to get a seat in the school's crews. That is, until he rowed 4 seat in the club's winning Maiden Eight at the Barwon Regatta in February and promptly found himself promoted to the school's first eight. Ronald rowed for a number of years, later in the winning crew of the H. F. Richardson Cup in 1932 and from 1933 in successful Maiden Four crews. He was also a Barwon committee member from 1932 to 1934.

      Four generations of the White family have been valuable members of the Barwon Rowing Club: Ronald's father, Errol, though not a rower, was a Vice-President from 1930 to 1940. Ronald's son, Peter, joined the Club in 1963, rowed until the late 1970s, and is still a Barwon member, Coach and Vice-President. His grandson, Andrew, has rowed for the last six years with the Club.

SOURCES: Australian Rowing History website http://www.rowinghistory-aus.info/school-rowing/vic/aps-head-of-river/1930.

The Geelong Advertiser, The Age, The Argus, The Weekly Times. 1930.

Ian Hancock. John Gorton - He Did It His Way.

Peter White.

Accusations of elitism and class bias at the first Barwon Regatta!

GENTLEMEN ONLY - NO BLACKSMITHS!

The First Regatta on the Barwon River

 An English crew of 1876 - gentlemen and amateurs only!

            Who would have thought that organising a regatta could be so difficult! In 1876 in Geelong it became the subject of a fierce debate in the press and an acrimonious fight between two clubs, with accusations of elitism and class bias.

            On 11 January 1876, Edward Lascelles, a wealthy wool-broker and Vice-President of the Barwon Rowing Club, called a meeting of gentlemen desirous of holding a rowing regatta on the Barwon River, which he considered the most suitable piece of water for racing in the Colony. The next day at the Victoria Hotel, fifteen of Geelong's wool-brokers, lawyers and rowers gathered to decide. Edward Nicholls, Captain of Barwon R.C. moved the motion "That is desirable that a regatta be held on the River Barwon, leaving other matters incidental to it to be arranged by a future meeting " and C. Brown, Secretary & Treasurer of Corio Bay R.C., seconded.  The motion was passed unanimously, one gentleman declaring that for a good mile and a half the Barwon afforded as good a rowing course as the Isis or the Cam.

            Two days later, a letter to the Editor of the Geelong Advertiser revealed that another motion was to be voted on at the next meeting. This was to adopt the English requirement that only a bona fide amateur could compete in a rowing race, defined as: A gentleman amateur had to be an officer of Her Majesty's Army, or Navy, or Civil Service, a member of the Liberal Professions, or of the Universities or Public schools, or of any established boat or rowing club not containing mechanics or professionals. If adopted, this motion would exclude all those rowers who gained their living by manual labour, and thereby most of Corio Bay's members. The correspondent went on to say that "Rowing has not such a firm footing here that a class distinction is possible, and the little life that has begun to show itself among our rowing men, would be effectually dampened, were such a measure carried. Rowing was not instituted, and supported for the exclusive amusement of bank or any other clerks. Let the members of Barwon Rowing Club keep as exclusive as they please, but do not endeavour to compel other clubs to do the same. If the Barwon Rowing Club cannot compete, or do not care to row, with "those who gain their living by manual labour, let them have a regatta all to themselves…".

            A week later Corio Bay R.C. held their half-yearly meeting, where a motion was passed that the club would be present in force at the next Regatta Committee meeting to object strongly to the motion. The Geelong Advertiser encouraged their presence: "we trust that the members of the club will not hold aloof from the meeting, as it is said they intend to do,  or they will have themselves to blame if any resolution obnoxious to their interest is adopted". In the meantime, the Sydney Rowing Club had provided the new committee with their definition of a bona fide amateur: "they did not gain their living by manual labour, but consisted of men engaged in legal or mercantile pursuits".

