Oriel College Boat Club

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Oriel College Boat Club
            
Oxford boathouse 6.jpg
Oriel College Boat Club Rowing Blade.svg
Boathouse shared with Lincoln and The Queen's
LocationBoathouse Island, Christ Church Meadow, Oxford, Oxford
Coordinates 51°44′36″N1°14′57″W / 51.7432°N 1.2493°W / 51.7432; -1.2493
Home water The Isis
Foundedpre-1828
Head of the River Torpids Headship
  • Men's Eights: 1842, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1966, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024 [1]
  • Men's Torpids: 1838, 1844, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2018, 2019, 2022
  • Women's Torpids: 2006, 2017, 2018 [1]
University University of Oxford
Affiliations British Rowing (boat code ORO)
Clare BC (Sister college)
Website orielrowing.org

Oriel College Boat Club (OCBC) is the rowing club of Oriel College, Oxford. [2] Rowing at Oriel is carried out from the college's own boathouse across Christ Church Meadow, on Boat House Island.

Contents

Oriel is the most successful rowing college in Oxford, having won the most men's 1st VIII headships of any college at the two intercollegiate bumps races: Torpids and Eights Week (Summer Eights). Since 1976, Oriel has enjoyed a particular period of dominance in these events. The club's women's 1st VIII has also won two Torpids headship since the admission to women to the college in 1985. [3]

Racing

In men's rowing at short races, bumps, this is the most successful Oxford college boat club. As of 2020, Oriel holds 37 Torpids Headships, by a large margin the most of any college, and 33 Summer Eights Headships.

From 1972 to 1998 Oriel's Men's First Boat was undefeated in Torpids, the longest run of any college by far.[ citation needed ] In 2006 Oriel claimed the first ever double headship in Torpids, rowing over as Head of the River in both the men's and women's first divisions. In 2018 Oriel repeated this victory with their second double headship. It is the only college to have achieved a double headship in Torpids. [4]

The women's and men's second boats have long been in "fixed divisions" in the bumps charts, and as such, are guaranteed a place in racing each year. The college usually enters three boats (and sometimes more) for the bumps events. [5] More extensive information on the results of Torpids and Eights can be found here: Oxford Bumps Charts

In addition to the Oxford-based races, Oriel crews compete in external events including the Fairbairn Cup, the Head of the River Race, the Women's Eights Head of the River Race, the Henley Boat Races and many regional and national events.[ citation needed ]

In 2016 the men's first boat won the men's eights collegiate event at the Fairbairn; it won again in 2017 and won the entire event in 2018. [6]

Colours and Emblems

The emblem of the Oriel College Boat Club. Oriel College Boat Club.jpg
The emblem of the Oriel College Boat Club.

The general emblem of the Oriel College Boat Club is the three ostrich feathers, an example of Oriel College's use of the Prince of Wales's feathers. In recent years this has been augmented by the addition of crossed-oars below the feathers.[ citation needed ] The first boats row under the emblem of the Tortoise Club, detailed below, a tradition established from when OCBC would race at external regattas as The Tortoise Club.[ citation needed ] The boat club's colours are the same as the college's: two white stripes on navy.[ citation needed ]

Oriel Rowing Blazers

Until 2009 the wearing of Boat Club Blazers (ivory with navy blue piping and cuff rings, bearing the three ostrich feather emblem on the left breast) was limited to the 1st and 2nd Summer VIII's and Torpids and the Oriel College Boat Club Committee. At that time cuff ring designations were: Three rings for 1st Summer VIII and 1st Torpid; two rings for Boat Club Committee; one ring for 2nd Summer VIII 2nd Torpid. These now obsolete designations can still be seen at the Walters of Oxford website. [7]

Changes brought about in the Oriel Blazer Act of 2009 to become more inclusive of lower-boats' alumni (3rd, 4th, and sometimes 5th VIII's as well as boat coxswains) reformed the cuff ring designations as follows: Three rings for 1st Summer VIII; two rings for 1st Torpid and those awarded Tortoise membership at the Tortoise Council's discretion; one ring for general boat club members (no specific distinction for committee members exists today).[ citation needed ]

