Bournemouth Rowing Club

Westover and Bournemouth Rowing Club, founded in 1865 is the oldest club in Bournemouth and races in coastal rowing regattas organised by the Hants and Dorset Amateur Rowing Associationon on the South Coast of England. Located next to the Central Pier the club is the only sporting community visible to residents and tourists alike in Bournemouth.

History

The first lease, a piece of Foreshore 20 feet square was given by the Clerk to the Bournemouth Improvement Commissioners in 1865. A boathouse was erected and rented at £1 per year, mainly for the storage of pleasure boats. There were less than 4000 residents in Bournemouth so a Competitive Rowing Club within the real meaning of the word had not yet started. At the Annual Dinner of 1870 Mr. Cutler, the Captain of the Club referred to having two heavy Punts of unequal size and that racing was hardly practical even with a handicap. Sir Henry Drummond Wolff who was then the Parliamentary candidate for Christchurch and Bournemouth presented the club with a four oared racing Galley called the Lothair, which was the title of a novel by the Earl of Beconsfield. This gift set an example, followed for many years by the Parliamentary candidate, to present a racing galley to the local club. These boats were usually built by Picket or some other expert at Southampton, and though quite light, were designed for sea rowing and so much stouter than such fragile craft as one sees at Henley and other river Regattas.

External links

• Westover and Bournemouth Rowing Club
• Hants and Dorset Amateur Rowing Association