The Boat Race 1861

Last updated

18th Boat Race
Date16 March 1861 (1861-03-16)
WinnerOxford
Margin of victory16 lengths
Winning time23 minutes 30 seconds
Overall record
(Cambridge–Oxford)		10–8
Umpire Joseph William Chitty
(Oxford)
← 1860 1862 →

The 18th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 16 March 1861. Held annually, The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The 1861 event, which featured the first ever non-British competitor, suffered numerous interruptions from river traffic. Oxford won by 16 lengths.

Contents

Background

Breakfast of chops and steaks, bread-and-butter and tea. Lunch 1/2 a pint of beer and bread-and-butter or a sandwich, or a glass of sherry and biscuits ... For dinner, we had four days a week beef and mutton, on the others fowls, fish (on Sundays), and once or twice a light pudding. We were always careful to have the same beer; 1 pint every day. After dinner, two glasses of port, never allowed large glasses, but occasionally after hard work an extra glass.

Oxford Book recounting the dining regime of the Oxford crew [1]

The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing competition between the University of Oxford (sometimes referred to as the "Dark Blues") [2] and the University of Cambridge (sometimes referred to as the "Light Blues"). [2] The race was first held in 1829, and since 1845 has taken place on the 4.2-mile (6.8 km) Championship Course on the River Thames in southwest London. [3] [4] Cambridge went into the race as reigning champions, having defeated Oxford by one length in the previous year's race and led overall with ten wins to Oxford's seven. [5]

The challenge to race was sent from Oxford in the October term which was accepted by Cambridge. [6] Both boats were built specifically for the race, Cambridge's by Searle and Oxford's by Salter. [7] Oxford were "occasionally looked after" by H. Baxter, who rowed in the 1860 race, and C. G. Lane who represented the Dark Blues in the 1858 and 1859 races. [8] The race was umpired by Joseph William Chitty who had rowed for Oxford twice in 1849 (in the March and December races) and the 1852 race. [9]

Crews

The Cambridge crew weighed an average of 11  st 4.875  lb (71.9 kg), 0.875 pounds (0.4 kg) per rower more than their Dark Blue opposition. [10] George Morrison returned to the Oxford crew, having rowed in the previous year's race. Cambridge saw Chaytor, Blake, Coventry and Hall return. The race featured the first non-British rower in the history of the event: William Robertson of Wadham College, Oxford was educated at Geelong Grammar School in Australia before representing the Dark Blues at number four. [11] [12]

Robert Uniacke-Penrose-Fitzgerald rowed at number seven for Cambridge. Robert Uniacke Penrose-Fitzgerald Vanity Fair 28 February 1895.jpg
Robert Uniacke-Penrose-Fitzgerald rowed at number seven for Cambridge.
SeatCambridge
University of Cambridge coat of arms.svg 		Oxford
Oxford-University-Circlet.svg
NameCollegeWeightNameCollegeWeight
Bow G. H. Richards Trinity 10 st 4 lb W. Champneys Brasenose 10 st 11 lb
2H. J. Chaytor Jesus 11 st 3 lbE. B. Merriman Exeter 10 st 1 lb
3W. H. Tarleton St John's 11 st 0 lbH. E. Medlicott Wadham 12 st 4 lb
4J. S. Blake Corpus Christi 12 st 10 lb W. Robertson Wadham 11 st 3 lb
5M. Coventry (P) Trinity Hall 13 st 3 lbG. Morrison (P) Balliol 12 st 8 lb
6H. H. Collings Trinity 10 st 11 lbA. R. Poole Trinity 12 st 3 lb
7 R. U. P. Fitzgerald Trinity Hall 11 st 2 lbH. G. Hopkins Corpus Christi 10 st 8 lb
Stroke J. Hall Magdalene 10 st 6 lbW. M. Hoare Exeter 10 st 10 lb
Cox T. K. Gaskell 3rd Trinity 8 st 3 lb S. O. B. Risdale Wadham 9 st 0 lb
Source: [10]
(P) – boat club president [13]

Race

The Championship Course, along which the race is conducted University Boat Race Thames map.svg
The Championship Course, along which the race is conducted