Cultural Presence

In Tom Brown at Oxford by Thomas Hughes, Oriel's win in the 1842 Head of the River Race, with Oriel bumping Trinity, was re-written as Tom's college, "St Ambrose" taking first place and "Oriel" in second place. [8]

Oriel College, in particular the Boat Club Captains' rooms, as well as Oriel memorabilia and references are also present in Oxford Blues (1984) and True Blue (1991).[ citation needed ]

Recently, Oriel's 2022 First Men's VIII portrayed the 1936 Italian Olympic crew in the film The Boys in the Boat (2023).

Oriel Regatta

During the 7th week in Trinity Term, OCBC hosts the annual Oriel Regatta; events in this competition are Mixed Eights and Crewdate Eights. Mixed Eights are crews from a single college that must contain at least four women rowers. For Crewdate Eights one enters as a group of four rowers with or without a coxswain and are then matched up with another group, where possible creating a mixed college and mixed gender crew. The final two crews have a crewdate paid for them by the Regatta. It is a fun event with which to end the year's collegiate racing schedule. The course runs upstream from the Longbridges Boathouse to past the end of boathouses on Christ Church Island and races are conducted in knock-out format.[ citation needed ]

Alumni

The emblem of the Tortoise Club Oriel College Boat Club - The Toritoise Club.jpg
The emblem of the Tortoise Club

The Tortoise Club

The purpose of the Tortoise Club is two-fold: the recognition and celebration of outstanding Oriel rowing; and the financial support of the OCBC. [9] Membership is by election: proposal by the Men's Captain of Boats, Women's Captain of Boats and the President of the Tortoise Club. Election is by the approval of the Tortoise Council. [9] Members must be Orielenses (excepting Honorary members) who have represented OCBC with excellence.

A grant of a Badge was made to "The Provost and Scholars of the House of the Blessed Mary the Virgin in Oxford commonly called Oriel College of the Foundation of Edward the Second of famous memory sometime King of England", for the use of Oriel College Boat Club, the Tortoise Club and the Oriel Society, by Letters Patent dated 20 April 2009 of Garter, Clarenceux and Norroy and Ulster Kings of Arms. [10]

The emblem of the Blessed Virgins Club Oriel College Women's Boat Club - The Blessed Virgins Club.jpg
The emblem of the Blessed Virgins Club

Former clubs

The Blessed Virgins Club

This was an exclusive, women's alumni club. Since 2016, women are now admissible into the Tortoise Club on the same terms as men so the club is defunct. This was particularly controversial to many members of the Tortoise Club as a separate boat club was created for the women of the college in 1986, [11] rowers in their 1st VIII and 1st Torpid became members of this club mutatis mutandis to the Tortoise Club. The respective unique emblem was a pair of (angelic) wings. The "Blessèd Virgins" was a nod to a name of the college as still seen in some registers of title and official documents today, The House of Blessèd Mary the Virgin in Oxford. [12]

Noteworthy rowers

Honours

Henley Royal Regatta

YearRaces won
1913 Thames Challenge Cup
1938 Visitors' Challenge Cup

Summer Eights

YearResults
1842Men's Headship
YearResults
1933Men's Headship
1934Men's Headship
1935Men's Headship
1936Men's Headship
1966Men's Headship
1976Men's Headship
1978Men's Headship
1979Men's Headship
1980Men's Headship
1981Men's Headship
1982Men's Headship
1983Men's Headship
1984Men's Headship
1987Men's Headship
1988Men's Headship
1989Men's Headship
1992Men's Headship
1993Men's Headship
1994Men's Headship
1996Men's Headship
1997Men's Headship
1998Men's Headship
1999Men's Headship
YearResults
2000Men's Headship
2001Men's Headship
2002Men's Headship
2011Men's Headship
2012Men's Headship
2014Men's Headship
2015Men's Headship
2016Men's Headship
2019Men's Headship
2022Men's Headship
2023Men's Headship
2024Men's Headship

