Wellington Rowing Club
Encyclopedia
The Wellington Rowing Club is a rowing club
situated on Wellington Harbour
, New Zealand
.
The most famous crew of the Wellington Rowing Club was the Dolly Varden crew. Imported in 1873, the Dolly Varden became the most famous four-oared boat in colonial New Zealand. The Dolly Varden was the first boat in New Zealand with sliding seats. In this boat the crew of H Woods (stroke), J Walker (3), William Hearn (rower)
(2), M Moore (bow) won the Interprovincial Championship of New Zealand in 1876, and H Woods (stroke), J Walker (3), J McGrath (2), William Hearn (rower)
(bow) won in 1877.
The Dolly Varden was later sold and by 1880 the Wellington Rowing Club (professional), as then constituted, went out of existence.
, Wellington
on 17 December 1887. Later in 1889, due to ongoing harbour reclamations, the clubhouse was moved "some little distance seaward" to its site just north of Jervois Quay. This was the home for the club until 1931.
, the building was built as a base for the Wellington Naval Artillery Volunteers, a response prompted by a Defence report in 1884 that recommended strengthening Wellington's harbour defences to help prevent a possible Russian invasion.
The building was thankfully never used for this purpose and in 1927 the building became the first home of the Wellington Free Ambulance
. After a short stay, the Free Ambulance moved into its new purpose-built home (now St. John Heineken Hotel). At the same time the Wellington Rowing Club took over as custodian of the 'Old Navals Hall' in 1931 and remains such to this day.
New Zealand's first international sculling representative was William Bridson. Bridson won the Amateur Sculling Championship of Victoria in 1891.
Tom Sullivan
, along with Bridson, was a member of the famous WRC crew who won all eight Rowing New Zealand
(then New Zealand Amateur Rowing Association) championship titles between 1889 and 1890. Sullivan has been recognised as “New Zealand's first sculler of international note”. Sullivan left the club in 1890 to become a professional sculler. He was the first New Zealander to challenge for the World Sculling Championship. In 1893 he won the English Sculling Championship
.
George Lauchlan was the manager of the famous 1925 New Zealand eight that travelled to Australia and won the New South Wales
Championship.
Tris Hegglun and Owen Wares were members of the club before World War II
. During the war they represented the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force
(NZEF) which beat the Cairo River Club and an all-Egyptian representative crew to win the Freyberg Cup. Today the Sir Bernard Freyberg Cup is allocated to the champion single sculls at the New Zealand National Club Championships.
WRC's 'golden era' was without doubt the 1960s and 1970s. The club won the Champion Eight event in 1967 and 1969. The club later won the Boss Rooster in 1972.
Pete Delaney was the club's first Olympian, representing New Zealand at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
In 1967 the New Zealand "All Blacks" crew, including WRC members Pete Delaney (Bow), Graeme Shaw (2), Tom Just (3), John Hunter (5) and Alan Boykett (cox), won the first FISA North American Championships, St. Catharines, Canada, and the USRowing
National Championships, Philadelphia.
In 1968 John Hunter (5) and Tom Just (2) represented New Zealand in the eight at the 1968 Summer Olympics
which finished fourth.
John Hunter (5) and Simon Dickie (cox) were members of the New Zealand eight that won gold at the USRowing
National Championships in 1970, the FISA European Championships, Copenhagen, Denmark, the International German Championships, Duisburg, West Germany and the International Austrian Championships, Klagenfurt, Austria in 1971.
At the 1972 Summer Olympics
Dick Joyce (6), John Hunter (5) and Simon Dickie
(cox) won the eight-oar event with Ross Collinge
(2) winning a silver in the coxless four event.
Rowing club
A rowing club is a club for people interested in the sport of Rowing. Rowing clubs are usually located near a body of water, whether natural or artificial, that is large enough for manoeuvering of the shells . Clubs usually have racks to store boats and a dock to put them in the water...
situated on Wellington Harbour
Wellington Harbour
Wellington Harbour is the large natural harbour at the southern tip of New Zealand's North Island. New Zealand's capital, Wellington, is on the western side of Wellington Harbour. The harbour was officially named Port Nicholson until it assumed its current name in the 1980s.In Māori the harbour is...
, 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...
.
History
The Wellington Rowing Club was first established in October 1871 as a professional club. Founded by James Stewart, a prominent sawmiller "the main reason for forming the new club was to enable ‘working men’ to take part in aquatic sports".The most famous crew of the Wellington Rowing Club was the Dolly Varden crew. Imported in 1873, the Dolly Varden became the most famous four-oared boat in colonial New Zealand. The Dolly Varden was the first boat in New Zealand with sliding seats. In this boat the crew of H Woods (stroke), J Walker (3), William Hearn (rower)
William Hearn (rower)
William Hearn was a champion professional sculler of New Zealand, who emigrated to Victoria when a little boy. He came to New Zealand in 1862, and had been a resident in Wellington since January, 1876, nearly all the time having been in the employ of Messrs Greenfield and Stewart, timber merchants...
(2), M Moore (bow) won the Interprovincial Championship of New Zealand in 1876, and H Woods (stroke), J Walker (3), J McGrath (2), William Hearn (rower)
William Hearn (rower)
William Hearn was a champion professional sculler of New Zealand, who emigrated to Victoria when a little boy. He came to New Zealand in 1862, and had been a resident in Wellington since January, 1876, nearly all the time having been in the employ of Messrs Greenfield and Stewart, timber merchants...
(bow) won in 1877.
The Dolly Varden was later sold and by 1880 the Wellington Rowing Club (professional), as then constituted, went out of existence.
