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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 RichardContinue reading “ROBERT HANIFORD COMMONS”

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 aContinue reading “THE REMARKABLE ARTHUR GIBB”

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 fromContinue reading “Teddy Jones-a lifetime of coxing.”

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 includedContinue reading “Lieutenant John Foster Gear, MC, MiD”

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 toContinue reading “THE BALLARAT CITY ROWING CLUB CREST”

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 joinedContinue reading “ANZAC DAY TRIBUTE-THE INCREDIBLE COULTERS”

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 ofContinue reading “WE WILL REMEMBER THEM-THE ANZACS OF BCRC”

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 menContinue reading “LADIES OF BCRC 1930’s and 40’s”

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 inContinue reading “THE LADIES OF THE CLUB 1900-1930”

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,Continue reading “THE LADIES OF THE BALLARAT CITY ROWING CLUB”