            But apparently there had been a misunderstanding. The Barwon R.C. Secretary, David Strachan, did not mean to exclude all men who earned their living by manual labour, only those such as blacksmiths, quarrymen and miners whose daily labour increased their strength, placing them at a great advantage over clerks. Those who gained their living by manual labour of a "sedentary" nature were not be excluded.  The Geelong Advertiser explained the case for the confused: It is, however, thought by some, that blacksmiths, quarrymen, miners, and men engaged in other such out-door manual labor, should be debarred, as their daily avocation is calculated to increase their strength, thus placing them at a great advantage when compared with clerks and others engaged in indoor pursuits. It must however be remembered that skill and condition have a great deal to do with good rowing; strength, of course, must be there, but this, if not properly applied would be comparatively useless. Thus, clerks, etc., have better opportunities for becoming skilful; they also have ample time on their hands which may be devoted towards getting themselves in condition. After a hard day's work, few blacksmiths, etc., are inclined to practise rowing; their style of work is not similar to that indulged in by an oarsman. Without practice, therefore, they can never hope to compete successfully with the finished oarsman of the Barwon and other clubs …

            At a fiery meeting on Monday 7 February, attended by more than 40 men, David Strachan moved the following motion: "that at this regatta the races be confined only to amateurs, and that men who gain their living by manual labour of an outdoor and active character, such as blacksmiths, carters, miners, quarrymen and such like, should not be allowed to row, but that men who gain their living by manual labour a of a sedentary kind, such as saddlers, printers, etc., be allowed to row". Henry Antill (Barwon R.C. member) seconded the motion in order to test the opinion of the meeting. Charles Brown then moved an amendment "That the Melbourne Regatta Committee's definition of an amateur be adopted instead of that proposed by Mr. Strachan". This definition excluded only those oarsmen who had competed for cash prizes, i.e. professionals. George Upward, Captain of Corio Bay R.C., seconded the motion and the amendment was carried twenty-five to six. The clerks must have been shattered whilst all those blacksmiths danced for joy.

            Despite his controversial motion, David Strachan was elected as Secretary of the new committee. A prominent wool-broker, he was also the father of James Ford Strachan, the "crack" oar in the winning Cambridge crew of 1870 in the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race. The remaining committee was composed of: Stephen Vine Buckland, (Barwon R.C. President and lawyer); Mr. Hay, (Corio Bay R.C. Vice-President);C. Mudie, (rower in 1865 with the now defunct Corio Rowing Club and an accountant), Mr. Brown, (Corio Bay R.C. committee member); George Upward, (Corio Bay R.C. Captain); Hugh Murray Strachan, (Barwon R.C. member and wool-broker); James Johnstone, (Barwon R.C. member), James Murray Simson, (Barwon R.C. member and bank manager);  Mr. J. J. Buckland, (Barwon R.C.) and C. K. Pearson, (a former member of Barwon R.C. and founding member of Corio Bay R.C.); twelve  members with the loyalties divided roughly half and half. A sub-committee of E. Nicholls, J. Johnstone and C. Brown were appointed to draw up the Rules and Regulations. The rules of the Melbourne Regatta Committee were adopted, with the ominous addition that the committee had the right to refuse any entries. The meeting also fixed Wednesday 5^th April as the regatta date, with the events to be Maiden Sculls (clinkers), Senior Sculls, Pair-oared Race (flat-bottomed boats), Maiden Fours (gigs), Senior Fours (gigs), Junior Fours (outriggers), the Barwon Grand Challenge cup (four-oared outriggers) and the Barwon Plate (eight-oared outriggers).

            Crews from both clubs had already commenced training on the river with the rowing correspondent from the Geelong Advertiser offering his critique of the various styles - "No. 2 rowed a little wildly, and would do more work if he kept his arms well in, and did not bend his face so near his toes"! However, just two weeks before the big day, the Corio Bay club received a setback. The Melbourne Amateur Regatta Committee, in response to a letter from the Barwon Regatta Committee, had ruled that a crew winning a Consolation Race could not again compete as a Maiden crew, thus ruling out a Corio Bay crew who had won such a race the year before at the Geelong Regatta on the bay. Another four was hastily put to training, minus George Upward, their Captain.

