1959-1960 Double Quadruple! The Invincibles.
The Maiden four of Neville Kerr, Mick Walsh, Alan Dixon and Bob Coutts, coached by Pat Harrison started the 1959-1960 season with winning form and set the tone for the rest of the year. This crew won four Maiden fours in 14 days, which was a record at the time. While it was common to…
TREBLES AND QUADRUPLES
Over the years of my research into rowing and specifically Ballarat City Rowing Club, I have found some fairly extraordinary crews and races they have been involved in. Scoring a treble of any sort in rowing is difficult and rare so I ‘m starting this series of posts with a treble that is unique. So…
1945 HONOUR ROLL FOR WORLD WAR TWO
Ninety members of the Ballarat City Rowing Club enlisted for World War 2 and of those 8 men were killed serving their country. Several were also POW’s in Germany and Japan. My current research is to find their names and record their stories. LEST WE FORGET ARMY BANNISTER A. HILL H. MCKEWON…
PETER CAZALY
Albion Rowing Club (England), Ballarat Rowing Club, Ballarat City Rowing Club Peter Cazaly was the third of nine children born to James Cazaly and his wife Elizabeth Eagles. James and Elizabeth married in about 1826 and lived at Stoke Newington near London. James was 48 and Elizabeth 26. James occupation was given variously as bookkeeper,…
1971 -The wakeup call! Beginning of women’s rowing in Ballarat.
It began with this letter to the Editor of the Ballarat Courier asking the question why there were no opportunities for women to row. It was published on the 25th of February 1971 and was signed “Discontented Shore-bound girls.” It drew attention to the fact the while Ballarat had three rowing clubs, not one of…
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF WOMEN’S ROWING IN BALLARAT
As the rowing season 2021- 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the first women’s club in Ballarat and also significantly, the first women’s regatta held on Lake Wendouree in January 1972, it seemed an appropriate time to research further into the Begonia City Ladies Rowing Club history, particularly their struggles to establish the first women’s…
Their name liveth forevermore.
Ballarat City Rowing Club HONOUR ROLL January 1919 When researching for members who served in World War 1, I discovered an article describing the dedication of the club’s first honour board. It was unveiled at the boatshed on Saturday the 18th of January 1919 by Lt. Colonel Alfred Wilton Bennett who was again elected President…
Edward (Teddy) James O’Reilly
Edward (Teddy) James O’Reilly was born in 1894 in Ararat. His parents were Patrick Henry and Susannah O’Reilly. Teddy was only 10 when his father died in 1906 in a tragic house fire at Meredith near Ballarat and his mother Susannah O’Reilly lived in Ballarat East and was his next of kin. He was educated…
LIEUTENANT COL.WILLIAM BRAZENOR MiD (3), DSO and Bar
William Brazenor was born on 7 April 1888 at Ballarat, son of William Brazenor and Ellen Coogan. On his birth certificate his name is listed William Brazenor Coogan. His father William married Maria Smythe, a widow with four children, in June 1888. It appears that William became part of the Brazenor family. Tragically his mother…
Jack Inglis Blaikie
Jack Inglis Blaikie was born in Ballarat in 1893. His parents were Robert Laidlaw Blaikie and Annie Blaikie (maiden name Brown). He is recorded as having attended Ballarat Junior Technical School which is now Dana Street Primary School. He probably attended from about 1900 until about 1908. From about 1902 when he was approximately 8…
Arthur Treve Marsh
