The Boat Race 1839

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3rd Boat Race
Date3 April 1839 (1839-04-03)
Winner Cambridge
Margin of victory35 lengths
Winning time31 minutes
Overall record
(Cambridge–Oxford)		2–1
UmpireC. B. Wollaston (Oxford)
C. J. Selwyn (Cambridge)
W. H. Harrison (referee)
← 1836 1840 →

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 2023 the largest winning margin in the history of the event.

Contents

Background

The 1839 race took place between Westminster and Putney bridges. Thames from Putney to Westminster 1842.jpg
The 1839 race took place between Westminster and Putney bridges.

The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing competition between the University of Oxford (sometimes referred to as the "Dark Blues") [1] and the University of Cambridge (sometimes referred to as the "Light Blues"). [1] The race was first held in 1829, and takes place on the River Thames in southwest London. [2] [3] No race between the two universities was held in 1837 or 1838, instead Cambridge raced against Leander Club those years. [4] The umpires for the race were C. B. Wollaston (for Oxford) and C. J. Selwyn (for Cambridge), while W. H. Harrison acted as referee. [5]

Cambridge's boat was constructed by Searle of Stangate, while Oxford's "beautifully constructed" vessel was built by King of Oxford. [6] The race was scheduled to take place on a five-and-three-quarter-mile stretch between Westminster Bridge and Putney Bridge. [7] Oxford were trained by a Thames waterman while Cambridge were guided by their cox, Thomas Selby Egan. [6]

Crews

The Oxford crew weighed an average of 11  st 10.5  lb (74.4 kg) per rower, almost 10 pounds (4.5 kg) more per man than their opponents. [8] None of the Oxford crew from the 1836 featured in this year's race; however, both the stroke Edmund Stanley and cox Egan returned for Cambridge, the former being described by Bell's Life as "really terrific, one of the severest we ever saw". [9] Oxford's boat club president was Calverley Bewicke who rowed at stroke for the Dark Blues, while Cambridge had a non-rowing president in Augustus Granville. [10]

William Baliol Brett rowed at number seven for Cambridge. William Baliol Brett.jpg
William Baliol Brett rowed at number seven for Cambridge.
SeatCambridge
University of Cambridge coat of arms.svg 		Oxford
Oxford-University-Circlet.svg
NameCollegeWeightNameCollegeWeight
Bow Alfred Hudson Shadwell St John's 10 st 7 lbStanlake Lee Queen's 10 st 4 lb
2 Warington W. Smyth Trinity 11 st 0 lbBerdmore Compton Merton 11 st 5 lb
3J. Abercrombie Gonville & Caius 10 st 7 lbSamuel Edward Maberly Christ Church 11 st 4 lb
4A. Paris Corpus Christi 11 st 4 lbWm. Jas. Garnett Christ Church 12 st 10 lb
5C. T. Penrose Trinity 12 st 0 lbR. G. Walls Brasenose 13 st 0 lb
6 W. H. Yatman Double-dagger-14-plain.png Gonville & Caius 10 st 10 lbR. Hobhouse Balliol 12 st 0 lb
7 W. B. Brett Gonville & Caius 12 st 0 lb Philip Lybbe Powys Balliol 12 st 0 lb
Stroke E. Stanley Jesus 10 st 6 lbCalverley Bewicke (P) University 12 st 0 lb
Cox T. S. Egan Gonville & Caius 9 st 0 lbWoodforde Ffooks Exeter 10 st 2 lb
Source: [8] [11]
(P) – boat club president [10]
Double-dagger-14-plain.png– Yatman replaced Vialls of Trinity College through illness two days before the race [12]

Race

[Cambridge] wore white guernseys and white straw hats with light blue ribbons, the steerer having a rosette of the same colour on his breast. The Oxonians wore dark blue guernseys with white stripes, dark straw hats with dark blue ribbons.

