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In this post I am going to diverge a little from the history of the club to an interesting discovery that actually occurred after I had published my book. It has to do with this handsome trophy from 1882. It is highly decorated and beautifully inscribed  “Draper’s Challenge Cup. Presented by Wm.Orrock Esq; 6th ofContinue reading “1882”

The members of the club took energetic steps to place the club on a satisfactory basis this year both in points of membership and facilities afforded to acquire skill in rowing. Some seventy new members joined the club and in order to accommodate such large numbers two new four-oared boats were ordered from Melbourne asContinue reading “1881”

In the ten years that the club had been operating it had really grown and prospered. The boatshed had been enlarged, the fleet of boats acquired, including two yachts, that was the equal of any club in Victoria. With Henry Richards Caselli as president, Daniel Brophy as treasurer and Peter Cazaly as captain there hadContinue reading “1880”

It is worth starting this year’s summary with a description of Ballarat Regatta, Monday March10th, where the club won four out of the ten races on the day. This included the Senior fours race for the inaugural Sunbury Cup. The crew stroked by Arthur Gibbs with J. Fitzgerald, F. Tregaskis and William Dawson with F.Continue reading “1879”

The office bearers this season were again Mr. Caselli, president: Mr Emerson Baylee, secretary: Mr.Daniel Brophy, treasurer: Mr Peter Cazaly, captain and Mr. W. L. Matthews his lieutenant. The committee comprised Messrs. W. Hogan, L. Clark, J. FitzGerald, L. Flegeltaub, W. Dawson, F. Baker, Arthur Gibbs, H. Oyston and O. Turnbull This was the bestContinue reading “1878”

I find it fascinating that no matter how well you think you know the facts of history, the more you research the more nuanced and closer to the historical reality you come. Even revising and revisiting old research can create new understanding and insight. Although I knew the facts of the 1870’s pretty well havingContinue reading “1877”

The club only recorded one win in 1876 .At the 1876 Ballarat regatta the crew of A.S. Brown, J.Fitzgerald, W.Crampton, Arthur Gibbs won the Senior gig race. Ballarat regatta this year was a combined rowing and sailing event, and there were more sailing events than rowing events. Subscriptions were raised in an effort to payContinue reading “1876”

City had the distinction of being one of the three crews to race in the first ever eight-oared race held in Australia, where we placed third. This race was held at the Melbourne Regatta 1875 and was won by the Civil Service crew with the Warehouse Rowing Club second. Both these clubs are long sinceContinue reading “1875”

The club added again to its fleet this season an eight-oared outrigger boat one of the first clubs in Victoria to have an eight, and an out-rigger sculling boat. The use of eight-oared boats didn’t really become commonplace at regattas until 1877 but this meant both for training and racing the club could now boatContinue reading “1874”

THE FIRST INTERCOLONIAL RACE During the 1970’s and 80’s the members of Ballarat City had no idea of our amazing history and no idea of the incredible achievements of the rowers of the 1870’s. Having lost 80 years of memories in the disastrous boatshed fire of 1950, even the older members only had memories goingContinue reading “1873”