Arthur Treve Marsh was born in 1892 the son of John and Sarah Marsh of Armstrong Street, Ballarat. His father John was the Captain of the Ballarat Fire Brigade for many years and would have worked alongside Harry Bunce who was also a stalwart member of Ballarat City Rowing Club and later the President. His…
Captain George Jerrard Greenshields
George Greenshields was born on the 31/1/1896. His parents were George James and Annie Greenshields. He was educated at Ballarat High School. He rowed at Ballarat City Rowing Club as a schoolboy in 1913. He entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon on 12 March 1914 in the fourth intake of cadets and graduated on 3…
Company Sarg. Major, Horace Raymond Griffin
Horace (Horry) Raymond Griffin was born in 1886 in Ballarat. He was the son of John and Elizabeth Griffin of Mair Street, Ballarat. His father was a farrier in Mair Street. He was educated at Christian Brother’s school in Drummond Street. Horry was a popular figure in Ballarat sporting circles; he played football for the…
Sargeant Reginald A. Hind, MM and Bar
Reginald Arthur Hind was born in Mentone in 1897. His father was Henry Dalzell Hind and his mother Alice Louisa Hind nee Evans. They moved to Ballarat in about 1894. They lived at 710 Sturt Street Ballarat and his father was a dental surgeon. Alice died in 1908 when Reg was only 10. He had…
Rasmus Robinson Hansen
Rasmus (Ras) was born in 1889 in Clifton Hill. He was the eldest son of Christian and Sarah Hansen. His grandfather was also Rasmus Hansen who came to Australia from Denmark in 1859. His grandfather died in 1909. He was a well-known pioneer of Bendigo. Rasmus completed his education at St.Mary’s College Bendigo winning an…
Ernest Davey Morshead
One of the first members of the Ballarat City Rowing Club to pay the supreme sacrifice was Ernest Morshead. He joined the club as a schoolboy in 1912 and raced with success for two years. He enlisted in July 1915 and was killed at the Battle of Fromelles in July 1916. He was just 23.…
Lieutenant John (Jack) Mercer Walker
John Mercer Walker was born in Ballarat in 1888. He was the son of John and Eliza Walker, of 23, Sturt Street, Ballarat. His secondary education was at Ballarat College in 1902 and he was Dux of the school in 1904. He joined the Ballarat City Rowing Club in about 1910 and was listed as…
Sergeant Terence Richard Hynes
It seems appropriate to start Terry’s story with the moving verse published by his friends in Wagga Wagga when they found out about his death. It is emblematic of all the young men who served in World War, taken from the midst of family and friends never to return but never forgotten by them. IN…
ANZAC 2022 Tributes- Captain Frederick Coldwell-Smith
This post is a tribute to one of the fifteen men who I discovered were listed on the club’s original honour board but are not currently included. I hope to have these names added to the board so that their story can be told. I discovered recently, while researching further into the stories of members…
Albie (Albion) McGuire
Albie McGuire was a life member and club stalwart in the true meaning of the work. Albie was a great rower and a terrific handy man, with great carpentry skills. He turned his hand at almost any job from repairing boats to maintaining the shed. When he and Bob Angow were in their late 60’s…
Lieutenant Colonel HUGH MARCELL CONRAN
Hugh Marcell Conran was born on the 8th of July,1889 while at sea in the Irish Sea on board the ship Gallia. His parents were Lewis Charles Conran* and Catherine MacLeod, Lewis’s second wife. Lewis was 67 when he married again and had five grown up children from his first marriage. Hugh was the eldest…
Lieutenant Colonel ALFRED WILTON BENNETT V.D.
