Robert Coombes
Encyclopedia
Robert Coombes celebrated professional oarsman and Champion Sculler
, was born at Vauxhall
, Surrey.
His first public race was for the Duke of Northumberland’s purse of sovereigns on 4 July 1836. In 1841, Coombes in a sculling boat beat a two pairs boat at the Greennock Regatta. His principal sculling matches were against Kipping, John Kelley, Jack Phelps, Charles Campbell
, Tom Cole
, Tom MacKinning, Robert Newell, and Henry Clasper, and his most important pair oared raced was rowed with his brother, Tom Coombes, as a partner against the two Claspers.
In sculling Coombes beat the majority of the best professional scullers on the circuit. On 3 October 1888, he beat John Kelley from Westminster to Putney but as Kelley had had a small accident during the race they agreed to meet again the following day, when Kelley was beaten easily. This was the first professional match without fouling of which there is any record.
Won with J Phelps an oars match, Westminster to Putney, 30 Sept 1839, beating another pair.
Won a four oar match, rowing stroke, the Champion Purse, against Liverpool July 1840. The four were known as “The Sons of the Thames.” Nearly the same four won the first prize of 1000 franks at the Havre Regatta in July 1840.
Coombes rowing stroke in the London crew of four beat a Newcastle crew for £150 a side, over five miles, at Newcastle. Time 29m.31s. 16 July 1842.
Again rowing stroke he and three others took the purse at the Henley Regatta in June 1845. At the Thames Regatta the same month Coombes and Wilson beat a number of pairs for the grand prize of a new wherry and a purse of sixty guineas.
In 1847 Coombes and his brother Thomas beat R & H Clasper in a pair-oared match with coxswains and for £100 a side on the Thames.
The Coombes and Clasper brothers were not always rivals as the four teamed up, with another Clasper as cox, to win the four-oared Champion prize in 1849.
was considered to be the premier event in professional sculling. In 1876, the English Title gained the World status and earlier winners were retrospectively given the title of World Champion.
His first defence of the Title was on 19 September 1847. He won against Robert Newell, again on the Championship Course. The second defence was against Thomas MacKinney on the 7 May 1851 on the Thames. Coombes won in a time of 27m.30s.
He held the championship longer and rowed the championship course faster than any other man of his time; but on 24 May 1852 when aged 43 he was beaten by half length of clear water by Tom Cole (Oarsman)
, of Chelsea, who at 25 was almost half Coombes’ age. The patrons of Coombes were unhappy with the race and arranged another race on the 14th October 1852. It came off with the same result and Coombes was finally compelled to yield his title to the youthful strength of his challenger.
For details of the six World Title races that Coombes was involved in see World Sculling Championship.
In speed and style during his time, he was never surpassed and rowed many more races than any man except Harry Clasper.
There were two races in 1849, and Coombes coached Cambridge on both occasions: Cambridge won the first but lost the second. When he was asked to coach the 1852 Cambridge crew, Coombes found himself at the centre of a fierce argument about the use of professional watermen in the training of university oarsmen. Oxford had expressed disquiet on the issue in 1846 and 1849 but on this occasion T. S. Egan, for many years the mentor of Cambridge rowing, was also concerned at Coombes's presence and defected to Oxford, where he trained a crew that won the boat race with ease. It was a decisive moment for certain amateur oarsmen, mainly those from the universities and the more important metropolitan clubs, who subsequently tried to distance themselves from the professionals and any oarsmen of working-class origin. Coombes was never again involved with a boat race crew but he explained his training methods at the end of a small volume published in 1852, Aquatic Notes or Sketches of the Rise and Progress of Racing at Cambridge by a member of CUBC.
race in 1864.
on 7 March, when the leading watermen followed his remains to the grave.
On 13 December 1866 the monument (which can be seen in the gallery beneath the Brompton Cemetery
monograph, to this well-known oarsman, who was Champion of the Thames from 1846 to 1852, was formally uncovered in Brompton Cemetery. It is made of Portland stone, and is 9 ft. high, 6 ft. 6in. long, and 3 ft. 6in. wide. On the top slab is the representation of a wherry
bottom upwards, over which is thrown a coat and badge, and by the side are broken sculls. This slab is supported by four figures cut out of the solid stonework, one at each corner. The figures represent four champions of the Thames : first, Robert Coombes, in his rowing costume, holding a broken scull; second, Tom Cole, of Chelsea, wearing Doggett's Coat and Badge
, with the peculiar pineapple button ; third, James Messenger
, of Kingston, with the coat and badge of the Thames National Regatta; fourth, Harry Kelley
, of Putney, an athlete in rowing costume. Each figure stands on an octagon dwarf pedestal.
