William St L Robertson
Oxford University Boat Club (UK)
William 'Willie' St Leonards Robertson was the son of Hon. William Robertson, a prominent Victorian pastoralists who was educated at the High School, Hobart, and Wadham College, Oxford (B.A., 1862) and in 1861 rowed in the winning crew against Cambridge.
Wiliam St L Robertson followed in his father's footsteps and after an education at Geelong Grammar, went up to Wadham College Oxford and raced in The Boat Race for Oxford in 1886. However, unlike his father, his Oxford crew was unsuccessful.
Descendent Malcolm Robertson wrote as follows of the race in his essay on the Rowing Robertsons:
The 1886 Boat Race must have been an exciting race to watch with only 2/3 length between the two crews at the finish, Cambridge coming from behind to be just ahead at the finish in a time of 22 minutes and 3 seconds. To quote The Field newspaper of April 10 1886: “the race… a contest which was not only exciting in the highest degree, but unique in itself, was won by Cambridge in the last furlong by a well-timed and well-sustained spurt, after being so far behind that a forlorn hope was all that remained to them of their chances of success… at Barnes Bridge.”
Conspiring against Oxford were a number of factors according to The Field. By the final stages of the race, Girdlestone (the stroke) was “in distress and had been for some time” and the cox Maynard took the boat wide on the final bend in the river, allowing Cambridge to draw “up level as the Old Ships Tavern was passed.” Add to that the feeling that Cambridge’s new boat “built for the occasion” may have given them the edge, as Oxford were in an older boat on loan from the London Rowing Club, one that had been rejected by Cambridge a few years earlier.
“Both crews subsequently dined together at the Holburn Restaurant with the Rev Dr E Warre of Eton as the Chair… and on Monday went to see “Faust” at the Lyceum Theatre and afterwards at the Continental which, we hear, lasted till far late into the small hours.”
The photo of the crew below, also taken in the traditional location on the Oxford University Boat Club barge, has Willie seated at the lower left.
1886 Oxford crew with Willie Robertson seat on the lower left
From the Malcolm Robertson collection
Known rowing record
1881 - APS Head of the River, Geelong Grammar, bow seat - Eliminated in heat
1882 - APS Head of the River, Geelong Grammar, stroke - First
1886 - The Boat Race, Oxford University, three seat - Second
Andrew Guerin
August 2023 (updated May 2025)
Sources:
- The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race by Christopher Dodd, published by Stanley Paul & Co, 1983
- Geelong Grammar School Rowing Handbook Season 2006-07 compiled by the GGS Boat Club and W H Pincott Club
- This website
- The Rowing Robertsons by Malcolm Robertson, unpublished, April 2025