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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.Continue reading “Ernest Davey Morshead”

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 asContinue reading “Lieutenant John (Jack) Mercer Walker”

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. INContinue reading “Sergeant Terence Richard Hynes”

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 membersContinue reading “ANZAC 2022 Tributes- Captain Frederick Coldwell-Smith”

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’sContinue reading “Albie (Albion) McGuire”

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 eldestContinue reading “Lieutenant Colonel  HUGH MARCELL CONRAN”

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 startedContinue reading “Lieutenant Colonel ALFRED WILTON BENNETT V.D.”

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. GribbleContinue reading “Lieutenant William Arthur Holtham”

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 winterContinue reading “Alan Robertson Scott”

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 andContinue reading “Leslie James Hobson”