The inscription reads:
World Sculling Championship (Professional)
The World Sculling Championship , evolved from the Championship of the Thames for professional scullers.Only the sport of boxing claims an older Championship of the World...
, was born at Vauxhall
Vauxhall
-Demography:Many Vauxhall residents live in social housing. There are several gentrified areas, and areas of terraced townhouses on streets such as Fentiman Road and Heyford Avenue have higher property values in the private market, however by far the most common type of housing stock within...
, Surrey.
Early life
A waterman from an early age, Coombes spent his life on the river Thames. Although small even for his time (he was about 5-foot-7-inch (1.70 m) tall and his rowing weight was generally less than 9 stone), Coombes consistently beat men who were his superiors in strength and size through his superior skill and attentive training.His first public race was for the Duke of Northumberland’s purse of sovereigns on 4 July 1836. In 1841, Coombes in a sculling boat beat a two pairs boat at the Greennock Regatta. His principal sculling matches were against Kipping, John Kelley, Jack Phelps, Charles Campbell
Charles Campbell (Oarsman)
Charles Campbell of Westminster was the first recognised Professional World Champion Single Sculler. At the time, he became the Champion of the Thames which was effectively the Champion of England although the Tyne scullers might have disagreed. See Also English Sculling Championship...
, Tom Cole
Tom Cole (Oarsman)
Tom Cole was the Professional Single Sculls World Champion from 1852 to 1854. He resided in Chelsea. At the time, he became the Champion of the Thames which was effectively the Champion of England...
, Tom MacKinning, Robert Newell, and Henry Clasper, and his most important pair oared raced was rowed with his brother, Tom Coombes, as a partner against the two Claspers.
In sculling Coombes beat the majority of the best professional scullers on the circuit. On 3 October 1888, he beat John Kelley from Westminster to Putney but as Kelley had had a small accident during the race they agreed to meet again the following day, when Kelley was beaten easily. This was the first professional match without fouling of which there is any record.
Crew races
Coombes rowed as well as sculled and as an oarsman his achievements were also numerous, both in fours and pairs. Some of these races are as follows;Won with J Phelps an oars match, Westminster to Putney, 30 Sept 1839, beating another pair.
Won a four oar match, rowing stroke, the Champion Purse, against Liverpool July 1840. The four were known as “The Sons of the Thames.” Nearly the same four won the first prize of 1000 franks at the Havre Regatta in July 1840.
Coombes rowing stroke in the London crew of four beat a Newcastle crew for £150 a side, over five miles, at Newcastle. Time 29m.31s. 16 July 1842.
Again rowing stroke he and three others took the purse at the Henley Regatta in June 1845. At the Thames Regatta the same month Coombes and Wilson beat a number of pairs for the grand prize of a new wherry and a purse of sixty guineas.
In 1847 Coombes and his brother Thomas beat R & H Clasper in a pair-oared match with coxswains and for £100 a side on the Thames.
The Coombes and Clasper brothers were not always rivals as the four teamed up, with another Clasper as cox, to win the four-oared Champion prize in 1849.
Title races
In November 1838 he challenged champion Charles Campbell but did not succeed in winning. However he became the Champion of the Thames on 19 August 1846 after beating Charles Campbell easily on the Putney to Mortlake course, known as the Championship Course. Effectively this was the Championship of England. Before 1876, the English Sculling ChampionshipEnglish Sculling Championship
The English Sculling Championship developed out of informal competitions between working watermen on rivers such as the Thames and the Tyne. Various matches were made on a casual basis but in time these were more formalised. The first recognised Champion was Charles Campbell who beat John Williams...
was considered to be the premier event in professional sculling. In 1876, the English Title gained the World status and earlier winners were retrospectively given the title of World Champion.
His first defence of the Title was on 19 September 1847. He won against Robert Newell, again on the Championship Course. The second defence was against Thomas MacKinney on the 7 May 1851 on the Thames. Coombes won in a time of 27m.30s.
He held the championship longer and rowed the championship course faster than any other man of his time; but on 24 May 1852 when aged 43 he was beaten by half length of clear water by Tom Cole (Oarsman)
Tom Cole (Oarsman)
Tom Cole was the Professional Single Sculls World Champion from 1852 to 1854. He resided in Chelsea. At the time, he became the Champion of the Thames which was effectively the Champion of England...
, of Chelsea, who at 25 was almost half Coombes’ age. The patrons of Coombes were unhappy with the race and arranged another race on the 14th October 1852. It came off with the same result and Coombes was finally compelled to yield his title to the youthful strength of his challenger.
