1948 NSW AAGPS Head of the River
High Carried Cargo of Bricks (Sydney Morning Herald, 18 Apr 1948).
Sydney High School crew, which won the G.P.S. Head of the River eights on the Nepean River on Saturday, had bricks in its boat to make up weight got cox G.L. Ferris.
Ferris was entered as weighing eight-stone, but on the morning of the race weighed only 7st 3 ½ lb. When Ferris was tossed into the river by his crew after the race, the bricks were thrown with him.
The win was High School’s first since 1929, and its fifth since the race was first rowed in 1893. High won narrowly from Newington, in the record time of 7m 52 1-5s. Shore was third.
About 15,000 people saw the race. A pre-race survey of the course revealed it to be 147 yards short, and the starting line was adjusted. Officials said yesterday that a change had been made late last week in the rating of High School’s fours.
Coaches found that the fourth four was setting better times in training than the third crew, and a switch was made.
Finish of the First Eight Race
Senior 1st Eight
Major Rennie Trophy
7:52.20
½ length
½ length
1st Sydney High School – Bow: A J Clelland, 2: S J Sherrit, 3: J Bos, 4: B H Downie, 5: B D Soane, 6: David T Anderson, 7: C B Hopkins, Str: C Warwick Mahoney, Cox: G L Ferris, Cch: Frank M Nicholls
2nd Newington – Bow: L. Blackman, 2: I.W. Abbott, 3: G. Nicholls, 4: R. Handley, 5: R. Lester, 6: D. Stanley, 7: L. Notaras, Str: J. Allanson, Cox: L. Leonard, Cch: C.C. Davies
3rd Shore – Bow: E. Perdriau, 2: J.D. Webster, 3: D.L. Hudson, 4: T.I. Baillieu, 5: I.A. Carlewis, 6: V.F. Arnold, 7: A.W. McAuley, Str: E. Cowdery, Cox: D.K. Budd, Cch: L.C. Robson
4th St. Joseph’s College
5th Sydney Grammar
6th Scots College
7th The King’s School
8th St. Ignatius’ College
1948 winning Sydney High School First Eight - photo courtesy of Sydney High School
Senior 1st Four
Yaralla Cup
5:48.60 (One mile)
¼ length
1 length
1st Sydney High – Bow: K J Paul, 2: J L Kerr, 3: J G Harris, Str: J H Adair, Cox: A C Pearce, Cch: Major D J Duffy
2nd Newington - Bow: H Burns, 2: P Cameron, 3: D Davis, Str: D Finigan, Cox: H Lawrence, Cch: C Davies
3rd Scots College - Bow: M J Gerrard, 2: H D Livingston, 3: W M Harvey, Str: G D Thomas, Cox: J R Hutchinson, Cch: A J Dunn
Senior 2nd Four
5:54.0 (One mile - record)
½ length
2 lengths
1st Sydney High - Bow: F T Murray, 2: R J Swinbourne, 3: Graham C Pilger, Str: P G Cole, Cox: W Wiggins, Cch: Major Des J Duffy
2nd Newington - Bow: C Clarke, 2: G Thompson, 3: R Watt, Str: P Whiteman, Cox: D Goldsmith, Cch: D Davies
3rd Sydney Grammar - Bow: L A Jordan, 2: S K Tucker, 3: M A Williams, Str: G O Fookes, Cox: J M McDonald, Cch: L W Webster
Senior 3rd Four
4:21.5 (3/4 mile)
½ length
¼ length
1st Sydney High - Bow: J Reddish, 2: L G Kemeny, 3: K Walkerden, Str: Graham G Mahoney, Cox: A C McLaren
2nd Shore
3rd St. Joseph’s College
The winning Sydney High School crew was, until two days before the race, the fourth crew. They had defeated the original third crew in a trial race and were promoted to the third crew after programs were printed. The stroke of this crew was the younger brother of the stroke of the first VIII. The original third crew finished fourth in the Fourth Four race.
Senior 4th Four
4:35.2 (3/4 mile)
Canvas
4ft
1st Shore - Bow: H E Crouch, 2: J F Myers, 3: P Weatherstone, Str: R B Rutherford, Cox: C A H Oliver, Cch: A D Eedy
2nd Scots College
3rd Newington
4th Sydney High - Bow: G Krug, 2: P Epstein, 3: J R Bowering, Str: M A Hanleigh, Cox: H P Isaacs, Cch: Alan B Callaway