1922

This season saw the return of champion rower and athlete, Charles Suffren to the Ballarat City fold. Charles had learnt his rowing at City and then transferred to Ballarat Rowing Club where he won numerous championships. Under his tutelage there was a marked improvement in the club’s regatta racing.

For the season the club had representative crews at: – VRA, Upper Yarra, Albert Park, Ballarat, Barwon, Bairnsdale, Sale, Champion Pairs and Ballarat Novice Regatta. We scored wins at Barwon and Albert Park winning the Maiden eights and the Lightweight fours respectively. The Maiden eight were W. Luke, E. Booth, R. Messenger,G. Davis, H. Truman, J. Hodgkins, S. Hennah, J. Scott with E. Jones the coxswain. Another oarsman that would go on to have great impact on the club over the next 40 years was Otto Hauser. He would become one of the great stalwarts of the club contributing not only as a rower but also as a coach and committee member.

At the Ballarat Novice regatta the club was represented by two Novice fours, a Novice scull and a Maiden eight.

Three scratch pairs were held for the season with the winners of the trophy presented by G. Vickery being E. Booth and A. Duff; Col.W Brazenor’s trophy, C. E. Suffren and W. Cook and the Sergent Major Griffins Memorial Pairs- J. Scott and V. McGee. Coxswains Teddy Jones and Hector Ross received thanks for their sterling (and steering) efforts throughout the year.

Mrs. Cameron, sister of the late Sgt. Maj. Griffin presented the trophies to the winners of the scratch pairs.

A presentation was made to the Captain and coach of the club Charles E. Suffren, of an elaborate cigar holder and a box of cigars in acknowledgement of his valuable services as coach and captain. Mr. Suffren then presented the club with a photograph of the winning crews of the club for the season being the maiden eight, the lightweight four and the maiden pair.

 A Jubilee Smoke Night was held in March 1922 to celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of the foundation of the club. It was held after the Ballarat Regatta this year and there were many “old time” members present who had come to Ballarat for the Regatta in attendance. The report on the evening said that “The fact that long speeches, which so often make functions of this kind very wearisome,were not in evidence, rendering the proceedings all the more enjoyable.” Old members Mr.CharlesSuffren, Mr. Ned Ryan, Mr.Andrew A.O’Dea were present and all ade speeches. Mr.Alf Dawson, who had been a cox back in 1875, said all the rowing then was done in the morning, and if a man turned up later than 5.30 ,he was growled at. He had rowed under Captain Peter Cazaly, one of the most successful Captains the shed had seen. The toasts were then made followed by musical numbers as was usual.