For details of the six World Title races that Coombes was involved in see World Sculling Championship.
In speed and style during his time, he was never surpassed and rowed many more races than any man except Harry Clasper.
Rowing coach
Coombes’s expertise attracted the attention of the university oarsmen. He trained the losing Oxford crew for the 1840 Boat Race and the victorious Cambridge boat in 1846. Cambridge UniversityCambridge University Boat Club
The Cambridge University Boat Club is the rowing club of the University of Cambridge, England, located on the River Cam at Cambridge, although training primarily takes place on the River Great Ouse at Ely. The club was founded in 1828...
There were two races in 1849, and Coombes coached Cambridge on both occasions: Cambridge won the first but lost the second. When he was asked to coach the 1852 Cambridge crew, Coombes found himself at the centre of a fierce argument about the use of professional watermen in the training of university oarsmen. Oxford had expressed disquiet on the issue in 1846 and 1849 but on this occasion T. S. Egan, for many years the mentor of Cambridge rowing, was also concerned at Coombes's presence and defected to Oxford, where he trained a crew that won the boat race with ease. It was a decisive moment for certain amateur oarsmen, mainly those from the universities and the more important metropolitan clubs, who subsequently tried to distance themselves from the professionals and any oarsmen of working-class origin. Coombes was never again involved with a boat race crew but he explained his training methods at the end of a small volume published in 1852, Aquatic Notes or Sketches of the Rise and Progress of Racing at Cambridge by a member of CUBC.
Family life
Coombes was married with four children. His sons Thomas and David were also oarsmen but failed to reach his the level of success attained by his father, although David won the Doggett's Coat and BadgeDoggett's Coat and Badge
Doggett's Coat and Badge is the prize and name for the oldest rowing race in the world. Up to six apprentice Watermen of the River Thames in England compete for this prestigious honour, which has been held every year since 1715. The 4 miles 5 furlongs race is held on the Thames between London...
race in 1864.
Death and memorial
After an honourable career, in his later days he fell into poverty. His mind failed and he was removed nine months before his death to the Kent lunatic asylum at Maidstone where he died on 25 February 1860 and was buried at the expense of his friends at Brompton CemeteryBrompton Cemetery
Brompton Cemetery is located near Earl's Court in South West London, England . It is managed by The Royal Parks and is one of the Magnificent Seven...
on 7 March, when the leading watermen followed his remains to the grave.
On 13 December 1866 the monument (which can be seen in the gallery beneath the Brompton Cemetery
Brompton Cemetery
Brompton Cemetery is located near Earl's Court in South West London, England . It is managed by The Royal Parks and is one of the Magnificent Seven...
monograph, to this well-known oarsman, who was Champion of the Thames from 1846 to 1852, was formally uncovered in Brompton Cemetery. It is made of Portland stone, and is 9 ft. high, 6 ft. 6in. long, and 3 ft. 6in. wide. On the top slab is the representation of a wherry
Wherry
A wherry is a type of boat that was traditionally used for carrying cargo or passengers on rivers and canals in England, and is particularly associated with the River Thames and also with the Broadland rivers of Norfolk and Suffolk. London passenger wherries evolved into the Thames skiff, a...
bottom upwards, over which is thrown a coat and badge, and by the side are broken sculls. This slab is supported by four figures cut out of the solid stonework, one at each corner. The figures represent four champions of the Thames : first, Robert Coombes, in his rowing costume, holding a broken scull; second, Tom Cole, of Chelsea, wearing Doggett's Coat and Badge
Doggett's Coat and Badge
Doggett's Coat and Badge is the prize and name for the oldest rowing race in the world. Up to six apprentice Watermen of the River Thames in England compete for this prestigious honour, which has been held every year since 1715. The 4 miles 5 furlongs race is held on the Thames between London...
, with the peculiar pineapple button ; third, James Messenger
James Messenger
James MessengerJames Messenger was the Professional Single Sculls World Champion from 1854 to 1857. He resided in Teddington. At the time, he became the Champion of the Thames which was effectively the English Sculling Championship...
, of Kingston, with the coat and badge of the Thames National Regatta; fourth, Harry Kelley
Harry Kelley
Harry Kelley was a famous professional oarsman on the Thames. He became the Tyne, Thames, English and World Sculling Champion, a title he won four times.-Sculling career:...
, of Putney, an athlete in rowing costume. Each figure stands on an octagon dwarf pedestal.
The inscription reads:
- This monument was erected by public subscription
- by the warm friends and admirers of
- ROBERT COOMBES
- Champion Sculler of the Thames and Tyne