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Jesus College Boat Club (Oxford)
Encyclopedia
Jesus College Boat Club (commonly abbreviated to JCBC) is a rowing
club for members of Jesus College, Oxford
, one of the constituent colleges
of the University of Oxford
. The club was formed in 1835, but rowing at the college predates the club's foundation: a boat from the college was involved in the earliest recorded races between college crews at Oxford in 1815, when it competed against Brasenose College. In the early years of rowing at Oxford, Jesus was one of the few colleges that participated in races. Neither the men's nor the women's 1st VIIIs
have earned the title of "Head of the River
", which is gained by winning Eights Week
—the main inter-college rowing competition at Oxford.
A number of college members have rowed for the university against Cambridge University in the Boat Race and the Women's Boat Race
. Barney Williams
, a Canadian rower who studied at the college, won a silver medal in rowing at the 2004 Summer Olympics
, and participated in the Boat Race in 2005 and 2006. Other students who rowed while at the college have achieved success in other fields, including John Sankey, who became Lord Chancellor
, Alwyn Williams
, who became Bishop of Durham, and Maurice Jones
, who became Principal of St David's College, Lampeter. Another college rower, James Page
, was appointed Secretary of the Amateur Rowing Association
and coached both the Oxford
and Cambridge
University boat clubs.
The college boathouse
, which is shared with the boat club of Keble College
, is in Christ Church Meadow, on the Isis
(as the River Thames
is called in Oxford). It dates from 1964 and replaced a moored barge
used by spectators and crew-members. The last college barge had been purchased from one of the Livery Companies of the City of London
in 1911. It is now a floating restaurant
further down the Thames at Richmond, and for some years was painted in the college colours of green and white.
) began at Eton
, where there is a record of the school owning three eights by 1811, and then progressed to Oxford. The first record of an inter-college race, between eights from Jesus College and Brasenose College, dates from 1815. These may have been the only two colleges who had boats racing at that time, and the Brasenose boat was usually victorious. There were few rowers, and races between fours (boats with four oarsmen and a coxswain) tended to attract more interest than races between eights. Students would row to the inn at Sandford-on-Thames
, a few miles south of Oxford, and race each other on the way back. The races would start at Iffley Lock
and finish at King's Barge, off Christ Church Meadow. Flags hoisted on the barge would indicate the finishing order of the crews. Crews would set off one behind the other, the trailing boat(s) trying to catch, or "bump", the boat ahead. The bumped boat and the bumping boat would then drop out and the bumping boat would start the next day's race ahead of the bumped boat. The aim was to become the lead boat, known as Head of the River
. For identification, crews wore college colours and emblazoned the rudder
of the boat with the college coat of arms. Crews from Jesus College painted leek
s (an emblem of Wales
) on their oars for further distinction. In early races, some rowers wore high hats while others, including the Jesus crews, wore Tam o'shanters
in college colours (green with a white band for Jesus); crews from Jesus College wore these until at least 1847.
In 1822, crews from Jesus and Brasenose raced each other to become Head of the River. One Brasenose rower apparently "caught a crab", slowing the boat. The Brasenose boat was bumped by the Jesus boat, but rowed on regardless and claimed that it was still Head of the River. Jesus and Brasenose men competed over which college's flag should be hoisted to denote the winning boat. One of the Brasenose crew ended the dispute by saying "Quot homines tot sententiae, different men have different opinions, some like leeks and some like onions", referring to the emblem on the Jesus oars, and it was agreed to row the race again. The Brasenose crew won the rematch. The incident has been said to be shown in an 1822 picture, the earliest depiction of an eights race at Oxford, painted by I. T. Serres (Marine Painter to George IV
). However, the print was published on 1 March 1822 and it would have taken several months to prepare and engrave. It also shows a summer scene. Both of these points suggest that the print depicts either an imaginary scene or an unrecorded event from 1821.
