The Boat Race 1836

Last updated

2nd Boat Race
Date17 June 1836 (1836-06-17)
Winner Cambridge
Margin of victory20 lengths
Winning time36 minutes
Overall record
(Cambridge–Oxford)		1–1
UmpireLord Loftus
Mr Hiceson
← 1829 1839 →

The 2nd Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 17 June 1836. It was the first of the University Boat Races to be held in London, on a five-and-three-quarter-mile stretch between Westminster and Putney. For the first time, Cambridge sported light blue livery in the form of a ribbon on their boat while Oxford rowed in dark blue jerseys. In a race umpired by Lord Loftus and Mr Hiceson, Cambridge won the race by 20 lengths to level the overall record at 1–1.

River Thames river in southern England

The River Thames, known alternatively in parts as the Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At 215 miles (346 km), it is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom, after the River Severn.

The Boat Race annual rowing race on the River Thames

The Boat Race is an annual rowing race between the Oxford University Boat Club and the Cambridge University Boat Club, rowed between men's and women's open-weight eights on the River Thames in London, England. It is also known as the University Boat Race and the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race.

Westminster area of central London, within the City of Westminster

Westminster is an area of central London within the City of Westminster, part of the West End, on the north bank of the River Thames. Westminster's concentration of visitor attractions and historic landmarks, one of the highest in London, includes the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and Westminster Cathedral.

Contents

Background

The 1836 race took place between Westminster and Putney bridges. Thames from Putney to Westminster 1842.jpg
The 1836 race took place between Westminster and Putney bridges.

The Boat Race is an annual rowing eight competition between the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. First held in 1829, no attempt was made to organise the second race until 1834. Cambridge had initially proposed a race from Westminster Bridge to Hammersmith, while Oxford suggested Maidenhead. [1] Although Cambridge agreed to compromise to race on any stretch of the Thames between Westminster and Richmond, no agreement was reached until 1836. This year, both universities issued a challenge to one another, and arrangements for the event were made in a meeting at the Star and Garter pub in Putney on 16 June 1836. [2] According to a journalist for The Morning Post , there was disagreement over the length of the race, with Oxford preferring a short course of a mile and a half, while Cambridge opted for the same course as the previous year. [3] It was agreed that the race was to take place the following day along the 5.75-mile (9.3 km) stretch of river between Westminster Bridge and Putney Bridge, [2] [4] a championship course for professional scullers. [5] It was also agreed that both boats would be steered by university men rather than professional coxes. [6]

Eight (rowing) boat class in rowing

An eight is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for eight rowers, who propel the boat with sweep oars, and is steered by a coxswain, or "cox".

University of Oxford Collegiate research university in Oxford, England

The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world's second-oldest university in continuous operation. It grew rapidly from 1167 when Henry II banned English students from attending the University of Paris. After disputes between students and Oxford townsfolk in 1209, some academics fled north-east to Cambridge where they established what became the University of Cambridge. The two 'ancient universities' are frequently jointly referred to as 'Oxbridge'. The history and influence of the University of Oxford has made it one of the most prestigious universities in the world.

University of Cambridge University in Cambridge, England, United Kingdom

The University of Cambridge is a collegiate public research university in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Founded in 1209 and granted a Royal Charter by King Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world's fourth-oldest surviving university. The university grew out of an association of scholars who left the University of Oxford after a dispute with the townspeople. The two 'ancient universities' share many common features and are often referred to jointly as 'Oxbridge'. The history and influence of the University of Cambridge has made it one of the most prestigious universities in the world.

The second Boat Race in the history of the event, it was the first to be conducted in London, with the inaugural race taking place at Henley-on-Thames. [7] Oxford went into the race as reigning champions, having won the 1829 race "easily". [8] Cambridge were coached by their cox Thomas Selby Egan. [9] The umpires for the race were both Oxonians: Lord Loftus, of Balliol College and Mr Hiceson (or Mr Hickson) of Christ Church. [10] [11]

The Boat Race 1829 1829 boat race between Oxford and Cambridge universities

The 1st Boat Race took place at Henley-on-Thames on 10 June 1829. The race came about following a challenge laid down to the University of Oxford by University of Cambridge "to row a match at or near London, each in an eight-oared boat during the ensuing Easter vacation". Oxford wore dark blue jerseys while Cambridge wore "white with pink waistbands". In front of a crowd estimated to be around 20,000, and according to the official record, Oxford won the race "easily" in a time of 14 minutes 30 seconds. The Boat Race became an annual fixture, and as of 2018, has been contested 164 times.