Torpids

YearResults
1838Men's Headship
1844Men's Headship
YearResults
1972Men's Headship
1973Men's Headship
1974Men's Headship
1975Men's Headship
1976Men's Headship
1978Men's Headship
1979Men's Headship
1980Men's Headship
1981Men's Headship
1982Men's Headship
1983Men's Headship
1984Men's Headship
1985Men's Headship
1986Men's Headship
1987Men's Headship
1988Men's Headship &
Men's Second Torpid finished third
1989Men's Headship
1990Men's Headship
1992Men's Headship
1993Men's Headship
1994Men's Headship
1995Men's Headship
1996Men's Headship
1997Men's Headship
1998Men's Headship
YearResults
2001Men's Headship
2003Men's Headship
2004Men's Headship
2005Men's Headship
2006Men's and Women's Headship
2017Women's Headship
2018Men's and Women's Headship
2019Men's Headship
2021Men's Headship
2022Men's Headship

Captains of Boats

Academic year beginning Michaelmas Term (MT)Men's Captain of BoatsWomen's Captain of Boats
1861R.Roberts, G. Cardalenot applicable
1862G.F. Lamb
1863G.C. Alexander
1864Incomplete records
1865T. Bird
1866E.F. Henley
1867E.H. Sankey
1868A. Gaye
1869A. Phillimore
1870W. Horn
1871F.L. Claughton
1872H. Freeth
1874 (& months prior to Oct)J.S. Sinclair (Jan 74–May 75)
1875J.H. Bainbridge
1876 & 77R.J. Martin
1878W.P. Macdonald
1879 & 80 (part)C.G. Thomas (–Dec 80)
1881 (& months prior to Oct)E.A. Parry (Jan 81–Oct 82)
1882R. St. J. Ainslie
1883 & 84 (part)P.M. Walters (–Dec 84)
1884–85A.H. Bartlett (Dec 1884–Dec 1885)
1886 (part)E.Anson (Jan–Jun 1886)
1886 & 87J.G. Radcliff
1888H.E. Robeson
1889G.D. Pepys
1890W.G. Dickins
1891J. F. W. Galbraith (Oct 1891–Mar 1892),

C.A. Surtees (Apr–Jun 1892)

1892 E.H. Fellowes (Oct 1892–Jun 1893)
1893 (part)A.E. O'Flaherty (–Dec 1893)
1894C.C. Marshall
1895E.L. Henderson
1896A.S. Carey
1897J.S. Darling
1898
1899C.S. Carey
1900T.B. Etherington-Smith
1901
1902–05Incomplete records
1906C.H. Budd
1907J.O. Hughes
1908H.L. Harvey
1909C.F.J. North
1910J.H. May
1911M.P.G. Leanard
1912H.L. Guillebaud
1913C.H. Kinnisen
1914J.K. Watkins
1915–18Disruption due to war
1919S.B. Sinclair
1920S.A. Rissik
1921H.F.B. Iles
1922J.D. Brown
1923E.L.V. Waddilove
1924C.R. Oldham
1925H.C. Warner
1926E.C.S. Reid
1927D.A. Foster
1928E.F. D'Arms
1929D.M.H. Evans
1930T.I. Smith
1931
1932J.C.Cunningham
1933C.S. Reid
1934E. Starling
1935E.G.H. Moddy
1936A.F. Martin
1937G.C. Pepys
1938A.B. Hodgson
1939A.G.C. Whalley
1940M.J. Knottenbelt
1941K.A.T. Pinnock
1942D.J.M. Wright
1943N.C. Hughes-Jones
1944R.T.T. Warwick
1945R.G. Wall
1946
1947C.J. Grimwade
1948J.R. Smith
1949G.C.Fisk
1950A.M. Duncan
1951J.M. Wallis
1952J.P. Ross (1951–52),

S.R. Duff (MT), F.R. Hall (summer)

1953E.A. Ffocks
1954G.R.R Treasure
1955 F.M. Ferris
1956L.G.D. Baker
1957E. Glover
1958M.E.J. Garnett
1959A.T. Clothier
1960E.P. Smith (MT),

M.J. Underhill (HT, TT)