Races gradually became more formalised, and regulations were introduced prohibiting colleges from using professional rowers or members of other colleges. A race for the colleges' second boats (Torpids
) was introduced in 1826, and eventually boats with less than eight oars were excluded from the races. During the late 1820s and early 1830s, Jesus did not take part in races, but the college was mentioned as having a second boat by 1836. The formal foundation of the club dates from 1835, and official records of inter-college races begin in 1837. The Jesus College 1st VIII started the competition that year in second position, behind the Christ Church
1st VIII, but after being bumped on successive nights by Exeter
, Balliol
and Queen's colleges, Jesus took no further part in that year's competition. In 1838, the Jesus College boat rowed in last place on one evening, but did not participate in the races again until 1844. The club's fortunes varied in the years thereafter. In 1859, the eight achieved an unusual "overbump" (catching the crew that had started three places ahead of them, after the boat immediately ahead of it had bumped the boat it was chasing) and so went up three positions in one race. However, the college boat did not compete in 1860 and it finished in last place in 1864. From 1864 onwards, said Ernest Hardy
(in his 1899 history of the college), "the boating record of the College has not been good" – the college did not take part in the races in many years, and it seldom improved its position by more than one or two places when it did participate. The college resumed regular participation in the races in 1882; although it was in last place in 1889, the college improved its position, and went up by nine places between 1894 and 1896. Hardy also commented that the 1896 Jesus College boat had a reputation of being one of the faster boats in the university. The crew entered for the Ladies' Challenge Plate
at the Henley Regatta, but lost to Eton, the eventual winners.
By 1930, the college 1st VIII had reached its highest position on the river for thirty years. In 1947, the college chaplain Leslie Cross
presented a new set of oars to the club. He retired that year, and the college magazine, noting that Cross had been a particularly generous supporter of the club, stated that the oars had already been used to good purpose. The 1st VIII progressed further in the 1950s, making five bumps in 1951 and four in 1952 to reach the first division, with a high point of seventh in 1957. It later returned to the second division, before re-entering the first division in 1970. Its highest position in recent years was seventh in the first division in 2000; it has been back in the second division since 2004, and finished eighth in the second division in 2011.
Women were first admitted to Jesus College in 1974; the college was one of the first five men's colleges to do so. The women's 1st VIII was Head of the River in Torpids between 1980 and 1983. In 1993, the women's 1st VIII won their "blades"
in the first divisions of both Torpids and Eights Week
, an achievement that led to the crew being described in the Jesus College Record as vying "not just for the College team of the decade, but perhaps for the team of the last three decades", in any sport. The same crew also won the Novices' Trophy at the Wallingford Regatta
in the same year. The women's 1st VIII has not maintained its position since then. After some years in the third division, it ended the 2011 Eights Week in twelfth place in the second division, winning blades in the process.
All members of the college who have coxed or rowed in a JCBC boat are Ordinary Members of the Boat Club, a status that they retain until one month after leaving the college. The club is run by a committee, consisting of the Men's and Women's Captains of Boats, Men's and Women's Vice-Captains of Boats, Water Safety Advisor, Treasurer, Secretary, two Committee Persons and two Social Secretaries. Members of the committee hold office for one year, starting on Sunday of the sixth week of Trinity Term
– the day after the last day of Eights Week. The Senior Member of the club is Peter Mirfield, a Fellow and Tutor in Law at the college.
The college uses a proportion of student fees to fund social and sporting activity. The allocation for sport, including rowing, is overseen by the Committee of Amalgamated Clubs, which has representatives from the Junior and Middle Common Rooms
(for undergraduates and postgraduates) as well as from the college's sport clubs. The club is also sponsored by Newton Investment Management Ltd.
Old Members of the college who rowed when they were students can join the Cadwallader Club. The club, which was revitalised in 1974 and organises an annual dinner for members, also receives contributions for the Cadwallader Trust; this has been a registered charity since December 1982 and supports rowing at the college both with capital expenditure and training costs. In the year ending 5 April 2008, the trust's expenditure was £19,001. Members of the Cadwallader Club have helped to provide new boats and blades for the men's and the women's 1st VIIIs, and on the Saturday of Eights Week 2008, the trust presented the boat club with a new coxed four, named Cadwallader. Cadwallader Club members are also non-voting members of the boat club.
D. W. Griffith, the stroke
of the Jesus College boat, was present at the inaugural meeting of the Oxford University Boat Club
on 23 April 1839. However, Jesus College oarsmen played an infrequent part in university rowing in the 19th century. No Jesus College student served on the OUBC committee between 1839 and 1899, the last year for which Sherwood gives records. Two students from the college (W. S. Thompson and E. W. Davies (cox)) were part of the losing Oxford crew in the second Oxford–Cambridge boat race
in 1836. Between 1858 and 1899, seven others trialled, unsuccessfully, for places in the Oxford University crew. Since then, college representation in the Boat Race has been more frequent: M. L. Thomas and D. R. Glynne Jones (1952) and M.L. Thomas (President, 1953); Boris Mavra (1992, 1993 and 1995); the Canadian 2004 Olympic rowing silver medallist Barney Williams
(2005 and 2006); and Brodie Buckland (2007). Justin Hutchinson rowed for Oxford's reserve crew, known as Isis, in the 2002 and 2003 Boat Races, as did Tim Farquharson, an undergraduate studying Engineering Science, in 2009. Various women have won their "Blue" for competing in the Women's Boat Race
against Cambridge: Anna Bean and Ann Bevitt (1989); Louise Sanford (1997); and Claire Weaver (1998).