Henley-on-Thames town in Oxfordshire, England

Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England, 9 miles (14 km) northeast of Reading, 7 miles (11 km) west of Maidenhead and 23 miles (37 km) southeast of Oxford, near the tripoint of Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. The population at the 2011 Census was 11,619.

Coxswain (rowing) steering crew member in a rowing boat

In a rowing crew, the coxswain is the member who sits in the stern facing the bow. The coxswain is responsible for steering the boat, and coordinating the power and rhythm of the rowers. In some capacities, the coxswain is responsible for implementing the training regimen or race plan. Most coaches cannot communicate to boat/coxswain, so the coxswain is the "coach" in the boat. A coxswain is necessary in the first place because the rowers sit with their backs to the direction of travel.

According to author and former Oxford rower George Drinkwater, this was the first year that Cambridge adopted light blue as their racing colours: an R. N. Phillips provided a strip of Eton blue ribbon "which was fixed to the bows" of the boat. [12] Oxford wore white jerseys with dark blue stripes, as they had done for the 1829 race. [12]

Eton College British independent boarding school located in Eton

Eton College is a 13–18 independent boarding school and sixth form for boys in the parish of Eton, near Windsor in Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor, as a sister institution to King's College, Cambridge, making it the 18th-oldest Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference school.

Crews

The Cambridge crew weighed an average of 11  st 8.625  lb (73.6 kg), 0.875 pounds (0.4 kg) per rower more than their opponents. None of the competitors had taken part in a previous Boat Race, [13] while all participants were registered as British. [14] George Carter followed his brother J. Carter who had rowed for Oxford in 1829 race. [15]

Stone (unit) informal unit of measure equal to 14 pounds avoirdupois

The stone or stone weight is an English and imperial unit of mass now equal to 14 pounds (6.35029318 kg).

Pound (mass) unit of mass in imperial, US customary, and avoirdupois systems of units

The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement. Various definitions have been used; the most common today is the international avoirdupois pound, which is legally defined as exactly 0.45359237 kilograms, and which is divided into 16 avoirdupois ounces. The international standard symbol for the avoirdupois pound is lb; an alternative symbol is lbm, #, and ℔ or ″̶.

SeatCambridge
University of Cambridge coat of arms.svg 		Oxford
Oxford-University-Circlet.svg
NameCollegeWeightNameCollegeWeight
Bow William Hammond Solly 1st Trinity 11 st 0 lbGeorge Carter St John's 10 st 0 lb
2Frederick Green Gonville & Caius 11 st 2 lbFerdinand Thomas Stephens Exeter 10 st 7 lb
3Edmund Stanley Jesus 11 st 4 lb William Baillie Christ Church 11 st 7 lb
4Perceval Hartley Trinity Hall 12 st 0 lbT. Harris Magdalen 12 st 4 lb
5Warren Miller Jones Gonville & Caius 12 st 0 lb Justinian Vere Isham Christ Church 12 st 0 lb
6John Henry Keane 1st Trinity 12 st 0 lbJohn Pennefather Balliol 12 st 10 lb
7Arthur Wilson Upcher 2nd Trinity 12 st 0 lbWilliam S. Thompson Jesus 13 st 0 lb
Stroke Augustus Ker Bozzi Granville (P) Corpus Christi 11 st 7 lbFrederick Luttrell Moysey (C) Christ Church 10 st 6 lb
Cox Thomas Selby Egan Gonville & Caius 9 st 0 lbD. T. Davis Jesus 10 st 3 lb
Source: [16]
(P) – boat club president [17]
(C) – crew captain (prior to the formation of Oxford University Boat Club)

Race

Vauxhall Bridge, by which Cambridge held a substantial lead Vauxhall Bridge 1829.jpg
Vauxhall Bridge, by which Cambridge held a substantial lead

