1891 Rowing Victoria State Championships

Edward Ainley nearly won all three Championships, finishing second in the scull to a non-Victorian and winning the other races.

1891 was one of the great flood years of Melbourne. Some images of the impacts are below.

Prince's Bridge faces the torrent

The boatsheds - taken from the north bank

The rear of the boatsheds

Index to Results:

Champion Men's Scull
Champion Men's Four
Champion Men's Eight

Champion Men's Scull

(3 miles)

Time: 20:58

1^st W J Bridson, Wellington (NZL)

2^nd Edward R Ainley, Yarra Yarra

3^rd K Ritchie, Tamar (TAS)

4^th R Gow, Tamar (TAS)

5^th J McRae, Mercantile (NSW)

6^th J B Sneider, Yarra Yarra

7^th J B Walters, Yarra Yarra

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Champion Men's Four

(3 ¼ miles)

Time: 20:40

1^st Yarra Yarra – Bow: Charles W Horsburgh, 2: J Yeomans, 3: Alex Chamley, Str: Edward R Ainley, Cox: V G Petherick

2^nd Albert Park

3^rd Footscray

4^th Civil Service

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Champion Men's Eight

(3 miles 300 yds. - Armfield Challenge Cup)

Time: 18:00

1^st Yarra Yarra – Bow: James McDonald, 2: F Galvin, 3: Charles W Horsburgh, 4: Edward Horsburgh, 5: Arthur H Enticott, 6: James Yeomans, 7: Alex Chamley, Str: Edward R Ainley, Cox: V Petherick

2^nd Banks

3^rd Corio Bay

18^th April, 1891. This Yarra Yarra crew received the Armfield Challenge Cup and the first Premiership Pennant, the gift of Mr. George E. Upward. The same crew won the Lorne Whiskey Trophy on 14^th March, 1891, afterwards called the Claymore Trophy; Wendouree 2^nd; Civil Service 3^rd. The Yarra Yarra Rowing Club won this Championship two further times in a row.

Champion Eight of Victoria from Yarra Yarra Rowing Club

Back row: F Galvin, Arthur Enticott, Edward 'Teddy' Horsburgh. Front row: James Yeoman, James McDonald, Edward Ainley, Charles Horsburgh, Alex Chamley
In front: G Horsburgh (who did not cox the 1891 crew)

Sources

The Victorian Oarsman with a Rowing Register, by John Lang, published by A H Massina and Company 1919.

Champion eight photograph from Yarra Yarra Rowing Club.

The flood photos from the Lindblade Collection, Mercantile Rowing Club

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Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, errors may exist. Please send advice of any errors or inaccuracies by email to:

Also your comments, suggestions and photos are sought to enhance this site.

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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