Some prominent individuals rowed while they were students at the college. The historian Albert Pollard
was Captain of Boats in 1890, having rowed in the boat that was last on the river in 1889. Alwyn Williams
(later Bishop of Durham), who was a student from 1906 to 1911, was captain of the Boat Club, as was James Page ("Freddie") , who went on to become secretary of the Amateur Rowing Association
from 1952 to 1972 and a rowing coach for both Oxford and Cambridge Boat Clubs
. Maurice Jones
(later Principal of St David's College
, Lampeter
) was a cox, as were Gordon Roe (later Bishop of Huntingdon
) and the chemist Frank Greenaway
. John Sankey (later Lord Chancellor
) rowed in a Torpid boat that went down four places, whilst the boat in which the baritone David Ffrangcon Davies
rowed went up five places in Torpids and four in Eights Week. Angus Buchanan
, who won the Victoria Cross
in 1916 during the First World War, rowed in a college four in 1919, despite having been blinded in 1917. Anton Muttukumaru
(later Commander of the Ceylon Army
) rowed at bow
in a college four.
Colleges began to keep barge
s moored on the side of the river on Christ Church Meadow from 1839; these would be used for crews to change, for spectators to watch the races and for social functions. Jesus shared a barge with New
, St John's
and Pembroke
after 1857. In 1911, Jesus purchased their own barge from Salters
, at a cost of £
940.14s
.8d
(approximately £ as of ). It had previously been owned by one of the Livery Companies of the City of London
and had been used in the days when the Lord Mayor's Show
took place on the River Thames in London rather than through the streets. After sinking in 1955, it was salvaged and restored. In 1964, the college replaced the barge with a boathouse
, which is shared with the boat club of Keble College
). The barge was moved to Maidenhead
where it was later restored. It returned to Oxford in 1987, but was badly damaged by fire in January 1988. After further restoration, it was moved to Richmond-upon-Thames, where it is moored alongside Richmond Bridge
and used as a restaurant. The barge was decorated for some years in the college colours of green and white, with a Welsh red dragon on the prow; by 2009, however, it had been repainted with blue instead of green.
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
club for members of Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
, one of the constituent colleges
Colleges of the University of Oxford
The University of Oxford comprises 38 Colleges and 6 Permanent Private Halls of religious foundation. Colleges and PPHs are autonomous self-governing corporations within the university, and all teaching staff and students studying for a degree of the university must belong to one of the colleges...
of the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. The club was formed in 1835, but rowing at the college predates the club's foundation: a boat from the college was involved in the earliest recorded races between college crews at Oxford in 1815, when it competed against Brasenose College. In the early years of rowing at Oxford, Jesus was one of the few colleges that participated in races. Neither the men's nor the women's 1st VIIIs
Eight (rowing)
An Eight is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for eight rowers, who propel the boat with sweep oars, and is steered by a coxswain, or cox....
have earned the title of "Head of the River
Head of the River
A Head of the River race is a rowing race, held as a procession race against the clock, with the winning crew receiving the title of "Head of the River"...
", which is gained by winning Eights Week
Eights Week
Eights Week, also known as Summer Eights, is a four-day regatta of bumps races which constitutes the University of Oxford's main intercollegiate rowing event of the year. The regatta takes place in May of each year, from the Wednesday to the Saturday of the fifth week of Trinity term...
—the main inter-college rowing competition at Oxford.
A number of college members have rowed for the university against Cambridge University in the Boat Race and the Women's Boat Race
Henley Boat Races
The Henley Boat Races are a number of rowing races between the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. Taking place on the River Thames at Henley, they are for crews that do not compete in the main University Boat Race on the 6,779m Championship Course in London:* Women's Boat Race *...
. Barney Williams
Barney Williams
Barney Guillermo Williams is a Canadian rower. He was educated at Upper Canada College, the University of Victoria and then at Jesus College, University of Oxford where he was President of the Oxford University Boat Club.He won a gold medal at the 2003 world championships in Milan, Italy and a...