Oxford were favourites to win the race; [18] Cambridge won the toss. Heavy rain began to fall two hours before the start of the race, yet "although the rain descended in torrents, all were gay". [3] The race was started by the umpires at 4:20 p.m., with Cambridge starting well, taking an early lead. [19] By Vauxhall Bridge Cambridge's lead was significant. [20] Rowing "gallantly", author and former Light Blue rower William MacMichael noted that Cambridge had the race "all their own way" and passed under Putney Bridge about one minute and 20 lengths ahead of Oxford in a time of around 36 minutes. [20] The victory levelled the series at 1–1. [8]

Coin flipping practice of throwing a coin in the air to choose between two alternatives

Coin flipping, coin tossing, or heads or tails is the practice of throwing a coin in the air and checking which side is showing when it lands, in order to choose between two alternatives, sometimes used to resolve a dispute between two parties. It is a form of sortition which inherently has two possible outcomes. The party who calls the side wins.

Putney Bridge grade II listed road bridge in London Borough of Wandsworth, United kingdom

Putney Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames in west London, linking Putney on the south side with Fulham to the north. The bridge has medieval parish churches beside its abutments: St. Mary's Church, Putney is built on the south and All Saints Church, Fulham on the north bank. This close proximity of two churches by a major river is rare, another example being at Goring-on-Thames and Streatley, villages hemmed in by the Chiltern Hills. Before the first bridge was built in 1729, a ferry had shuttled between the two banks.

Sports writer Gordon Ross described the race as "a very hollow affair" in which Cambridge "completely outclassed their rivals". [19] Drinkwater noted that the quality of rowing "was a good deal criticised by the watermen and amateurs of the Tideway". [12] According to the reporter for The Morning Post , "the Oxonians never stood a shadow of a chance, although they looked bigger men". [3] The author of The Sportsman claimed that "Cambridge had the best boat. The one rowed by the Oxonians is too flat-bottomed for the Thames". [11]

Related Research Articles

The 3rd Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 3 April 1839. It was the second of the University Boat Races to be held on the River Thames, this time between Westminster and Putney. Cambridge had competed against Leander Club in 1837 and 1838; it had been three years since Oxford and Cambridge raced against one another. Representatives of both universities and an independent referee oversaw the proceedings. Cambridge won the race by 35 lengths, as of 2014 the largest winning margin in the history of the event.

The 4th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 15 April 1840. It was the third of the University Boat Races to be held on the Thames, between Westminster Bridge and Putney Bridge. Oxford University Boat Club was formed to assist in the selection of the Oxford crew. Nevertheless, Cambridge won the race by three-quarters of a length to lead the overall record at 3–1.

The Boat Race 1841 1841 boat race between Oxford and Cambridge universities

The 5th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 14 April 1841. It was the fourth of the University Boat Races, a side-by-side rowing competition between the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge, to be contested in London. The race was held between Westminster Bridge and Putney Bridge and was won by Cambridge, whose crew featured two pairs of brothers rowing, who defeated Oxford by a distance of 22 lengths in a time of 32 minutes and 30 seconds. The victory took the overall record in the event to 4–1 in Cambridge's favour.

The 6th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 11 June 1842. The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. In a race substantially interrupted by river traffic, Oxford beat Cambridge by a distance of four-and-a-half lengths.

The 12th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 8 April 1854. Typically held annually, the event is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The race was won by Oxford who triumphed over Cambridge by seven lengths.

The 19th Boat Race between crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge took place on the River Thames on 12 April 1862. Oxford won by 10 lengths in a time of 24 minutes and 34 seconds, taking the overall record to 10–9 in Cambridge's favour.

The 20th Boat Race between crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge took place on the River Thames on 28 March 1863. Oxford won by 15 lengths in a time of 23 minutes 6 seconds. It took the overall record to ten wins each, the first time since the 1836 race that the scores were level. The race was the third to be held on the ebb tide, along the Championship Course in reverse, from Mortlake to Putney. It was the first time since the race was held in the fashion since the 1856 race.

The 21st Boat Race, an annual side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames, took place on 14 March 1864. Umpired by Joseph William Chitty, Oxford won by nine lengths in a time of 21 minutes 4 seconds, the fastest winning time since the event was held on The Championship Course in 1845. The race, whose start was moved in order to avoid interruptions from river traffic, was witnessed by the Prince of Wales.