Ballarat City Rowing Club, Ballarat Regatta Association 1889-1895-Captain 1904-05 Vice-president 1908-1909 Vice-president 1910-1915 President 1918-1922 President 1923 Racing pair christened Col.A.W.Bennett Alfred Wilton Bennett was born in 1866. He married Elizabeth Bentley, whose father owned Craig’s Hotel, in 1887. He and his wife lived in Neil Street, Ballarat. He ran the family jewellery business started…
Lieutenant William Arthur Holtham
For Remembrance Day today, I thought this would be a fitting post. LEST WE FORGET. Lieutenant WILLIAM (Billy) ARTHUR HOLTHAM- Ballarat City Rowing Club, Hawthorn Rowing Club 1913 Ballarat City Rowing Club and Ballarat Agricultural High School 1913 Henley Regatta, Bow: W. Holtham, 2. J.Cross, 3. P. Cross and stroke C. Manners, cox W. Gribble…
Alan Robertson Scott
This story starts about 10 years ago when Lake Wendouree was completely dried up. I never imagined a time when I would be able to walk across the area that I had so frequently rowed over. It was a surreal experience. From 2006 the water levels started receding and we did not get adequate winter…
Leslie James Hobson
Leslie (Les) was the son of Edward Ebenezer Hobson and Elizabeth Hobson. His father was a well-respected painter and paperhanger and ran E.E.Hobson’s in Doveton Street, Ballarat. His father was killed tragically in a buggy accident in July 1913 when Leslie would have been would have been 16 or 17. He was well educated and…
ROBERT HANIFORD COMMONS
I have been updating the profiles of members who died in World War 1 and are listed on the club honor board. Robert Haniford Commons is the most recent update and I hope to add further information about his father Fredrick William Commons, his brothers Fredrick William Commons who was known as William and Richard…
THE REMARKABLE ARTHUR GIBB
Just recently I was fortunate enough to again make contact with the descendants of one Ballarat City’s earliest champions, Arthur Gibbs. His great, great granddaughter Bronwyn Fisher purchased a copy of “Boys from the Rush Beds-The History of Ballarat City Rowing Club” for her brother. She mentioned in passing, that her grandmother had had a…
Teddy Jones-a lifetime of coxing.
EDWARD (TEDDY) JONES Ballarat City Rowing Club-Life Member, Vice-President, Committee member, BRA delegate, BCRC Selection Committee, coach, coxswain extraordinaire for over 40 years. Teddy Jones was a member of Ballarat City Rowing Club for 45 years in total. He started in 1919 just after World War 1 and his diminutive size meant that right from…
Lieutenant John Foster Gear, MC, MiD
When I wrote the Anzac tribute, the profiles were fairly brief and I felt that, such was the incredible sacrifice of these young men, that I would try and record each of their stories in more depth. As I have been continuing to research, further details have been revealed that I believe should be included…
THE BALLARAT CITY ROWING CLUB CREST
In our 150th year, graphic designer and club secretary, Sian Blohm, worked on updating the club crest. This crest was designed originally in 1934-35 season when the club called for original designs for a club badge to be used on blazer pockets. These were the days when the sartorially elegant members would head off to…
ANZAC DAY TRIBUTE-THE INCREDIBLE COULTERS
Irvine and Mary Coulter married in 1872. They had seven children, two girls and five boys. The five Coulter boys all rowed at Ballarat City Rowing Club. They became involved in the early 1890’s when eldest son Irvine (1873) joined the club. Sydney(1876) and brother Jason (1877) or Jay as he was known, probably joined…
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM-THE ANZACS OF BCRC
When I first started researching the club’s history over 20 years ago, I had the goal of finding the names of the past members who contributed to the club, especially those who served in both wars and also to replace the WW1 and WW 2 Honor Boards that were lost in the devastating fire of…
LADIES OF BCRC 1930’s and 40’s
Right through the early 1930’s when the Depression was really tightening its grip, the amazing Social Committee managed to pull off the achievement of the century. They raised the money necessary to finally build a new boat shed. In 1933 it was completed and in the photograph of the Social committee there are 52 men…
THE LADIES OF THE CLUB 1900-1930
1903-04 a grand water carnival was held to raise funds for local charities. The clubs had decorated boat competition and thanks to the efforts of members and lady friends Ballarat City secured first prize in both the decorated four and decorated eight categories! The decorated boats were an important feature of the Ballarat Regatta in…
THE LADIES OF THE BALLARAT CITY ROWING CLUB
It took 100 years for women to finally take to the water in boats at the club, but they made a significant contribution to rowing in Ballarat from the very beginning in 1870. Their contribution is largely overlooked and forgotten. Much of the work done for the club by women has been unrecognized and unrecorded,…
JWR PRINGLE and ALF McLAREN
A couple of weeks ago I was very excited to meet with the great grand-daughter of Alfred McLaren. She had been researching family history and found a copy of my book “Boys From the Rush Beds-The History of Ballarat City Rowing Club 1870-2004” and discovered my research about her great grandfather and also her great…
CHAMPION CLUB CAPTAIN Peter Cram
Peter Cram was a champion rower and champion club Captain. He was the first Captain of the club after World War 1. In writing about his time at the club, I pondered on what it takes to make a good captain of a rowing club? First and foremost is loyalty to the club and its…
Return to the blog!