Wellington Rowing Club
The Wellington Rowing Club was later re-established as an amateur club in July 1885 by James Stewart. 2010 marks the 125th anniversary of the amateur club.Club colours
The club's colours consist of a maroon singlet with a white horizontal band. The original colours of the club when it was established in 1885 were (salmon) pink and white. The club commemorated these origins by changing back to the original colours for the 125th season (2009/10).Clubhouse
The WRC has been housed in a number of buildings throughout its 125 year history. The club opened its first permanent clubhouse at the bottom of Cuba StreetCuba Street, Wellington
Cuba Street is one of the most prominent streets in Wellington, New Zealand.-Location and origin:Named after an early settler ship to New Zealand, the Cuba, it is to the south of the CBD, but still in the inner city. Cuba Street was once the route of the Wellington trams...
, Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
on 17 December 1887. Later in 1889, due to ongoing harbour reclamations, the clubhouse was moved "some little distance seaward" to its site just north of Jervois Quay. This was the home for the club until 1931.
Wellington Naval Artillery Volunteers
Built in 1894 to a design by Frederick de Jersey ClereFrederick de Jersey Clere
Frederick de Jersey Clere was an architect in Wellington, New Zealand.He was born in Lancashire and trained as an architect before emigrating to New Zealand with his family in 1877....
, the building was built as a base for the Wellington Naval Artillery Volunteers, a response prompted by a Defence report in 1884 that recommended strengthening Wellington's harbour defences to help prevent a possible Russian invasion.
The building was thankfully never used for this purpose and in 1927 the building became the first home of the Wellington Free Ambulance
Wellington Free Ambulance
The Wellington Free Ambulance provides free to the patient ambulance services in the Wellington Region of New Zealand.-History:The ambulance service was created on 9 November 1927 by the mayor of Wellington, Sir Charles Norwood, and initially operated out of the Old Navals boatshed...
. After a short stay, the Free Ambulance moved into its new purpose-built home (now St. John Heineken Hotel). At the same time the Wellington Rowing Club took over as custodian of the 'Old Navals Hall' in 1931 and remains such to this day.
Famous Members
The Wellington Rowing Club boasts numerous international representatives and Olympic medalists.New Zealand's first international sculling representative was William Bridson. Bridson won the Amateur Sculling Championship of Victoria in 1891.
Tom Sullivan
Tom Sullivan (rower)
Thomas "Tom" Sullivan was a New Zealand amateur rowing and sculling champion who later turned professional and challenged for the World Championship title. He later became a rowing coach.-Rowing:...
, along with Bridson, was a member of the famous WRC crew who won all eight Rowing New Zealand
Rowing New Zealand
Rowing New Zealand is sport governing body for rowing in New Zealand. Its purpose is to provide leadership and support to enable an environment of success for the New Zealand rowing community. This includes secondary schools, clubs, masters, universities and high performance.Rowing New Zealand was...
(then New Zealand Amateur Rowing Association) championship titles between 1889 and 1890. Sullivan has been recognised as “New Zealand's first sculler of international note”. Sullivan left the club in 1890 to become a professional sculler. He was the first New Zealander to challenge for the World Sculling Championship. In 1893 he won the English Sculling Championship
English 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...
.
George Lauchlan was the manager of the famous 1925 New Zealand eight that travelled to Australia and won the New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
Championship.
Tris Hegglun and Owen Wares were members of the club before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. During the war they represented the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force
New Zealand Expeditionary Force
The New Zealand Expeditionary Force was the title of the military forces sent from New Zealand to fight for Britain during World War I and World War II. Ultimately, the NZEF of World War I was known as the First New Zealand Expeditionary Force...
(NZEF) which beat the Cairo River Club and an all-Egyptian representative crew to win the Freyberg Cup. Today the Sir Bernard Freyberg Cup is allocated to the champion single sculls at the New Zealand National Club Championships.
WRC's 'golden era' was without doubt the 1960s and 1970s. The club won the Champion Eight event in 1967 and 1969. The club later won the Boss Rooster in 1972.
Pete Delaney was the club's first Olympian, representing New Zealand at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
In 1967 the New Zealand "All Blacks" crew, including WRC members Pete Delaney (Bow), Graeme Shaw (2), Tom Just (3), John Hunter (5) and Alan Boykett (cox), won the first FISA North American Championships, St. Catharines, Canada, and the USRowing
USRowing
USRowing is the national governing body for the sport of rowing in the United States. It serves to promote the sport on all levels of competition, including the selection and training of those who represent the US at international level....
National Championships, Philadelphia.
In 1968 John Hunter (5) and Tom Just (2) represented New Zealand in the eight at the 1968 Summer Olympics
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
which finished fourth.
John Hunter (5) and Simon Dickie (cox) were members of the New Zealand eight that won gold at the USRowing
USRowing
USRowing is the national governing body for the sport of rowing in the United States. It serves to promote the sport on all levels of competition, including the selection and training of those who represent the US at international level....
National Championships in 1970, the FISA European Championships, Copenhagen, Denmark, the International German Championships, Duisburg, West Germany and the International Austrian Championships, Klagenfurt, Austria in 1971.
At the 1972 Summer Olympics
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
Dick Joyce (6), John Hunter (5) and Simon Dickie
Simon Dickie
Simon Dickie is a former New Zealand rowing cox who won 3 Olympic medals. At the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico Dickie won the Gold medal in the coxed four along with Dick Joyce, Dudley Storey, Ross Collinge and Warren Cole...
(cox) won the eight-oar event with Ross Collinge
Ross Collinge
Ross Hounsell Collinge is a former New Zealand rower who won 2 Olympic medals. At the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico Collinge won the Gold medal in the coxed four along with Dick Joyce, Dudley Storey, Warren Cole and Simon Dickie...
(2) winning a silver in the coxless four event.