            The committee was also working hard to ensure enough entries to be able to stage an eight-oared race. Considered something of a novelty, the first eights race in Australia had been won just the year before by the Civil Service Club. Both Ballarat and Civil Service intended to send a crew after the reassurance that should the race be a walk-over, all expenses would be paid and the entry fees returned. Most clubs did not possess an eight, but the Ballarat Rowing Club suggested that if the Geelong crews would like to combine in an eight, they had one spare. This suggestion was met with a stony silence, relations between the local clubs not being at their best.

            A half-holiday was declared in Geelong and promptly at 12 o'clock the town shut down, and 3,500 spectators lined both banks of the river on a fine but cool day. Along the south bank thousands followed the races on horseback and in vehicles of all descriptions. At the finish line at the end of Bellarine Street a reserve had been set aside for ladies and paying guests, who were treated to selections from Mr. Walker's band. The local clubs came away at the end of the day with a win each: Corio Bay's George Upward winning the Maiden Sculls and Barwon winning the Junior Four (outriggers).  They competed against each other in both the Maiden and Senior Fours, Barwon making it to the final in the Maiden and in the Senior coming second to Corio Bay's third. The Barwon Plate for eights was won by the Civil Service Club.

            Universally acknowledge to be a splendid success, the regatta had none the less set the tone for both clubs for many generations; Barwon perceived as elitist and white collar, Corio Bay as egalitarian and blue collar. It had settled the difficult question of who was allowed to row in terms of class, but the issue of gender was to take more than 100 years to overcome.

OTD 1916. Winning crew vilified in the Press!

BARWON ROWING CLUB CREW VILIFIED IN THE PRESS!

On this day in 1916, the New Year's Day Regatta at Colac provided a welcome chance at competition for those rowers who had not enlisted in the A.I.F.  More of a picnic day than a rowing regatta, 7000 spectators witnessed yachting and motor boat racing, fire brigade competitions, log chopping and a display of the new sport of aqua planing where "a man stood on a board, holding by ropes and the motor towed him along. The twisting and turning of the boat caused the plane to execute all manner of movements which generally ended in the man being thrown in the water."

Special trains from Beeac, Ballarat, Cressy and even Beech Forest, as well as Melbourne, made it the greatest day of the year for the Western District. In a programme of just five rowing races Barwon and Corio Bay rowing clubs were represented in four: Corio Bay winning the Maiden Four and a entering a Junior and Senior Pair whilst Barwon boated a Maiden Eight and a Maiden Pair, winning the eight with the crew of C. Hunt (str), E .Walsh (7),  F. Wheeler (6), F. Degenhardt (5), L. Forrest (4), W. Wadmore (3), H. Zimmer (2) and T. Colling (bow).

Barwon Rowing Club. Winning Maiden Eight. Colac 1916.

            But rather than celebrating the win, the club was forced to publicly defend its rowers, for on the Wednesday following the regatta, this letter was published in The Geelong Advertiser:

SPORT DURING THE WAR

My cup of disgust was filled to overflowing when I witnessed the physical efforts of several crews of well trained oarsmen at the Colac Regatta on New Year's Day. Unconsciously my thoughts sped away to those other men enduring all manner of self imposed hardship and privation, courting death day by day, that we may enjoy our ease, and that these men may show their prowess. Oh! The irony of it.