I have taken an extended break from posting after the epic feat of covering 150 years of club history in 150 days! I didn’t think when I started that it would be simultaneously very challenging and extremely rewarding. I promised myself that I would revisit some posts as some years there was so much extra…
2020 The ultimate post
As it is still 2020, I am not going to cover the year’s activities and the impact of COVID19 until the year is over. Clear perspective is often not gained until well after the event. Instead I am going to look at how things have changed over the 50 years or so we have been…
1862 In memory of Mr. James Pringle
I’m am making two posts today, as today marks a very special anniversary that I always like to remember, the death of Mr. James Pringle. He was one of the pioneers of rowing in Ballarat and his drowning at Burrumbeet while training, was one of the main factors in Robinson McLaren looking for a safer…
2019 Penultimate Post. Happy 150 years.
Today it is 150 years since the club began. I have achieved my personal goal and delivered 150 years in 150 days. I was slightly wrong in counting the days so there will be one more blog tomorrow for 2020 and then I’ll have a rest.😂 I will also look at some of the changes…
2018 Year of change
At the Annual Meeting in October 2017 two events occurred that were both devastating to the people involved and marked a critical change in the administration of the club. It would have the greatest impact on the club during 2018.The first was that President Danny Elliott was not re-elected as President. After 17 years in…
2017
While this season was not as successful as last on the water the club never the less managed to record 19 wins for the year. After 17 years as treasurer Norm Young retired. He had been quiet achiever who managed to keep us afloat during the drought when we had no water and no members…
2016 30th Anniversary of Champion Club
On the rowing front we had a stellar season lead capably by Andrew Leehane who had returned as a Master’s rower and was Captain this year. Andrew lead by example, training hard and racing hard and following the tried and tested Ballarat City formula of everybody pitching in and working hard. We had 64 wins…
2015 Floating our boats for 145 years
When writing a post or in writing an annual report, I was always conscious of leaving a record of what happened in the club during the season so that anyone who rowed for the club can look back and be reminded of their achievements. Similarly, the committee have a summary of the work they have…
2014 Victorian Sprint four Championship
It certainly has been a busy year for the club with significant achievements in all spheres of our operations-competition, social activities, fundraising, recruiting and fleet upgrades. The racing season commenced at the end of 2013 and Jordan’s squad of school rowers were well placedto outdo last season’s achievements. A strong contingent of junior rowers attending…
2013 Back in the winner’s circle.
Four outstanding events occurred this season-the first, early in the season, was the boating of an all Ballarat City men’s eight for the first time since the Country Championships of 1995. The second was also racing related with our first women’s eight since 1980’s competing at the last regatta of the season Footscray. This was…
2012 Racing again!
The Annual Report concluded this year with secretary Kate Elliott writing: “I’m on the count down for our 150th Anniversary which is only eight years away-the same length of time that the drought took rowing away from us. While the eight years of drought seemed endless while we were going through it, looking back, eight…
2011 The slow return
Committee 2010-2011 President: Danny Elliott, Secretary: Kate Elliott, Treasurer: Norm Young, Captain of Boats: Ron Young, Committee: Tim Wise, Belinda Bilney,Wayne Lyle, Barry Lyle, Rower: Jordan O’Keefe, Trustee: Mr. Albie McGuire. These were the people who kept the club going during the six long years of drought. They were there at the beginning and they…
