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Daniel McNaughtan

Essendon Rowing Club (VIC)

Daniel was born in the Ballarat region in 1885, son of Alexander and Eleanor McNaughtan. His rowing pedigree was assured being the son of a senior oarsman and club Captain of Ballarat City RC, Alexander. Also Daniel's sister Elsie married Arch Dobbie of Mercantile RC and Victorian Rowing Association fame. It is likely that Daniel and Arch raced against each other.

Daniel's family moved to Melbourne in 1889 and then to Ascot Vale. It is no great surprise that he joined the Essendon Rowing Club. His father is recorded as Patron of that Club in 1910-11 season despite his strong Ballarat City RC connections.

He is recorded in his family history as being 6' 2" tall and in the 1908 Interstate crew as weighing 12st 2lb. He was therefore a tall and strong rower for his day.

1908 Victorian crew with Daniel in the four seat

Image from the Weekly Times, 29 December 1917, page 20 showing both Alexander and Daniel McNaughton

Daniel's rowing record is impressive.

1906 - Footscray Regatta, Maiden Eight, stroke - First

1907 - Ballarat Regatta, Junior Pair, stroke - First

1908 - Seymour Regatta, Senior Pair, stroke - First

1908 - Upper Yarra Regatta, Senior Pair, stroke - First

1908 - Interstate Eight Oared Championship, four seat - Second

1910 - Footscray Regatta, Senior Four, stroke - First

1910 - Upper Yarra Regatta, Senior Four, stroke - First

1911 - Victorian Four Oared Championship, stroke - First

Andrew Guerin
December 2025

Sources:

The Victorian Oarsman by John Lang published in 1919 by Massina & Co
1998 family history extract written by ancestor John Forster Holt of Camperdown and provided to me by Peter Gill in December 2025
WELL-KNOWN ROWING ENTHUSIASTS (1917, December 29). Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), p. 20. Retrieved December 13, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13269997

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The idea for this history originated from the Olympic Rowing and World Senior Rowing Championship histories written by Andrew Guerin and Margot Foster in 1991, 1992 & 1993 for the Australian team handbooks. Andrew Guerin developed and extended these histories to the current format in 2004 for publication in 2004 and then expanded the site.

Steve Roll has been an invaluable contributor to the website in locating errors and finding Christian names of rowers. His superb work is acknowledged.

© Andrew Guerin – 2004
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