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The club had five years almost to the day to complete the new shed. They had raised nearly two thirds of the money needed. So why did it come down to the wire, only being completed a week before the Games began. Bureaucracy at the many levels of government almost saw a complete disaster. ButContinue reading “1956 New shed and Olympic Games”

This year the Victorian Rowing Association recognised the difficulty of country clubs in competing with the much larger metropolitan clubs and inaugurated the Country Premiership. Ballarat City won with 46 points, Colac was second with 34 and Wendouree third with 16 points. Ballarat Rowing Club scored just 2 points. Given that most of our winsContinue reading “1955 VRA Country Premiership 1954-55 and a quadruple.”

The club was now into its fourth year without a home. While the Reconstruction account was growing and had reached 900 pounds and some insurance had been collected there was still a considerable shortfall. Membership was maintained and regatta wins were up again this year, mainly in the lightweight class, which put us in thirdContinue reading “1954 Era of the Lightweights”

This year in the annual Report, Ted Edwards, Jack Lawrie and Teddy Jones all joined Otto Hauser as Life Members. Between them they had contributed about 130 years of service to the club. Otto and  Teddy were still coaching crews  and attending meetings and working as hard as ever for the club.The club still homeless,Continue reading “1953 The remarkable Mr.Findlay”

The Annual meeting was again held at the Anglers Lodge on Wednesday September 24th..Just prior to the Annual meeting a significant event in the re-building of the shed took place. On the 10th of August 1952 the Mayor of Ballarat, Councilor Bill Webb, laid the foundation stone for the new club house. This stone wasContinue reading “1952 Progressing slowly”

Almost immediately after the fire the club began planning to rebuild. We had lost the building and the boats but they could be replaced albeit not immediately. What could never be replaced were the trophies, photographs and memorabilia that had been accumulated over 80 years. Bob Lawrie told me when I interviewed him,that he andContinue reading “1951 Forging ahead.”

The 75th Annual Meeting of 1950 was held on September 29th at the boathouse. It was to be the last Annual Meeting ever held in that shed. Just a month later, the boatshed of which the club was so proud of and had worked so hard to build, was gone in one terrible night. NothingContinue reading “1950 DISASTER!”

Ted Edwards continued as president this year and Dave McCallum was secretary until he resigned in February 1949 due to work commitments and Mr. Cliff McCahon took on the position for the remainder of the season. Captain and coach of most of the regatta crews this season was Mr. Stan Wilton and Robert (Bob) LawrieContinue reading “1949”

From a rowing perspective the 1947-48 season was excellent. The club recorded its first ever win at Henley Regatta in November 1947. This was in the Maiden fours event with the crew of Albie McGuire, Dave McCallum, Max Harris and Frank Beattie. The inimitable Johnny Morris was the cox and club stalwart Otto Hauser theContinue reading “1948 Henley Champions”

With Mr. Bunce sadly passing away at the end of 1946, Ted Edwards stepped up to the President’s job. He had filled many roles on committee and now he had the task of steering the club through the difficult aftermath of war. Warwick Ehms was Captain for the second part of the season and LyleContinue reading “1947 Brave new world”