Alexander McCulloch
Encyclopedia
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
rower who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics
1908 Summer Olympics
The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...
.
Biography
McCulloch was born at MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia, the son of George McCulloch. His father, who was born in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, made his fortune at Broken Hill in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and returned with his family to Britain about 1891 and set up home at 184 Queens Gate, London (demolished 1971).
McCulloch attended Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
where he was a member of the Winchester College Boating Club (WCBC) and developed a keen interest and proficency in rowing. He then went to University College Oxford. In 1907 he competed in, and was runner up to Captain Darell
William Darell
Brigadier-General William Harry Verelst Darell CMG, DSO was a British Army officer and rower who won the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley Royal Regatta....
in the Diamond Sculls
Diamond Challenge Sculls
The Diamond Challenge Sculls is a rowing event for men's single sculls at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England...
at Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
. In 1908 he rowed for Oxford
Oxford University Boat Club
The Oxford University Boat Club is the rowing club of the University of Oxford, England, located on the River Thames at Oxford. The club was founded in the early 19th century....
in the University Boat Race against Cambridge. Also in 1908, McCulloch, as a member of the Leander Club
Leander Club
Leander Club, founded in 1818, is one of the oldest rowing clubs in the world. It is based in Remenham in the English county of Berkshire, adjoining Henley-on-Thames...
won the Diamond Sculls
Diamond Challenge Sculls
The Diamond Challenge Sculls is a rowing event for men's single sculls at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England...
at Henley, beating Athol Alexander Stuart
Athol Alexander Stuart
Athol Alexander Paul Rees Stuart was an English rower who won the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley, the Wingfield Sculls and the London Cup to achieve the rowing triple crown in 1909....
.
McCulloch was subsequently selected for the British Team and won the Silver Medal in the single scull
Single scull
A single scull is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for a single person who propels the boat with two oars, one in each hand....
s, rowing at the 1908 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 1908 Summer Olympics
At the 1908 Summer Olympics, four rowing events were contested, all for men only. Races were held at Henley-on-Thames. The competitions were held from July 28, 1908 to July 31, 1908. There was one fewer event in 1908 than 1904, after the double sculls was dropped from the programme...
. The winner of the Gold Medal was Harry Blackstaffe
Harry Blackstaffe
Henry Thomas "Harry" Blackstaffe was a British rower who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.Blackstaffe was born in Islington, London, and became a butcher. He was a long-standing member of Vesta Rowing Club in Putney and also a cross-country runner who represented South London Harriers in the...
of the Vesta Rowing Club
Vesta Rowing Club
Vesta Rowing Club is a rowing club based on the River Thames in Putney, London, England. It was founded in 1870.Vesta organizes two head races every year; the Scullers Head and the Veterans Head.-Notable results:...
who was twice McCulloch's age at the time and something of a sculling legend. The final was considered the finest race of the Olympic Regatta and was virtually level until the last 50 yards when Blackstaffe held on to a light advantage to become the oldest sculling champion in Olympic history Victory falling to the home crew in the Sculls, Pairs and Fours, Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
could claim a success in every event of the Olympic Regatta of 1908. McCulloch competed in the Diamond Challenge Sculls again in 1912, when he was runner up to Eric Powell
Eric Powell (rower)
Eric Walter Powell was an English schoolmaster, artist and rower who competed for Great Britain in the 1908 Summer Olympics....
.
In later life McCulloch was one of the coaches of Jack Wilson
Jack Wilson (rower)
John Hyrne Tucker Wilson, known as Jack Wilson , was a British rowing champion and Olympic gold medallist....
and Ran Laurie
Ran Laurie
William George Ranald Mundell Laurie , known as Ran Laurie, was a British physician, rowing champion and Olympic gold medallist. His younger son is the actor and writer Hugh Laurie.-Rowing career:...
.
McCulloch died in England at the age of 63.
Portrait by John Singer Sargent
George McCulloch was an avid art collector and bought works by many pre-eminent pre-raphaelites and impressionists. Alexander McCulloch was himself the subject of a portrait called "On His Holidays... Norway" painted in 1901/1902 by John Singer SargentJohn Singer Sargent
John Singer Sargent was an American artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian era luxury. During his career, he created roughly 900 oil paintings and more than 2,000 watercolors, as well as countless sketches and charcoal drawings...
. At the time the McCullochs, accompanied by John Singer Sargent, were on a salmon fishing holiday in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. John Singer Sargent
John Singer Sargent
John Singer Sargent was an American artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian era luxury. During his career, he created roughly 900 oil paintings and more than 2,000 watercolors, as well as countless sketches and charcoal drawings...
originally painted Alexander in a standing position holding a landing net but decided the portrait looked too contrived. John Singer Sargent
John Singer Sargent
John Singer Sargent was an American artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian era luxury. During his career, he created roughly 900 oil paintings and more than 2,000 watercolors, as well as countless sketches and charcoal drawings...
turned the canvas on its side and painted directly on top of the original portrait. Alexander is now portrayed laying his side at the side of a river in a more natural and relaxed pose. At the time of the portrait Alexander was a pupil at Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
, a Public School, and in the portrait the school tie can be seen serving as a belt for his trousers. The painting is now on display at the Lady Lever Art Gallery
Lady Lever Art Gallery
The Lady Lever Art Gallery was founded in 1922 by Sunlight Soap magnate, William Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme, and dedicated to the memory of his wife....
in Merseyside, England. It was acquired by Lord Leverhulme, along with several other paintings, shortly after the death of George McCulloch. Lord Leverhulme, who regarded "On His Holidays...Norway" as his favourite painting, had for a long time tried to have his own portrait painted by John Singer Sargent
John Singer Sargent
John Singer Sargent was an American artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian era luxury. During his career, he created roughly 900 oil paintings and more than 2,000 watercolors, as well as countless sketches and charcoal drawings...
but without success.