Do these rowing men realise that our Empire is engaged in a life and death struggle for the noble cause of liberty, and that we will only succeed by doing our utmost? If they do realise these things, are they indifferent? If they are indifferent, will they enjoy the benefits obtained for them by our splendid volunteer army? Some day perhaps, they will understand the enormity of their offence, for such it is. Unfortunately the laurel has been carried off by Geelong crews. I cannot conceive that any honor will be attached thereto. What will these victorious athletes do when our magnificent troops return? Will they assist in giving them a royal welcome or will they hang their heads in guilty shame? Most probably some of these men cannot join the colors, or have every intention of doing so, which fact will not excuse them for their display of callousness for the feelings of the men they may intend to succour. In view of the fact that over 70 per cent of the Victorian oarsmen have enlisted, it will be interesting to learn if a win of this description will entitle the winner to the claim of having won his maiden event, if it does it looks like taking a mean advantage. Through this one supreme example, I desire it to be understood that I am abusing all competitive sport, and that on account of having suffered severely by this bloody war, I may perhaps be a little severe in my criticism. Thanking you in anticipation, I am,

W. Haynes. East Geelong.

The following day, Barwon's secretary Stanley Barnfather, immediately leapt to the men's defence:

ROWING MEN AND THE WAR

In reply to Mr Haynes' furious outburst in your issue of today re the Colac Regatta, may I ask space to lay a few facts before that gentleman?

First, as regards the crew with which he is so righteously indignant, “Bow” has tried twice to enlist, but has been rejected as medically unfit, “2” and “5” are under age, and have been refused their parents' consent, “3” and “stroke” parents' consent withheld, but now they are of age, and both are enlisting at once, “4” has a brother at the front and aged parents demanding his presence at home, “6  is a married man with a family, “7”  is the sole support of his mother and sister.

The club has eleven members from which to pick its eight. Of the remaining three, one is under age but anxious to go, and the other two are boys. We have not a member who does not have a legitimate excuse for not enlisting, and our Honor Roll bears three names “killed in action”.

The majority of our members went on the first call, and the 70 percentage of Victorian oarsmen who have gone is answer enough to such criticism as in your correspondent's letter.

The club's eleven members consisted of the eight plus William Ricketts, a young coxswain, Arthur Colenso, Captain of Boats and Andrew Lindsay Storrer, committee member and the youngest of the three sons of the club's Treasurer.

The Corio Bay Rowing Club took a different approach to the criticism:-       

Just a few lines in reply to the letter signed by W. Haynes. As I have made exhaustive enquiries to find this gentleman I would be glad to receive his proper address, as I do not feel inclined to waste time replying to a man who hides himself under a fictitious name.   N.R. Purnell. Hon.Sec. Corio Bay Rowing Club.

On the same day as Barwon's letter, The Argus published the following:

You who are playing whilst others are dying

Red is the sun in the war-scarred West

There's a place in the team - and on you they're relying

To play your part in the final Test

Turn your back on the bat and ball -

Hark to you country's clarion call.

Pleasure will wait till the wars have ended

For pleasure was meant for another day

There is a sport that is far more splendid

There is a game that you all can play

Rise and rally, Australians all -

 Cricketers, footballers, runners and oarsmen

Put by your playthings and come in your scores, men

Show 'em how sportsmen can answer the call.

The pressure to enlist must have been intense on these young men. Frank Degenhardt enlisted the very next day, putting his age up by two years, and was sent to France where he received gunshot wounds to his left arm and leg. He returned home less than a year later medically unfit and then enlisted again in September 1918. Clifford Hunt joined up a month later. William Wadmore tried to enlist at the end of January but was refused. He was a clerk with the Commonwealth Bank and as the bank transacted all government and military business, their employees were not accepted into the A.I.F. without permission from the bank's headquarters. He finally was able to do his duty the following year. William Zimmer enlisted in September and almost made it through the war, being killed in France by a shell burst in June 1918.

Of the remaining four members of the crew, Edmund Walsh was granted an exemption from service in November 1916, being an only son and the sole support of his mother and sister; Lancelot Forrest was also granted an exemption that month, having a brother at the front and being the sole support of his aged parents; T. Colling was twice rejected as medically unfit, whilst F. Wheeler was married with a young child.

            Mr. Haynes need not have been so furious for it was to be the last regatta for the two Geelong clubs until 1920.