2010 Hope at last.
“For the first time in five long years, I write this report with a positive outlook and with water and activity slowly returning to the Lake and to the club. Thanks to a torrential downpour in September, the State Government stepping in and finally getting a pipeline to pump bore water in and CHW running…
2009 History of Ballarat Regatta completed
Water returned over winter but for the fourth year in succession there was insufficient to row or train at all. It was like being in suspended animation. We wanted to row but without enough water we were still unable to operate. The thought of training on ergos no longer had any appeal at all. Because…
2008 BCRC sole rower wins RV award
The highlight of the season was Jordan O’ Keefe winning the Rowing Victoria Male-B grade rower of the Year. This was an outstanding achievement and one the club is very proud of. To achieve this award,Jordan had to travel to Melbourne every weekend and train and race while working all week in Ballarat. Jordan won…
2007 Where has all the water gone!
For the first season in 137 years history we did not enter or win a race at a regatta. We could not even train as the Lake completely dried up in December 2006 and remained totally dry until May 2007. Our only form of exercise on the Lake were extensive walks up and down the…
2006 The long drought.
“Our Lake is to Ballarat what our beautiful Harbour is to Sydney. It is our pride and joy and our principal source of recreation. Nothing could compensate us for the loss of that oasis in the desert in the absence of which all the surrounding mansions, villas and smiling lawns and gardens would soon present…
2005 Unchartered water-actually no water!
The club had faced three major challenges in its 135 years that could have bought an end to the Ballarat City Rowing Club but none could equal the challenge it now faced. The first major challenge was World War 1 and the dreadful loss of young men who were off fighting, next was World War…
2004 In memory of Alan Dixon
No water, no rowing, no wins but the club soldiered on! The Annual Report opened with “ It is with regret that I report this season was characterised by an almost complete lack of that very activity to which we owe our existence-ROWING!” The committee this year were Danny Elliott ,President; Kate Elliott, Secretary; Norm…
2003 Master’s dominate
The low level of water in the lake in the second half of the season also meant many regattas were cancelled or the venue changed. It was the beginning of the “big dry” that would impact our activities for the next nine years. Consequently the Masters National Championships were moved from Ballarat to Nagambie. This…
2002 World Master’s Games
This season saw a marked increase in memberships, the majority being in the Masters category. It was great to see these members becoming involved not only in the sport but in the administration and maintenance of the club as well. The highlight of the season was having twenty Mater’s rowers from the club compete in…
2001 A rowing Odyssey
The committee this year was Danny Elliott, President; Kate Elliott and Belinda Bilney were co-secretaries; Norm Young ,Treasurer and Tim Wise ,Captain. Racing was strong this year particularly in Master’s events. This year our International Master’s Champions attended the FISA World Master’s Regatta in Montreal, Canada. Having conquered Europe they now headed to the Canadian…
2000 Sydney Olympic silver
The highlight for rowing in Australia was the holding of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. Past and present members of the club were very proud and delighted to see Rachel Taylor achieve her sporting dream winning a silver medal in the Women’s coxless pairs with partner Kate Slatter. Rachel was originally introduced to rowing…
1999 World Master’s gold medal hat trick!
Belinda Bilney continued her great job as secretary for a second year and continued to juggle work, training, competing nationally and internationally and still keep the club on an even keel. She and club Captain, Tim Wise also competed at the FISA World Master’s Regatta in Seville, Spain, in October winning the mixed A double…
