History of Leichhardt Rowing Club
On these Bright Waters - A Centennial History of Leichhardt Rowing Club 1886-1986
Reproduced with permission of the author Merle Kavanagh
Table of Contents
Chapters
- The beginning
- Opening ceremony of club premises
- Early years
- 19th century social events
- Loss of the club's first shed
- Into the 20th century
- The social scene before the war
- The first world war
- Between the world wars
- The 2nd world war
- The winning years after WWII
- The struggles of the sixties and seventies
- The last decade
- Some rowing highlights
- Junior oarsmen
- Women
- Oarmanship
- Regattas and the fleet
- Some accidents and incidents
- Old boys/reunions
Appendices
- Some club personalities
- Honorary life members
- Trophies awarded
- Roll of office bearers
- Coaches and Coxswains
- Current Committee and members 1985-86
- Members of Leichhardt Old Oarsmen's Union
- NSWRA International representatives
- NSWRA Interstate representatives
- Successes in NSWRA Championships
- NSWRA Ladies Championships
- Boat race officials
- Members who served as NSWRA office bearers
4. 19th Century Social Events
The first club Ball was held on 14th September 1887 at Petersham Town Hall with tickets 15/- gents, 7/6 ladies and double 21/-. A string band of four performers was engaged and the programmes were printed in gold and blue on buff and trimmed' with tassles. Following the Ball there were complaints that some people had dances engaged prior to their arrival at the Ball, and this was considered highly censurable. Nevertheless, it was the start of a regular sequence of Balls, many of which were held at the Leichhardt Town Hall. There were plain and fancy dress, mask and masquerade.
A concert at the Lyceum Hall in January 1888 made a profit of £8 and a Smoke Concert was organised for the middle of that year. These became popular and at one stage were held quarterly.
Moonlight Excursions on the harbour were held regularly, the steamer picking up at various points for the cost of about 1/-d. Occasionally a tea and dance would be held on Rodd Island.
Mostly the committee attended to arrangements for these events, but some times they would call on the services of a few other members to join them on a "Ball Committee".
W Lambert 1870-1935 (aged 23)
NSW Sculling Champion 1894-95-99
Leichhardt's first State Title winner and State Representative.
Later Alderman and Mayor of Leichhardt