, a Canadian rower who studied at the college, won a silver medal in rowing at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Schinias Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Centre and featured 550 competitors taking part in 14 events....
, and participated in the Boat Race in 2005 and 2006. Other students who rowed while at the college have achieved success in other fields, including John Sankey, who became Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
, Alwyn Williams
Alwyn Williams
Alwyn Terrell Petre Williams was Bishop of Durham and then Bishop of Winchester ....
, who became Bishop of Durham, and Maurice Jones
Maurice Jones
Maurice Jones was a priest and university educator.Born on 21 June 1863 at Trawsfynydd, Meirionnydd, he was educated at local school then, with scholarships, proceeded to Friars School, Bangor and Christ College, Brecon, and then Jesus College, Oxford, where he gained a first class degree in...
, who became Principal of St David's College, Lampeter. Another college rower, James Page
James Page (rower)
James Houghton Page OBE TD was a British rower who was secretary of the Amateur Rowing Association from 1952 to 1972.-Life:...
, was appointed Secretary of the Amateur Rowing Association
Amateur Rowing Association
British Rowing, formerly the Amateur Rowing Association , is the governing body in England for the sport of rowing. It is also responsible for the development and organisation of international rowing teams representing Great Britain...
and coached both the Oxford
Oxford University Boat Club
The Oxford University Boat Club is the rowing club of the University of Oxford, England, located on the River Thames at Oxford. The club was founded in the early 19th century....
and Cambridge
Cambridge University Boat Club
The Cambridge University Boat Club is the rowing club of the University of Cambridge, England, located on the River Cam at Cambridge, although training primarily takes place on the River Great Ouse at Ely. The club was founded in 1828...
University boat clubs.
The college boathouse
Boathouse
A boathouse is a building especially designed for the storage of boats, normally smaller craft for sports or leisure use. These are typically located on open water, such as on a river. Often the boats stored are rowing boats...
, which is shared with the boat club of Keble College
Keble College, Oxford
Keble College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its main buildings are on Parks Road, opposite the University Museum and the University Parks. The college is bordered to the north by Keble Road, to the south by Museum Road, and to the west by Blackhall...
, is in Christ Church Meadow, on the Isis
The Isis
The Isis is the name given to the part of the River Thames above Iffley Lock which flows through the city of Oxford. The name is especially used in the context of rowing at the University of Oxford...
(as the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
is called in Oxford). It dates from 1964 and replaced a moored barge
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
used by spectators and crew-members. The last college barge had been purchased from one of the Livery Companies of the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
in 1911. It is now a floating restaurant
Floating restaurant
A floating restaurant is a kind of vessel which is usually a type of steel barge used as a restaurant on water. For example, the Jumbo Palace at Aberdeen in Hong Kong is one such restaurant. Sometimes retired ships are given a second lease on life as floating restaurants. The former car ferry New...
further down the Thames at Richmond, and for some years was painted in the college colours of green and white.
History
The early records of the club have been lost, but there are references to a Jesus College boat in material that survives from the early 19th century. There are references to "pleasure boating" at Oxford in letters and poems written in the late 18th century, but races between crews from different colleges did not start until the early 19th century. Rowing in eights (boats with eight oarsmen, each pulling one oar, and steered by a coxswainCoxswain
The coxswain is the person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering. The etymology of the word gives us a literal meaning of "boat servant" since it comes from cox, a coxboat or other small vessel kept aboard a ship, and swain, which can be rendered as boy, in authority. ...
) began at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, where there is a record of the school owning three eights by 1811, and then progressed to Oxford. The first record of an inter-college race, between eights from Jesus College and Brasenose College, dates from 1815. These may have been the only two colleges who had boats racing at that time, and the Brasenose boat was usually victorious. There were few rowers, and races between fours (boats with four oarsmen and a coxswain) tended to attract more interest than races between eights. Students would row to the inn at Sandford-on-Thames
Sandford-on-Thames
Sandford-on-Thames is a village and Parish Council beside the River Thames in Oxfordshire just south of Oxford. The village is just west of the A4074 road between Oxford and Henley.-Early history:...