The 22nd Boat Race between crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge took place on the River Thames on 8 April 1865. Oxford won by four lengths in a time of 21 minutes 24 seconds. The race, described as "one of the most sensational races in this history" thus far, was umpired by Joseph William Chitty. It was the first time that a crew had won the Boat Race having been behind at Hammersmith Bridge.

The 23rd Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 24 March 1866. The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Oxford won by three lengths in a time of 25 minutes and 35 seconds, one of the slowest times in the history of the event.

The 24th Boat Race between crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge took place on the River Thames on 13 April 1867. In a race where the lead was exchanged several times, Oxford won by half a length in a time of 22 minutes and 39 seconds. The victory took the overall record to 14–10 in Oxford's favour.

The 25th Boat Race between crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge took place on the River Thames on 4 April 1868. Oxford won by six lengths in a time of 20 minutes and 56 seconds, taking the overall record to 15–10 in their favour. Oxford cox Charles Tottenham became the first person in the history of the event to win five Boat Races, and Cambridge saw their first non-British rower compete.

The 26th Boat Race between crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge took place on the River Thames on 17 March 1869. Oxford won by three lengths in a time of 20 minutes and 4 seconds. It was their ninth consecutive victory and was, at that point, the fastest time ever recorded in the event.

The 28th Boat Race between crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge took place on the River Thames on the 1 April 1871. The race, umpired by Joseph William Chitty, was won by Cambridge by one length in a time of 23 minutes 10 seconds for their second consecutive victory.

The 43rd Boat Race took place on 3 April 1886. The Boat Race is an annual side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames. Repairs to Hammersmith Bridge restricted the crews to pass through a single arch. Umpired by Robert Lewis-Lloyd, Cambridge won the race by two-thirds of a length in a time of 22 minutes 30 seconds, becoming the first crew to come from behind at Barnes Bridge to win.

The 45th Boat Race took place on 24 March 1888. The Boat Race is an annual side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames. In the race umpired by Robert Lewis-Lloyd for the final time, Cambridge won by seven lengths in a time of 20 minutes 48 seconds.

The 60th Boat Race took place on 1 April 1903. Held annually, the Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames. The race was umpired for the first time by former Cambridge rower Frederick I. Pitman, whose misfiring starter pistol caused confusion at the start, allowing Cambridge to gain an advantage. They went on to win by six lengths in a time of 19 minutes 33 seconds. The victory took the overall record to 33–26 in Oxford's favour.

The 62nd Boat Race took place on 1 April 1905. Held annually, the Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames. Cambridge went into the race as reigning champions having won the previous year's race. In this year's race, umpired by former rower Frederick I. Pitman, Oxford won by three lengths in a time of 20 minutes 35 seconds. The victory took the overall record to 34–27 in their favour.

The 76th Boat Race took place on 5 April 1924. Held annually, the Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames. Oxford were reigning champions having won the previous year's race and their crew was significantly heavier than their opponents for this year's race. Umpired by former rower Frederick I. Pitman, Cambridge won by four-and-a-half lengths in a time of 18 minutes 41 seconds, the fastest time since 1911. The victory took the overall record in the event to 40–35 in Oxford's favour.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ MacMichael, pp. 43–44
  2. 1 2 MacMichael, p. 47
  3. 1 2 3 "Grand Rowing Match – Oxford and Cambridge". The Morning Post . 18 June 1836. p. 4.
  4. ↑ "Boat Race – Early races". The Boat Race Company Limited. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  5. ↑ Dodd, p. 86
  6. ↑ Dodd, p. 87
  7. ↑ "Races – Origins". The Boat Race Company Limited. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  8. 1 2 "Boat Race – Results". The Boat Race Company Limited. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  9. ↑ Burnell, pp. 110–111
  10. ↑ Burnell, p. 49
  11. 1 2 The Sportsman. 1. Joseph Rogerson. July 1836. pp. 49&ndash, 50.
  12. 1 2 3 Drinkwater, p. 16
  13. ↑ Burnell, p. 53
  14. ↑ Burnell, p. 38
  15. ↑ Burnell, p. 42
  16. ↑ MacMichael, p. 48
  17. ↑ Burnell, pp. 50–51
  18. ↑ "Grand Boat Race". Bradford Observer. 23 June 1836. p. 7.
  19. 1 2 Ross, p. 40
  20. 1 2 MacMichael, p. 49

Bibliography

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