As a result of strong winds and a large volume of land water running into the river, the race was rescheduled for 11 a.m. [14] Cambridge won the toss and elected to start from the Middlesex station, handing the Surrey station to Oxford. [7] The starter, Edward Searle, gave the command to start, with neither boat taking an early advantage. By the Star and Garter pub, Cambridge had edged ahead and spurted to take a half-length lead and by the Duke's Head pub, the Light Blues had moved further in front. A steering error from Gaskell, the Cambridge cox, saw their lead eroded such that Oxford led by Craven Cottage. [7] At the football ground, rough water created by one of the nearby steamboats (who, according to MacMichael, had "shamefully put her paddle-wheels into motion") caused a swell to slow the Oxford boat. [15]

The Dark Blue crew's rhythm combined with more poor steering from Cambridge allowed Oxford to pull away, three lengths ahead by the Crab Tree and six by Hammersmith Bridge. Further interruption to Cambridge's passage came from a sailing barge which they forced to steer around, and by Chiswick, they were ten lengths behind. Oxford suffered briefly at the hands of a barge blocking their route but by Barnes Bridge were at least twelve lengths ahead. They passed the flag boat (indicating the finish of the race) at the Ship Tavern in a time of 23 minutes 30 seconds, [a] and a lead of 16 lengths. [15] It was the largest winning margin since the 1841 race and would be the first in a series of nine consecutive victories for Oxford. [5]

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 2023 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 33rd Boat Race between crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge took place on the River Thames on 8 April 1876. Six of the Oxford crew had Boat Race experience while Cambridge's crew contained three Blues. Umpired by Joseph William Chitty, Cambridge won the race "easily" in a time of 20 minutes 20 seconds, following confusion as to the positioning of the finish. The victory took the overall record to 17–16 in Oxford's favour.

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 9th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 29 March 1849. 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 Cambridge who triumphed over Oxford "easily". As a result of the nature of the defeat, Oxford challenged Cambridge to a second race that year, which was to be held in December, the only time the Boat Race was competed for twice in a calendar year. Every member of the Cambridge crew came from Trinity College.

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 14th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 4 April 1857. Held annually, The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Oxford rowed in a keel-less carvel-built boat, the first time in the history of the race that such a construction method was used for one of the vessels. Umpired by Joseph William Chitty, the race was won by Oxford who triumphed over Cambridge by 11 lengths.

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 17th Boat Race took place on 31 March 1860. 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. It was the first time in the history of the event that the race had to be restarted as a result of an obstruction. Cambridge won the event by one length, in the slowest time ever.

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 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Boat Race 1870</span> Oxford versus Cambridge rowing race

The 27th Boat Race between crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge took place on the River Thames on the 6 April 1870. Cambridge won by 1+1⁄2 lengths in a time of 22 minutes 4 seconds, their first victory since the 1860 race.

The 31st Boat Race took place on the 28 March 1874. 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 a race umpired by former Oxford rower Joseph William Chitty, Cambridge won by three and a half lengths in their fifth consecutive victory.

The 35th Boat Race took place on 13 April 1878. 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 total, ten former Blues took part in the contest. The race was umpired by former rower Joseph William Chitty and Oxford won by a margin of 10 lengths in a time of 22 minutes 15 seconds. The victory took the overall record to 18–16 in Oxford's favour.

The 36th Boat Race took place on 5 April 1879. The Boat Race is an annual side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames. Each crew contained four Blues. In a race umpired by former Oxford rower Joseph William Chitty, Cambridge led all the way, and won by a margin of three lengths in a time of 21 minutes 18 seconds. The victory took the overall record to 18–17 in Oxford's favour.

References

Footnotes

^a Although the official website of The Boat Race Company Limited records the winning time as 23 minutes 3 seconds, MacMichael and Burnell list the time as 23 minutes 30 seconds.

Notes

  1. ↑ MacMichael, p. 287
  2. 1 2 "Dark Blues aim to punch above their weight". The Observer . 6 April 2003. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  3. ↑ Smith, Oliver (25 March 2014). "University Boat Race 2014: spectators' guide". The Daily Telegraph . Archived from the original on 1 July 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  4. ↑ "The Course". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 28 October 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  5. 1 2 "Boat Race – Results". The Boat Race Company Limited. Archived from the original on 12 July 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  6. ↑ MacMichael, p. 286
  7. 1 2 3 MacMichael, p. 282
  8. ↑ MacMichael, p. 285
  9. ↑ Burnell, pp. 49, 97
  10. 1 2 MacMichael, p. 284
  11. ↑ Burnell, p. 38
  12. ↑ Burnell, p. 101
  13. ↑ Burnell, pp. 50–51
  14. ↑ MacMichael, pp. 281–282
  15. 1 2 MacMichael, p. 283

Bibliography

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