1998 Master’s gold, gold, gold!
This year continued to see changes and rapid hands on learning phase for many members engendered by the sudden, very early arrival of Rory Devlin Conroy Elliott. Although not a member of the club, he continued had a profound effect on the activities of the club this year as well as his parents, Kate and…
1997 Rise of the Masters
This season will be remembered as the Masters era of rowing, with the return of several former members now keen to participate in the growing area of Master’s rowing. Two of these “born again” rowers who would have a great impact on the club over the next five years were Norm and Ron Young. Also…
1996 Atlanta Olympics Bronze medal
125 days, 125 posts covering 125 years! It has been a roller coaster of emotion remembering the great times and reliving the successes but also revisiting the stressful and negative occasions. 1996 was the year that Anthony Edwards, the boy from Sleepy Hollow, Ballarat, stepped onto the Olympic stage and wrote his name into Olympic…
1995 Still rowing strong 125 years
One hundred and twenty five years and the club’s one hundred and twentieth Annual meeting were the highlights of this season. A dinner was held in the hall with Paul Reedy the guest speaker. Danny Elliott was awarded his Life Membership on that evening paying tribute to his contribution and achievements over 23 years. It…
1994 AIS and VIS scholarships
The club again posted an excellent season with a total of 65 wins. Of these there were a record 8 Victorian Championships and Ballarat City was represented in four Australian Championships wins. Rachel Taylor, a graduate of the clubs’ first Talent Identification Program was awarded a scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport. She raced…
1993 In memory of Otto Hauser
Amazingly Ballarat City posted another incredible season winning 70 races, including 5 Victorian Championships and 1 Australian Championship. With just eight men competing the club finished second on the men’s Champion Club Premiership with Corio Bay Rowing Club the premiers. We also placed third on the men’s Senior Premiership winning more Senior races this season…
1992 Two Australian Championships and Prime Ministerial Award
Ballarat City continued to forge ahead hosting Australia’s only regional Talent Identification Program. On a meagre budget (compared to programs in other states) but with extreme dedication and enthusiasm the program exceeded all expectations in its first year. The 14 recruits went from total non -rowers to seasoned competitors in ten months. Four participants left…
1991 World Championships Vienna. Talent Id Program
With the World Championships at Barrington in November 1990, no sooner had they concluded than selection trials for the 1991 World Championships in Vienna commenced. Again committing an incredible amount of time, effort, energy and travel to various regattas Tim Wise again earned selection in a Lightweight double scull with Sam Golding as his partner.…
1990 World Championships and Australian Team
The 1990 World Championships at Lake Barrington, Tasmania were undoubtedly the most exciting event in the history of Australian rowing. For the first time ever, Australian crews were competing with the world on our home course and Lake Barrington did not disappoint. Not only did Australia play host to world rowing but Ballarat City Rowing…
1989 The year of big winds and great wins
This season will be remembered as the season of “Big Wind”. Not only did two major regattas at Carrum State Water Sport Centre get called off due to gale force winds but the National Championships on Wellington Dam WA, for the first time in history of the King’s Cup and National Championship Regatta, was abandoned…
1988 First Australian rep.
Ballarat City was once again “to the fore” in rowing activities finishing this season with the third National Championship win in three years. James McKee won the Champion Senior B Sculls of Australia taking our tally to four Australian Championships .The outstanding success of the club last season really galvanised the metropolitan clubs into action…
1987 Achieving the dream!
3 Premierships, 3 Victorian Championships, 1 Australian Championship, 94 wins Unless you were there, you cannot begin to imagine what a year 1987 was. The season started in October 1986 and both the men and women of the club were poised to take on the rowing world not individually but as a club. None of…
1986 First women’s Australian Championship
This season there were insufficient superlatives to cover the club’s achievements. The Annual report opened with secretary Kate Elliott’s summary of the year. “This is the eighth Annual Report I have prepared and each year, as I sit down to review the achievements of the past season, I am amazed at the efforts and achievements…