, a few miles south of Oxford, and race each other on the way back. The races would start at Iffley Lock
Iffley Lock
Iffley Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England near the village of Iffley, Oxfordshire. It is on the southern outskirts of Oxford. The original lock was built by the Oxford-Burcot Commission in 1631 and the Thames Navigation Commission replaced this in 1793...
and finish at King's Barge, off Christ Church Meadow. Flags hoisted on the barge would indicate the finishing order of the crews. Crews would set off one behind the other, the trailing boat(s) trying to catch, or "bump", the boat ahead. The bumped boat and the bumping boat would then drop out and the bumping boat would start the next day's race ahead of the bumped boat. The aim was to become the lead boat, known as Head of the River
Head of the River
A Head of the River race is a rowing race, held as a procession race against the clock, with the winning crew receiving the title of "Head of the River"...
. For identification, crews wore college colours and emblazoned the rudder
Rudder
A rudder is a device used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft or other conveyance that moves through a medium . On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to counter adverse yaw and p-factor and is not the primary control used to turn the airplane...
of the boat with the college coat of arms. Crews from Jesus College painted leek
Leek
The leek, Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum , also sometimes known as Allium porrum, is a vegetable which belongs, along with the onion and garlic, to family Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Allioideae...
s (an emblem of Wales
Symbols of the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
This is a list of the symbols of the United Kingdom, the Constituent Countries , the British Crown Dependencies ...
) on their oars for further distinction. In early races, some rowers wore high hats while others, including the Jesus crews, wore Tam o'shanters
Tam o'shanter (hat)
A Tam o' Shanter is a Scottish style hat originally worn by men. The hat is named after a character in a poem written by Robert Burns in 1790...
in college colours (green with a white band for Jesus); crews from Jesus College wore these until at least 1847.
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
). However, the print was published on 1 March 1822 and it would have taken several months to prepare and engrave. It also shows a summer scene. Both of these points suggest that the print depicts either an imaginary scene or an unrecorded event from 1821.
Races gradually became more formalised, and regulations were introduced prohibiting colleges from using professional rowers or members of other colleges. A race for the colleges' second boats (Torpids
Torpids
Torpids is one of two series of bumping races held yearly at Oxford University, the other being Eights. Over 130 men's and women's crews race for their colleges in six men's divisions and five women's; almost 1200 participants in total...
) was introduced in 1826, and eventually boats with less than eight oars were excluded from the races. During the late 1820s and early 1830s, Jesus did not take part in races, but the college was mentioned as having a second boat by 1836. The formal foundation of the club dates from 1835, and official records of inter-college races begin in 1837. The Jesus College 1st VIII started the competition that year in second position, behind the Christ Church
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
1st VIII, but after being bumped on successive nights by Exeter
Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth oldest college of the University. The main entrance is on the east side of Turl Street...
, Balliol
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
and Queen's colleges, Jesus took no further part in that year's competition. In 1838, the Jesus College boat rowed in last place on one evening, but did not participate in the races again until 1844. The club's fortunes varied in the years thereafter. In 1859, the eight achieved an unusual "overbump" (catching the crew that had started three places ahead of them, after the boat immediately ahead of it had bumped the boat it was chasing) and so went up three positions in one race. However, the college boat did not compete in 1860 and it finished in last place in 1864. From 1864 onwards, said Ernest Hardy
Ernest George Hardy
Ernest George Hardy was a classicist and Principal of Jesus College, Oxford from 1921 to 1925.Hardy was born in Hampstead, England and was educated at Highgate School. He then went to Exeter College, Oxford from 1871 to 1875, where he was a scholar and achieved a double-first in Literae Humaniores...
(in his 1899 history of the college), "the boating record of the College has not been good" – the college did not take part in the races in many years, and it seldom improved its position by more than one or two places when it did participate. The college resumed regular participation in the races in 1882; although it was in last place in 1889, the college improved its position, and went up by nine places between 1894 and 1896. Hardy also commented that the 1896 Jesus College boat had a reputation of being one of the faster boats in the university. The crew entered for the Ladies' Challenge Plate
Ladies' Challenge Plate
The Ladies' Challenge Plate is one of the events at Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. Crews of men's eight-oared boats below the standard of the Grand Challenge Cup can enter, although international standard heavyweight crews are not permitted to row in the...
at the Henley Regatta, but lost to Eton, the eventual winners.
