1961 PSA Head of the River
The 1961 PSA Head of the River was conducted over the last mile of the King's Cup course on Saturday 22 April 1961.
The Head of the River was won by Christ Church from Scotch then Aquinas. The race was delayed thirty minutes while the Wesley crew obtained another shell after their own was snapped in two by the wash of a passing vessel. Cold and in a strange craft, Wesley still competed in an admirable display.
First Eights
Headmasters' Cup
One Mile
5 mins, 18 secs
Canvas
1 length
1 length
2 lengths
1 length
1st Christ Church Grammar School - Bow: D Jordan, 2: J McKenzie, 3: RAC Smith, 4: J Quirk, 5: P Mackie, 6: K Scott, 7: J Brazier, Str: R Williams, Cox: CP Moyes, Cch: D Frazer
2nd Scotch College - Bow: TA Longley, 2: I MacGregor, 3: RH Baird, 4: JE Dawkins, 5: RM Goulden, 6: LL Bennett, 7: IFW Forbes, Str: JW Trail, Cox: AR McClelland, Cch: Dr. G Barratt-Hill
3rd Aquinas College - Bow: GD Mahony, 2: MJ McGarry, 3: MM Pearce, 4: GL Ellis, 5: TM Allen, 6: DE Shearer, 7: PJ Gobetti, Str: TD Meagher, Cox: G Bagley, Cch: BA Barnard
4th Guildford Grammar School - Bow: G Collins, 2: J Lane, 3: J Blackburne, 4: R Lutzow, 5: W Triplett, 6: G White, 7: C Toster, Str: R Humphrey, Cox: M House, Cch: JD Keogh & JLC Wickham
5th Hale School - Bow: JA Avery, 2: IN Wilkins, 3: R Stewart, 4: WJ Garland, 5: AD McRae, 6: JE Little, 7: DK Walker, Str: KW Court, Cox: M Stone, Cch: P Trouchet
6th Wesley College - Bow: DH Goerling, 2: RW Griffin, 3: IMJ Baker, 4: DF Nixon, 5: GL Ludemann, 6: CT Peacock, 7: GL Brooke-Cowden, Str: MW McNair, Cox: AJ Mellor, Cch: A Gray
The bow man of the Aquinas crew Graham Mahony described the race in a November 2025 speech on Aquinas rowing 1960-64 as follows: From the gun, Aquinas, rating 42 stokes per minute, went to a half-length lead from Scotch and Christ Church at the quarter mile. Rating 38-40 Aquinas had increased its lead to a length from Christ Church at the half mile. At the brewery it was still Aquinas by half a length with the rating still high. A slight change of course momentarily unbalanced the crew and rhythm was lost. Christ Church and Scotch put in their finishing bursts to streak ahead of Aquinas, finishing in that order with Aquinas College third. The time was 5 mins. 19 secs.
Second Eights
3/4 Mile
4 mins, 12 1/2 secs
3/4 length
Canvas
1/2 length
Dead Heat for 5th & 6th
1st Guildford Grammar School - Bow: TE Lindley, 2: DA Cannon, 3: G Lane, 4: DM Evans, 5: P Monger, 6: C Henn, 7: JI Maddams, Str: GR Ladyman, Cox: BW Bridgeman, Cch: WR Burbidge
2nd Scotch College - Bow: W Snell, 2: RV Lonnie, 3: BR Palmer, 4: KW Adderley, 5: JA Goldsmith, 6: RL Playle, 7: IR Lonnie, Str: G Kriz, Cox: KS Tuckey, Cch: KW Langley
3rd Aquinas College - Bow: IH Paton, 2: BP Donnelly, 3: KT McAnuff, 4: NJ Dickson, 5: RJ Kent, 6: JA McPhee, 7: MA Howard, Str: PJ Evans, Cox: G McDonnell, Cch: P Gunnell
4th Christ Church Grammar School - Bow: PH Weygers, 2: PGH Kerr, 3: TC Hollingsworth, 4: PJ Buttrose, 5: HA Szczecinski, 6: KG Forrest, 7: RGAR MacLagan, Str: AG Cariss, Cox: RS Doubikin, Cch: G Norton