MacMichael [13]

The umpires for the race were Charles Woolaston and C. J. Selwyn, while W. Harrison Esq, the Commodore of the Royal Thames Yacht Club, fulfilled the position of referee. [12] The race was held on a Wednesday, 3 April 1839, the start time of "precisely" 4.47pm, in conditions described by MacMichael as "cold, cloudy and windy, and just the very worst sort of day for an aquatic expedition". [12] [14] According to Bell's Life, Cambridge were slight favourites. [15] Oxford won the toss and elected to commence closest to the Middlesex shore of the river. [12] After a close start, the Cambridge boat started to draw away and by Vauxhall Bridge were "several boats' lengths" ahead. [16] They increased their lead further by Battersea Bridge and shot Putney Bridge 1 minute 45 seconds ahead, [17] and won by a margin of 35 lengths which remains, as of 2023, the largest in the history of the event. [18] Cambridge's victory took them to an overall lead in the event of 2–1. [19]

Related Research Articles

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.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Boat Race 1841</span> Oxford versus Cambridge rowing race

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 4+1⁄2 lengths.

The 7th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 17 March 1845. The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. It was the first time the event was contested along The Championship Course, from Putney to Mortlake. The race was won by Cambridge who beat Oxford by a distance of ten lengths.

The 8th Boat Race between crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge took place on the River Thames on 3 April 1846. Umpired by Charles Jasper Selwyn, Cambridge won in a time of 21 minutes 5 seconds, with a winning margin of three lengths. The race was held on the ebb tide, starting in Mortlake and ending in Putney. For the first time, outriggers were used by both crews.

The 10th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 15 December 1849. Typically held annually, the event is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The race ended with Oxford declared winners after Cambridge were disqualified. It is the only time the Boat Race has been held twice in a calendar year, and is also the only time the event has been decided as a result of a disqualification.

The 11th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 3 April 1852. Typically held annually, the event is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Former Cambridge cox Thomas Selby Egan coached Oxford, the first time that either crew had been trained by a member of the opposing university. The race was won by Oxford, their first Boat Race victory at Easter, who triumphed over Cambridge by nine 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 13th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 15 March 1856. Typically held annually, the event is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The race, the second to be held on the ebb tide, was won by Cambridge who beat Oxford by half a length.

The 15th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 27 March 1858. Typically held annually, the event is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The 1858 race, disrupted by poor rowing and a collision with a barge, was won by Cambridge, who defeated Oxford by 7+1⁄2 lengths in a time of 21 minutes 23 seconds.

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 109th Boat Race took place on 23 March 1963. Held annually, the event is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames. The race, umpired by Gerald Ellison, the Bishop of Chester, was won by Oxford with a winning margin of five lengths.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Boat Race 1932</span> Oxford versus Cambridge rowing race

The 84th Boat Race took place on 19 March 1932. 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 by former Oxford rower Harcourt Gilbey Gold on a shortened because of repairs to Putney Bridge. Cambridge won by five lengths, the largest winning margin for three years, in a time of 19 minutes 11 seconds, their ninth consecutive victory. The win equalled the record victorious streaks of Oxford between 1861 and 1869, and 1890 and 1898, and took the overall record to 43–40 in their favour.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Dark Blues aim to punch above their weight". The Observer . 6 April 2003. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  2. ↑ Smith, Oliver (25 March 2014). "University Boat Race 2014: spectators' guide". The Daily Telegraph . Archived from the original on 1 July 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  3. ↑ "The Course". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 28 October 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  4. ↑ MacMichael, pp. 55–57
  5. ↑ Burnell, p. 49
  6. 1 2 MacMichael, p. 58
  7. ↑ "The Boat Race". Oxford University Boat Club. Archived from the original on 21 April 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
  8. 1 2 Dodd, p. 287
  9. ↑ MacMichael, pp. 57, 59
  10. 1 2 Burnell, pp. 50–51
  11. ↑ MacMichael, p. 59
  12. 1 2 3 4 MacMichael, p. 60
  13. ↑ MacMichael, p. 61
  14. ↑ "Boat Race – Early races". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 7 November 2014. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  15. ↑ MacMichael, pp. 58–59
  16. ↑ MacMichael, p. 61
  17. ↑ MacMichael, pp. 61–62
  18. ↑ "Boat Race 2014: a history of pain, mutiny and sinkings". The Week . 4 April 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
  19. ↑ "Boat Race – Results". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 12 July 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2014.

Bibliography

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