Leslie Cross
Leslie Basil Cross was a theologian and a university chaplain and tutor.Cross held various positions at Jesus College, Oxford – in addition to teaching students for the whole of the Theology degree at Oxford, he was Estates Bursar and Senior Tutor . He invariably answered the telephone by...
presented a new set of oars to the club. He retired that year, and the college magazine, noting that Cross had been a particularly generous supporter of the club, stated that the oars had already been used to good purpose. The 1st VIII progressed further in the 1950s, making five bumps in 1951 and four in 1952 to reach the first division, with a high point of seventh in 1957. It later returned to the second division, before re-entering the first division in 1970. Its highest position in recent years was seventh in the first division in 2000; it has been back in the second division since 2004, and finished eighth in the second division in 2011.
Women were first admitted to Jesus College in 1974; the college was one of the first five men's colleges to do so. The women's 1st VIII was Head of the River in Torpids between 1980 and 1983. In 1993, the women's 1st VIII won their "blades"
Bumps race
A bumps race is a form of rowing race in which a number of boats chase each other in single file, each boat attempting to catch and "bump" the boat in front without being caught by the boat behind....
in the first divisions of both Torpids and Eights Week
Eights Week
Eights Week, also known as Summer Eights, is a four-day regatta of bumps races which constitutes the University of Oxford's main intercollegiate rowing event of the year. The regatta takes place in May of each year, from the Wednesday to the Saturday of the fifth week of Trinity term...
, an achievement that led to the crew being described in the Jesus College Record as vying "not just for the College team of the decade, but perhaps for the team of the last three decades", in any sport. The same crew also won the Novices' Trophy at the Wallingford Regatta
Wallingford Regatta
Wallingford Regatta is a rowing regatta which takes place on Dorney Lake, Buckinghamshire near Eton next to the River Thames in southern England. It attracts crews from schools, clubs and universities from around the United Kingdom....
in the same year. The women's 1st VIII has not maintained its position since then. After some years in the third division, it ended the 2011 Eights Week in twelfth place in the second division, winning blades in the process.
Club structure and finance
Trinity term
Trinity term is the name of the third and final term of Oxford University's and the University of Dublin's academic year. It runs from about mid April to about the end of June and is named after Trinity Sunday, which falls eight weeks after Easter, in May or June.At the University of Sydney, it was...
– the day after the last day of Eights Week. The Senior Member of the club is Peter Mirfield, a Fellow and Tutor in Law at the college.
The college uses a proportion of student fees to fund social and sporting activity. The allocation for sport, including rowing, is overseen by the Committee of Amalgamated Clubs, which has representatives from the Junior and Middle Common Rooms
Common Room (university)
In some universities in the United Kingdom — particularly collegiate universities such as Oxford, Cambridge and Durham — students and the academic body are organised into common rooms...
(for undergraduates and postgraduates) as well as from the college's sport clubs. The club is also sponsored by Newton Investment Management Ltd.
Old Members of the college who rowed when they were students can join the Cadwallader Club. The club, which was revitalised in 1974 and organises an annual dinner for members, also receives contributions for the Cadwallader Trust; this has been a registered charity since December 1982 and supports rowing at the college both with capital expenditure and training costs. In the year ending 5 April 2008, the trust's expenditure was £19,001. Members of the Cadwallader Club have helped to provide new boats and blades for the men's and the women's 1st VIIIs, and on the Saturday of Eights Week 2008, the trust presented the boat club with a new coxed four, named Cadwallader. Cadwallader Club members are also non-voting members of the boat club.
Rowers
Boat positions (sport rowing)
In the sport of rowing, each rower is numbered by boat position in ascending order from the bow to the stern . The person who is seated on the first seat is always the 'bowman', or more commonly called just 'bow', the closest to the stern is commonly referred to as the 'strokeman' or 'stroke'...
of the Jesus College boat, was present at the inaugural meeting of the Oxford University Boat Club
Oxford University Boat Club
The Oxford University Boat Club is the rowing club of the University of Oxford, England, located on the River Thames at Oxford. The club was founded in the early 19th century....
on 23 April 1839. However, Jesus College oarsmen played an infrequent part in university rowing in the 19th century. No Jesus College student served on the OUBC committee between 1839 and 1899, the last year for which Sherwood gives records. Two students from the college (W. S. Thompson and E. W. Davies (cox)) were part of the losing Oxford crew in the second Oxford–Cambridge boat race
The Boat Race
The event generally known as "The Boat Race" is a rowing race in England between the Oxford University Boat Club and the Cambridge University Boat Club, rowed between competing eights each spring on the River Thames in London. It takes place generally on the last Saturday of March or the first...
in 1836. Between 1858 and 1899, seven others trialled, unsuccessfully, for places in the Oxford University crew. Since then, college representation in the Boat Race has been more frequent: M. L. Thomas and D. R. Glynne Jones (1952) and M.L. Thomas (President, 1953); Boris Mavra (1992, 1993 and 1995); the Canadian 2004 Olympic rowing silver medallist Barney Williams
Barney Williams
Barney Guillermo Williams is a Canadian rower. He was educated at Upper Canada College, the University of Victoria and then at Jesus College, University of Oxford where he was President of the Oxford University Boat Club.He won a gold medal at the 2003 world championships in Milan, Italy and a...