5th Hale School - Bow: JS Readhead, 2: TH Sharpe, 3: GJ Dunbar, 4: IP Evans, 5: AL Wall, 6: RA Berg, 7: NM Staines, Str: IW Dunstan, Cox: PJ Leonhardt, Cch: RA Little
6th Wesley School - Bow: BJ Twine, 2: KG Dregham, 3: AK Withers, 4: RD Palfreyman, 5: WJ Forrest, 6: BG Gladin, 7: AT Hams, Str: JR Dare, Cox: GJ Beste, Cch: J Sharples
Third Fours
Half Mile
2 mins 59 secs
1/2 length
1/2 length
3 Feet
1/2 length
1 length
1st Christ Church Grammar School - Bow: P Muhling, 2: JA Wall, 3: RC Smart, Str: LM Levinson, Cox: J Bookless, Cch: T McKenzie
2nd Guildford Grammar School - Bow: BG Waller, 2: MP Bond, 3: AR Hooper, Str: J Birney, Cox: BT Colegate, Cch: E Stuart
3rd Scotch College - Bow: JR Wallace, 2: TC Brown, 3: PJ Bryant, Str: IM Darroch, Cox: KW Manton, Cch: A Jackson
4th Aquinas College - Bow: AW Durack, 2: PJ Wilson, 3: VP Scanlon, Str: AJ Simpson, Cox: D Kennedy, Cch: Rev. Br. NN Wilson
5th Hale School - Bow: NS Humphry, 2: J Contos, 3: DC Milne, Str: GJ Pedler, Cox: T Humphry, Cch: I Wilkins
6th Wesley College - Bow: BJ MacKinnon, 2: KM Chance, 3: JC Morris, Str: WHM Rowell, Cox: GE Davey, Cch: R Liggins
Fourth Fours
Half Mile
3 mins, 4 1/2 secs
1/2 length
1 length
1/2 Canvas
1/2 length
1 length
1st Guildford Grammar School - Bow: B Harrison, 2: R Ninham, 3: D McTaggart, Str: HH Rutter, Cox: E Dixon, Cch: TE Watson
2nd Christ Church Grammar School - Bow: G Haberfield, 2: G Dowling, 3: J Bainbridge, Str: JB Vernon, Cox: G Eastman, Cch: M Rasmussen
3rd Hale School - Bow: GL Thompson, 2: RH Yellin, 3: HA Cowan, Str: ME Bosich, Cox: GE Robinson, Cch: PW Davies
4th Wesley College - Bow: RG Lehmann, 2: JA Nelson, 3: CD Chapman, Str: NR Butcher, Cox: CGJ Wynne, Cch: J Hosking
5th Aquinas College - Bow: MB Krzeminski, 2: DJ Gillespie, 3: RG Keeley, Str: FM Mahony, Cox: C Muir, Cch: Rev. Br. NN Wilson
6th Scotch College - Bow: LR Donaldson, 2: BM Somes, 3: JR Peirce, Str: PJ Browne, Cox: BK Greay, Cch: G Pilmer
Old Boys' Race
Half Mile
2 mins, 46 secs
Canvas
3/4 length
Dead Heat for 3rd & 4th
3 Feet
Canvas
1st Scotch College - Bow: A Bird, 2: J Black, 3: J Scott, 4: G Pilmer, 5: C Fisher, 6: R Dawkins, 7: J Fisher, Str: M Brown, Cox: G Black
2nd Christ Church Grammar School - Bow: P Brazier, 2: R Sudlow, 3: J Fitzhardinge, 4: P Chivers, 5: J Miall, 6: D Evans, 7: D Smallwood, Str: A Drok, Cox: A Eggleston
=3rd Aquinas College - Bow: W Schwann, 2: J Whooley, 3: P Ainsworth, 4: F Prendergast, 5: B Martin, 6: L Elliott, 7: D Salter, Str: C Owen, Cox: W Pannell
=3rd Hale School - Bow: D Cannon, 2: B Wansborough, 3: G Freind, 4: S Williams, 5: G Roe, 6: A White, 7: G Wilson, Str: R Chappell, Cox: I Ward
5th Guildford Grammar School - Bow: K Copping, 2: V Lamey, 3: S Harrison, 4: A Burbidge, 5: N Marsh, 6: E Avery, 7: R Moffat, Str: G Paddick, Cox: J Elsey
6th Wesley College - Bow: G Scott, 2: R Wells, 3: R Wise, 4: J Marin, 5: P Richardson, 6: P Vincent, 7: C Lightowler, Str: J Allen, Cox: G Scott
Sources
Descriptions from a speech on Aquinas Rowing 1960-64 by Dr Graham Mahony on 1st November 2025.