1961R.J. Lee
1962M.H. Griffiths
1963D.S. Darbyshire
1964R.C. Nicholson
1965M.R.F.Taylor
1966J.R. Close-Brooks
1967C.M. Chant
1968N.P.W. Park
1969M.J.T. Chamberlayne (1968–9),

V.L. Sankey (1969)

1970M. Richmond-Coggan
1971J.M.L. Scott (1970–71),

P.J.S. Grove (1971)

1972A.P. Howkins
1973A.G. Bompas
1974C.M. Reilly
1975P.S.T. Wright
1976D.H. Pearson
1977A.K.C. Wood
1978R.W. Crump
1979P.J.O Monk
1980
1981D.Todd
1982A.A. Monk
1983
1984J. Durant
1985V.J. Warner
1986G.N. AustinNell Butler
1987A.D. WardEmma Crawford-Collins (née Tame)
1988A.P. McNallyIncomplete records
1989J.J. WhittingIncomplete records
1990P.P. SwaddlingEmily Exton
1991N.O. StevensonPippa McGowan
1992J.P. HodgesRachel Johnson, Emma Derry
1993F.G.J. BrownPenny Freston
1994A.M. ShawEmma Brown
1995B.D. MaysNicola Willey
1996A.P. DuntonSophie Arber
1997F.F.A. LepetitEmma Jeffcoat
1998W.E. BreezeSuzie Fuller
1999A.L. CoppellKathleen Donnelly
2000J.C. HubbackWendy Armstrong
2001R.J. ToddEmily Mitchell
2002P.G. RandallAnna Warren
2003L.T.D FinchKaty Willings
2004A.J. RobbieElizabeth Shaw
2005T.J. AkinCharlotte Rushton
2006O.M.H. WilliamsSimon Ho
2007T.D. BarkerSarah Kiefer (née Coates)
2008D.R. WoodsHannah Seddon
2009P.G. Clausen-Thue (MT, HT),

M. R. Price (TT)

Nathalie Paarlberg,

Rebekka Hueting

2010J. C. WadsworthCecilia Mckenzie (née Savundra)
2011S. C. PeetAnna Oestmann
2012B. R. MansfieldBridget Fryer
2013Max LauZara Milne
2014Calum PontinAlice Carter
2015Callum ArnoldEmily Burdett
2016Stevan BoljevicMorgan Baynham-Williams
2017Henry ShaldersEdward Carroll
2018Robert BoswallLara Bonney
2019Alex DeakEdward Shields
2020Zachary ZajicekKatarina Culverwell
2021Henry HawkinsSarah Wisialowski
2022Jake Swann (MT),

William Burrow (HT, TT)

Cassidy Hoeft
2023Alexander AbelAmelia Monaghan
2024Theodore BriscoeBeatrice Frediani


See also

References

  1. 1 2 Dudhia, Anu, Oriel Crews , retrieved 15 December 2020
  2. ↑ "Sport". Oriel College.
  3. ↑ "Oriel stay a-Head of river". The Oxford Student. 30 November 1999. Archived from the original on 12 January 2007. Retrieved 30 September 2006.
  4. ↑ "Oriel Crews Take Torpids Double Headship". Oriel College. 5 March 2018. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  5. ↑ "Bumps Charts for Summer VIIIs 2024". Oxford Bumps. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  6. ↑ "Fairbairn Cup Results – Jesus College Boat Club (Cambridge)". Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  7. ↑ "Rowing Blazers of Oxford Colleges". Walters of Oxford. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
  8. ↑ Rannie, David, Oriel College (1900) — published by F. E. Robinson & Co. London (Part of the University of Oxford College Histories series) pp.1, 5–10, 102, 105, 108–110, 241 and 235.
  9. 1 2 "Tortoise Club Constitution" (PDF). 9 June 2023.
  10. ↑ "College of Arms June 2009 Newsletter (No. 21)".
  11. ↑ "The Blessed Virgins Club". Oriel College Women's Boat Club. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
  12. ↑ "A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 3: The University of Oxford". British History Online (Victoria County History). Retrieved 6 October 2013.
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