(2005 and 2006); and Brodie Buckland (2007). Justin Hutchinson rowed for Oxford's reserve crew, known as Isis, in the 2002 and 2003 Boat Races, as did Tim Farquharson, an undergraduate studying Engineering Science, in 2009. Various women have won their "Blue" for competing in the Women's Boat Race
Henley Boat Races
The Henley Boat Races are a number of rowing races between the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. Taking place on the River Thames at Henley, they are for crews that do not compete in the main University Boat Race on the 6,779m Championship Course in London:* Women's Boat Race *...
against Cambridge: Anna Bean and Ann Bevitt (1989); Louise Sanford (1997); and Claire Weaver (1998).
Some prominent individuals rowed while they were students at the college. The historian Albert Pollard
Albert Pollard
Albert Frederick Pollard was a British historian who specialized in the Tudor period.-Life and career:Pollard was born in Ryde on the Isle of Wight. He was educated at Felsted School and Jesus College, Oxford where he achieved a first class honours in Modern History in 1891...
was Captain of Boats in 1890, having rowed in the boat that was last on the river in 1889. Alwyn Williams
Alwyn Williams
Alwyn Terrell Petre Williams was Bishop of Durham and then Bishop of Winchester ....
(later Bishop of Durham), who was a student from 1906 to 1911, was captain of the Boat Club, as was James Page ("Freddie") , who went on to become secretary of the Amateur Rowing Association
Amateur Rowing Association
British Rowing, formerly the Amateur Rowing Association , is the governing body in England for the sport of rowing. It is also responsible for the development and organisation of international rowing teams representing Great Britain...
from 1952 to 1972 and a rowing coach for both Oxford and Cambridge Boat Clubs
Cambridge University Boat Club
The Cambridge University Boat Club is the rowing club of the University of Cambridge, England, located on the River Cam at Cambridge, although training primarily takes place on the River Great Ouse at Ely. The club was founded in 1828...
. Maurice Jones
Maurice Jones
Maurice Jones was a priest and university educator.Born on 21 June 1863 at Trawsfynydd, Meirionnydd, he was educated at local school then, with scholarships, proceeded to Friars School, Bangor and Christ College, Brecon, and then Jesus College, Oxford, where he gained a first class degree in...
(later Principal of St David's College
University of Wales, Lampeter
University of Wales, Lampeter is a university in Lampeter, Wales. Founded in 1822 by royal charter, it is the oldest degree awarding institution in Wales and may be the third oldest in England and Wales after Oxford and Cambridge...
, Lampeter
Lampeter
Lampeter is a town in Ceredigion, South West Wales, lying at the confluence of the River Teifi and the Afon Dulas.-Demographics:At the 2001 National Census, the population was 2894. Lampeter is therefore the smallest university town in both Wales and the United Kingdom...
) was a cox, as were Gordon Roe (later Bishop of Huntingdon
Bishop of Huntingdon
The Bishop of Huntingdon is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Ely, in the Province of Canterbury, England. The title takes its name after Huntingdon, the historic county town of Huntingdonshire, England....
) and the chemist Frank Greenaway
Frank Greenaway
Frank Greenaway was Keeper of Chemistry at the Science Museum in London, England. He has authored a number of books and papers on the history of chemistry....
. John Sankey (later Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
) rowed in a Torpid boat that went down four places, whilst the boat in which the baritone David Ffrangcon Davies
David Ffrangcon Davies
David Ffrangcon-Davies, M.A. was a Welsh operatic baritone.-Early life and education:David Thomas Davies was born in Bethesda, Gwynedd. He later adapted the name Ffrangcon, an early variant spelling of the nearby valley Nant Ffrancon, as part of his new surname...
rowed went up five places in Torpids and four in Eights Week. Angus Buchanan
Angus Buchanan
Angus Buchanan, VC, MC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Early life:...
