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.
Index to Results:
Champion Men's Scull
(3 miles)
Time: 20:58
1st W J Bridson, Wellington (NZL)
2nd Edward R Ainley, Yarra Yarra
3rd K Ritchie, Tamar (TAS)
4th R Gow, Tamar (TAS)
5th J McRae, Mercantile (NSW)
6th J B Sneider, Yarra Yarra
7th J B Walters, Yarra Yarra
Champion Men's Four
(3 ¼ miles)
Time: 20:40
1st Yarra Yarra – Bow: Charles W Horsburgh, 2: J Yeomans, 3: Alex Chamley, Str: Edward R Ainley, Cox: V G Petherick
2nd Albert Park
3rd Footscray
4th Civil Service
Champion Men's Eight
(3 miles 300 yds. - Armfield Challenge Cup)
Time: 18:00
1st 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
2nd Banks
3rd Corio Bay
18th 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 14th March, 1891, afterwards called the Claymore Trophy; Wendouree 2nd; Civil Service 3rd. The Yarra Yarra Rowing Club won this Championship two further times in a row.
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