1985 Women’s Champion Club again!
If last season was outstanding then this season was exceptional. Having achieved the unprecedented number of 46 wins it was felt that it would be difficult to repeat such a performance. Not only did we reach that target but exceeded it with a total of 51 wins. Of this, the women scored 31 wins. This…
1984 First Victorian rep
1 Victorian State sculler-2 VRA Women’s Premierships-3 Victorian Championships Last year we had many close second placings and if our crews had been able to convert them we would have had closer to forty wins. Captain Danny Elliott could see that crews just needed a bit more coaching, ironing out the minor faults that would…
1983 The Stars align
Several factors started the club on its upward trajectory this year. Colin Angow was elected President at the Annual Meeting in September 1982 and would lead the club for nearly 20 years. Having been a cox, rower, committee member and having lots of practical workshop skills he was an ideal President. He knew what was…
1982 The Dynamic duo
Graeme Angow was President this year which would be his final year. At the end of 1982 at the annual Meeting, Colin Angow would take on the role for the 1982-83 season, a role he would fill for 18 years in in so doing would become our longest serving President. Kate Elliott was again secretary,…
1981 First Country championships and two new Life Members
After the devastation of disqualification from the National last Captain Danny Elliott was even more determined to lead the club to on water success. It seemed to be an almost impossible task as our numbers of competitive rowers was even more reduced. But our small band of rowers, mainly women, we scored 17 wins this…
1980 First Victorian Championship for women
With 19 wins this year the tally was a little down on last season but the club recorded its first state Championship win by a women’s crew. The newly constituted Ballarat City Ladies rowing in the navy and white colours of the club for the first time, won the Women’s Senior B Victorian Championship at…
1979 Amalgamation. First Victorian sweep-oared Championship and 23 wins
This season saw the club record the highest number of wins ever with twenty-three in total. Danny Elliott also won the club’s first Victorian Championship in a sweep-oared boat winning the Lightweight Coxless pairs on the lake in a composite crew with Terry Poole of Corio Bay. Danny Elliott scored another eleven wins in Lightweight…
1978 Quality not quantity
Mr. Alf Quick took on the role as president and Ralph Murphy was the secretary. There were only five committee meetings held this year well down on the sixteen or so that were usually held. The Annual Report was rather brief this year. Secretary Ralph Murphy was also doing the hall bookings and was heavily…
1977 sculling success!
Life member Mr. Bob Angow took on the role of president this year with Rob McGuire, secretary and Alf Quick, treasurer. Rob McGuire resigned as secretary in October 1976 and Ralph Murphy took on the role. The Captain was Danny Elliott and the Begonia City Ladies’ captain was Tracey Kriz with Kate Wise continuing as…
1976 The sculling era begins
The president for this season was Graeme Angow with secretary Rob McGuire and treasurer Alf Quick. Daryl Calvert was elected captain with Paul Gursanscky, vice-captain. Note was made in the annual report that the lack of an active Captain severely affected operations of the club. Unfortunately the elected captain Daryl Calvert was unable to put…
1975 100th Annual Report
The 100th Annual meeting was held on September 2nd 1975.The trophies presented were Most Improved Novice-Jim Burzacott, Most Successful Oarsman-Ron Taylor and Clubman of the Year-Danny Elliott. Graeme Angow was returned as president this season and Rob McGuire continued, as secretary. Mr. Alf Quick became treasurer after Mr. Bob Lawrie retired serving over twenty-five years…
1974 The adventure begins
The Annual Report this year was a combined one presented to the members of Ballarat City and Begonia City at the AGM in September. Ralph Murphy was returned as president this season and Rob McGuire continued, as secretary. Mr. Bob Lawrie entered his twenty-fifth year as treasurer. Bill Davies became Captain and Danny Elliott was…
1973 Novice influx
This year’s Annual General meeting was a combined effort of the men’s and women’s clubs. The Annual report contains the two separate reports even though essentially we were one club using the same boats, same coaches and same boatshed! Ralph Murphy was elected President this year after serving as secretary and Rob McGuire was elected…
1972 Frank Findlay’s parting gift
The most significant event this year, that ultimately eased the financial struggle we had been facing, was the removal of the obligation to pay any more on the loan that had been taken out in 1956 to rebuild the shed. It was a financial millstone around our necks and it was through Frank Findlay’s representations…