, who won the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
in 1916 during the First World War, rowed in a college four in 1919, despite having been blinded in 1917. Anton Muttukumaru
Anton Muttukumaru
Major General Anton M. Muttukumaru, OBE, ED, ADC, CLI was the first Ceylonese Army officer to serve as Commander of the Ceylon Army , a post he held from 1955 to 1959. He also served as Ceylon's High Commissioner to Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan and Ambassador to Egypt.-Early life and...
(later Commander of the Ceylon Army
Commander of the Army (Sri Lanka)
Commander of the Army is the title of the professional head of the Sri Lanka Army. The current Commander of the Army is Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya...
) rowed at bow
Boat positions (sport rowing)
In the sport of rowing, each rower is numbered by boat position in ascending order from the bow to the stern . The person who is seated on the first seat is always the 'bowman', or more commonly called just 'bow', the closest to the stern is commonly referred to as the 'strokeman' or 'stroke'...
in a college four.
College barges
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
s moored on the side of the river on Christ Church Meadow from 1839; these would be used for crews to change, for spectators to watch the races and for social functions. Jesus shared a barge with New
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
, St John's
St John's College, Oxford
__FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...
and Pembroke
Pembroke College Boat Club (Oxford)
Pembroke College Boat Club is the rowing club for members of Pembroke College, Oxford, and is one of the top boat clubs in Oxford with regular success for both men and women...
after 1857. In 1911, Jesus purchased their own barge from Salters
Salters Steamers
Salters Steamers, formerly known as Salter Bros, is an old family firm based around boating on the River Thames, originally established in 1858. The company runs passenger services in summer along the whole length of the River Thames between Oxford and Staines. They also hire boats from Oxford ,...
, at a cost of £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
940.14s
Shilling (United Kingdom)
The British shilling is an historic British coin from the eras of the Kingdom of Great Britain and the later United Kingdom; also adopted as a Scot denomination upon the 1707 Treaty of Union....
.8d
British One Penny coin (pre-decimal)
The English Penny, originally a coin of 1.3 to 1.5 g pure silver, includes the penny introduced around the year 785 by King Offa of Mercia. However, his coins were similar in size and weight to the continental deniers of the period, and to the Anglo-Saxon sceats which had gone before it, which were...
(approximately £ as of ). It had previously been owned by one of the Livery Companies of the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
and had been used in the days when the Lord Mayor's Show
Lord Mayor's Show
The Lord Mayor's Show is one of the longest established and best known annual events in London which dates back to 1535. The Lord Mayor in question is that of the City of London, the historic centre of London that is now the metropolis's financial district, informally known as the Square Mile...
took place on the River Thames in London rather than through the streets. After sinking in 1955, it was salvaged and restored. In 1964, the college replaced the barge with a boathouse
Boathouse
A boathouse is a building especially designed for the storage of boats, normally smaller craft for sports or leisure use. These are typically located on open water, such as on a river. Often the boats stored are rowing boats...
, which is shared with the boat club of Keble College
Keble College, Oxford
Keble College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its main buildings are on Parks Road, opposite the University Museum and the University Parks. The college is bordered to the north by Keble Road, to the south by Museum Road, and to the west by Blackhall...
). The barge was moved to Maidenhead
Maidenhead
Maidenhead is a town and unparished area within the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, in Berkshire, England. It lies on the River Thames and is situated west of Charing Cross in London.-History:...
where it was later restored. It returned to Oxford in 1987, but was badly damaged by fire in January 1988. After further restoration, it was moved to Richmond-upon-Thames, where it is moored alongside Richmond Bridge
Richmond Bridge, London
Richmond Bridge is an 18th-century stone arch bridge in south west London, England, which was designed by James Paine and Kenton Couse, and which crosses the River Thames at Richmond, connecting the two halves of the present-day London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.The bridge, which is a Grade...
and used as a restaurant. The barge was decorated for some years in the college colours of green and white, with a Welsh red dragon on the prow; by 2009, however, it had been repainted with blue instead of green.
External links
- Charts showing race results from 1980 onwards, with crews from Jesus College highlighted, from information published in The Times or held by Oxford University Rowing ClubsOxford University Rowing ClubsOxford University Rowing Clubs is the confederation of OUBC, OUWBC, OULRC and OUWLRC. It is the body which has authority over the conduct of all College crews, and is responsible for organising inter-collegiate contests.-Inter-collegiate Events run by OURCs:...
: