Spencer Gollan
Encyclopedia
Spencer Herbert Gollan was a sportsman who excelled in rowing
and golf
and was also a race horse owner.
Gollan was born at Napier
in New Zealand
and became a racehorse owner in Australia
and New Zealand
. He was also a golfer who twice won the amateur Championship of New Zealand, and was a well-known figure at St. Andrews
.
In 1900 he won the golfing Calcutta Cup. In the spring of 1901, with two professional oarsmen, Tom Sullivan (oarsman) and George Towns (rower)
, he broke the record for rowing between Oxford and Putney along the River Thames
. The distance of a little over 104 miles was covered in 13 hours 57 minutes. The previous record was set in 1889 at (22hrs and 28 minutes). They had the advantage of a good flow on the river and all the locks were in their favour.
In 1904 his horse, Moifaa
won the Grand National
.
Gollan was the umpire in the World Sculling Championship match held between New Zealander Richard Arnst
, the then Champion and challenger Ernest Barry
of England. The match was raced on the Zambezi River near the Victoria Falls
on the 18th of August 1910. Arnst won.
Gollan was a member of Thames Rowing Club
and became a Vice President of the club in 1914. He was a capable rowing coach to his son Donald Gollan
, who rowed in the 1928 Summer Olympics
. In golf, Gollan won the Jubilee vase in 1925.
In January 1934, Spencer Gollan was knocked down and killed by a bus in London
. He was aged 73.
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
and golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
and was also a race horse owner.
Gollan was born at Napier
Napier, New Zealand
Napier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities"...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and became a racehorse owner 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 New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He was also a golfer who twice won the amateur Championship of New Zealand, and was a well-known figure at St. Andrews
St Andrews Links
St Andrews Links in the town of St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, is regarded as the "home of golf". It is one of the oldest courses in the world, where the game has been played since the 15th century...
.
In 1900 he won the golfing Calcutta Cup. In the spring of 1901, with two professional oarsmen, Tom Sullivan (oarsman) and George Towns (rower)
George Towns (rower)
George Towns was the Australian Single Sculls World Champion from 1901 to 1905 and 1906 to 1907. He was the last of the seven Australian Champions who between them held the title almost uninterrupted from 1876 to 1907.-Early Sculling:...
, he broke the record for rowing between Oxford and Putney along the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
. The distance of a little over 104 miles was covered in 13 hours 57 minutes. The previous record was set in 1889 at (22hrs and 28 minutes). They had the advantage of a good flow on the river and all the locks were in their favour.
In 1904 his horse, Moifaa
Moifaa
Moifaa was a New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1904 Grand National by eight lengths. The jockey was Arthur Birch and the owner at the time was Spencer Gollan....
won the Grand National
Grand National
The Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
.
Gollan was the umpire in the World Sculling Championship match held between New Zealander Richard Arnst
Richard Arnst
Richard Arnst or Dick Arnst , born Jacob Diedrich Arnst, was a New Zealand rower, six times Single Sculls World Champion during the early part of the 20th century.-Early life:...
, the then Champion and challenger Ernest Barry
Ernest Barry
Ernest James Barry was a British rower and Thames Waterman, five times Sculling World Champion during the early part of the 20th century and winner of the Doggett's Coat and Badge Race in 1903.-Sculling career:...
of England. The match was raced on the Zambezi River near the Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls
The Victoria Falls or Mosi-oa-Tunya is a waterfall located in southern Africa on the Zambezi River between the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe.-Introduction:...
on the 18th of August 1910. Arnst won.
Gollan was a member of Thames Rowing Club
Thames Rowing Club
Thames Rowing Club is a rowing club situated on the River Thames in Putney, London, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1860.-Club colours:Red, white and black in stripes, the white stripe lying between the red and black and being of half their width....
and became a Vice President of the club in 1914. He was a capable rowing coach to his son Donald Gollan
Donald Gollan
Donald Herbert Louis Gollan was a British rower who competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics.Gollan was born in Paddington, London, the son of Spencer Gollan a racehorse owner and sportsman. He was deaf and mute. He was a member of both Thames Rowing Club and Vesta Rowing Club...
, who rowed in the 1928 Summer Olympics
1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam had bid for the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, but had to give way to war-victim Antwerp, Belgium, and Pierre de...
. In golf, Gollan won the Jubilee vase in 1925.
In January 1934, Spencer Gollan was knocked down and killed by a bus in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He was aged 73.