1971 After 100 years -what next?
The Centenary Season 1970-1971 was another “watershed” in the club’s history, not only for achieving its one hundredth birthday but also it was pivotal in terms of how the club would progress into the future. The feeling of ambivalence is best summed up in the Annual report: “The past season has seen the club achieve…
1970 Centenary
The highlight of this season was the hosting of the King’s Cup and National Regatta on Lake Wendouree. The Annual report stated: ” We are indeed fortunate in having as our home water the best 2000 metre course in Australia and full credit must be given to the Ballarat City Council for the interest and…
1969 In memory of Daryl Brown, Australian Champion
Australian Champion oarsman Daryl Brown was tragically killed in January this year. In his short and meteoric career, Daryl became known and respected by all connected with rowing in Victoria. The club decided to name the new racing pair the DARYL BROWN in his memory. In revisiting the club’s history it has been an honor…
1968 drought and return of the Mudscrapers
The club enjoyed a very successful year with 17 wins, the most wins ever scored by the club in a season, which placed us third on the Country Premiership and fourth on the Lightweight Premiership. However rowing activities were severely affected by drought towards the end of the season. The lake was so low that…
1967 Victorian Country Champion eight
This season was one of the most successful since the war. The club nearly won the Country Premiership only to be beaten by the narrowest of margins-four points by Barwon Rowing Club. We had 14 wins and scored 62 point while Barwon had 13 wins and 66 points. Points were allocated per winning oar so…
1966 First Australian Champions
This season started strongly. The new recruits of last year were now “experienced” rowers. Alan Dixon teamed up with a new pair partner, Daryl Brown. At Upper Yarra regatta they won the lightweight pairs and followed it up with a second win at VRA Regatta. The pair combined with Ian Angow and Michael Rowan to…
1965 Out of the doldrums
The Annual Meeting was held at the boatshed on September 24th 1965 and the 90th Annual Report presented to the club. Although Alan Dixon was Captain for most of the year at the Annual meeting he was elected to the Secretary’s job after Albert Harden stepped down. Daryl Brown took on the Captains role supported…
1964 Vale Teddy Jones
“I regret I have to think that 1963-64 to my club has been very trying in many ways, but, how happy I am to have been one of the team of loyal members who kept the club afloat,” Frank Findlay wrote in his President’s addendum this year after what had been a tough year all…
1963 First Victorian Sculling Championship
Mr. Francis E. Findlay was elected unopposed for his fifteenth term as president. Alan Dixon continued in the position of Captain and Albert Harden was secretary. These three members of the executive plus committee member, Ralph Murphy, qualified and became licensed regatta officials this year. The hire of the hall, under the guidance of the…
1962 Kings Cup Regatta and first National Regatta held on Lake Wendouree
Mr. Francis E. Findlay continued as president and was also the president of the Ballarat Rowing Association with Mr. Albert Harden the secretary. This meant a busy year for Frank and the club as the King’s Cup Regatta was held on Lake Wendouree in March and the inaugural National Championship were held in April, having…
1961
After nearly four years back in our own home the club began again to revive its rowing fortunes. Again the catalyst to this resurgence lay with one or two key oarsmen like Alan Dixon and Bob Coutts and coach Mr. Pat Harrison who reinvigorated training. The Lake was a hive of activity this season with…
1960 The invincible four
This season proved to be one of the most successful for some time. The club attended 21 regattas over the summer and winter series with 85 crews. The wins were mainly achieved by one crew. The Maiden four of Neville Kerr, Michael Walsh, Alan Dixon and Bob Coutts coached by Pat Harrison started the season…
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Ballarat City Rowing Club History Blog 