George C Clauscen
Yarra Yarra Rowing Club (VIC)
11/12/1840 - 19/3/1918
President 1884 - 1899
Patron 1899 - 1910
He was the Founder Clauscen group of furniture stores.
From newspaper clippings on his death, in the rowing news section, he stated was an influential man in the community.
Museums Victoria hold a commemorative medallion which names George Clauscen whilst Mayor of Fitzroy. They report:
George Christian Clauscen (originally Clausen) was a Danish-born furniture retailer who ran a chain of stores, including one in Smith Street that survived into the 20th century. He was also a Northcote councillor and was mayor of Fitzroy in 1886-87. In 1887 J. Grigg took over as mayor, but not before Clauscen had been named on a medal produced to celebrate the golden jubilee of Queen Victoria. The medal was distributed by Clauscen at a children's carnival.
Clauscen Street, Fitzroy, was named in his honour.
The furniture shops that George Clauscen operated were:
Initially
cnr Brunswick and Gertrude St , Fitzroy (1878 to early 1890s)
104-108 Bourke St (1882 to early 1890s)
108-110 Gertrude Fitzroy ( 1882 to 1901)
48-50 Bridge St Richmond early 1890s
Later
194-196 Bourke St (mid 1900 to 1921)
The business was sold to Francis Gooley and Arthur Patterson after 1921 and they maintained the trading name and operated a store at 131 Bourke Street Melbourne.
One of his legacies to rowing arose from when the lands department wished to move the rowing clubs upstream to near “Brandon’s Ferry”, which was located near Punt Road. He persuaded the lands department to let them stay where they were near Princes Bridge. He also selected the prime position for the Yarra shed, an 1886 map that we have located shows the shed located on St Kilda road behind the present sheds. The land behind the current rowing sheds was a lagoon at that time. There is no evidence that he rowed but was a generous donor to the club, with many a party at his residence in “Sunnyside” in Northcote. There are photos showing Yarra members at his home in Northcote where he entertained them on many occasions. We do have photos of a crew in the lagoon.
He was another of the patrons who did not row.
Prior to being patron he was President for 16 years not our longest serving president but close to it. In the period where Yarra was the premier club with its crews winning numerous Victorian championship races in fours and eights.
The Claymore trophy was won by Yarra Yarra Rowing Club and duly presented to G C Clauscen. The trophy is still held by his descendants.
His obituaries appeared in the Age on 20/3/1918 p10, and Leader on 6/4/1918 p22.
From the 1971/72 Yarra Yarra Rowing Club annual report:-
George Christian Clauscen (died 19/3/1918) commenced a group of furniture stores, was active in municipal affairs, and made repetitions which successfully retained the present boat shed locations when the new princes bridge was opened in 1888.
Jim Skidmore
April 2022 (updated 26 July 2025)
Sources include:
- Photo from the Darebin Library website which records past Mayors.
- Email on 25th July 2025 from Jan Freemantle, great great grand daughter of Clauscen regarding the location of the Clauscen stores.