The History of Quintin Boat Club

2007 saw the 100th anniversary of the Quintin Boat Club name.

The birth of Quintin

Quintin Boat Club grew out of the institution which for most of its life has been the Regent Street Polytechnic and which has now evolved into the University of Westminster.  The Polytechnic, originally called the Young Men’s Christian Institute, was founded in the 1870s by Quintin Hogg, a wealthy sugar merchant.  It offered both technical education and sporting facilities, with the sports clubs being open to all and not restricted to students taking the courses.  The Polytechnic’s rowing club started in 1879.  In 1888 Quintin Hogg paid to have a boathouse built for it at Chiswick and also paid for a fleet of boats. The drawing below shows the opening of the new boathouse and was published in the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News on 1st September 1888 (newspaper cutting courtesy of Malcolm Cook).

The following report appeared in The Times of Monday 27 August 1888: "In connexion with the athletic club which is carried on in conjunction with the Polytechnic Young Men's Christian Institute, a boathouse for the use of the rowing members was formally declared open on Saturday afternoon by the Rev. C. J. Bristowe, who was stroke in the Cambridge boat of the University race of 1887, in the presence of a numerous company. The boathouse, which is built in the chalet style, with a covered verandah, cost £800, and is the gift of Mr. Quintin Hogg, the president, who has, in addition, stocked it with a good selection of boats, including four eights, five fours, four sculling gigs, and two tub fours. The house is situated on the banks of the river at Chiswick, adjoining the Ibis, on the Grove-park estate, and it contains, in addition to good accommodation for boats, a club room, dressing rooms, and lavatories, and has a frontage of 60ft. Mr. Quintin Hogg was present during the opening ceremony, and the company awarded him three hearty cheers. Boat racing was subsequently indulged in, and the proceedings were enlivened by a selection of music performed by the military band of the institute."

In the late 19th century both Henley Royal Regatta and the Amateur Rowing Association had   rigid rules about amateur status.  No club could compete at Henley or at an ARA regatta if any member of the club was a “mechanic, artisan or labourer”.  This – especially the “artisan” ban – created problems for the Polytechnic Rowing Club.  Indeed, in 1898 it tried to enter a four for the Wyfolds at Henley but the entry was rejected because the club’s amateur status was considered to be not in accordance with the rules.  Many rowing clubs with artisan members were similarly affected by the stringent definition of amateur, so they formed their own association, the National Amateur Rowing Association.  NARA clubs could not row in ARA regattas and vice versa.  Not until 1938 were clubs from the two associations allowed to row in each others’ regattas.

However, in 1907 the Polytechnic Rowing Club devised a partial solution to this problem.  To enable crews to race at Henley and in ARA regattas, a new club was formed which was restricted to members of the Polytechnic Rowing Club who satisfied the amateur definition.  The club was initially called the Polytechnic Boat Club but a few months later, in October 1907, it was renamed Quintin Boat Club in honour of Quintin Hogg, who had died four years earlier, poisoned by fumes from a gas heater whilst in the bath of his room in the Polytechnic.  Quintin Hogg’s picture is still displayed in the clubroom along with those of Freddie Saunders and Frank Harry, prominent early members.

The early days

Quintin took part in the first Head of the River Race in 1926 and is one of the very few clubs who have competed in every one.  The club first appeared at Henley in 1920.  It quickly established itself there, from 1926 reaching semi-finals four times in five years.  In 1936 Quintin raced the legendary Tokyo Imperial University eight in the Grand.  The race was close for over half the course but the Japanese raised the rate to over 50 and won by two lengths.

Competitive rowing ceased during the two world wars.  The names of the members who perished are recorded on a memorial in the clubroom and a wreath is placed below it each November.

After the war

In 1944 the boathouse was damaged by incendiary bombs and all the boats were destroyed. However, the club was soon back on its feet and the immediate post war years produced a flurry of successes at Henley.  Wally Horwood won the Barrier Sculls in 1945 and the Double Sculls with David Garrod two years later (see picture here).  1947 also saw a four including Dick Hylton Smith, the club’s current president, win the Wyfolds.  The Half Centenary Dinner was held in 1958 and a photograph of the event is still in the clubroom.  Faces that can be recognised include Dick Hylton Smith, along with members such as Gordon Madge, “Bubbles” Ward and Vin Batten.

In 1965 a Quintin four won the Stewards at Henley and went on to represent Great Britain in the World Championships later that year (see picture here).  The crew included Bill Barry, who had won a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, who for four consecutive years won both the Scullers Head and the Wingfield Sculls and who had twice reached the final of the Diamonds – in 1963 losing by only two feet.

The mid 1960s to mid 1970s were a highpoint for the club, with frequent appearances in Henley finals and semi-finals.  There were also numerous top ten finishes in the Head of the River Race, and the club won the Fours Head five years running.  In 1968 a Quintin eight stroked by John Peters rowed as England in the Home Countries International and won (see picture here).  In 1973 Quintin won the eights at the National Championships.  The 1976 National Championships produced a silver medal in lightweight eights behind the world silver medallists, a crew which contained Quintin member Brian Fentiman.  And Graeme Mulcahy won the Wingfields and represented Great Britain in quad sculls.

In the early 1980s the pair of Roger Hine and Graham Lloyd won over 30 elite events, including a memorable win at Marlow Regatta in 1980 (see picture here). 

1984 saw another Quintin win at the National Championships, this time in quad sculls.

The recent past

In the last 20 years the club has continued to be successful, without sustaining the achievements of its golden period.  Kenny Almand and Bobby Thatcher earned GB vests and in 1993 a coxless four reached the semi-final of the Wyfolds before going down to London RC, a National Squad crew and the event’s winners.  With the upsurge in veteran rowing, the club has had successes at Henley Veteran Regatta, the National Veteran Championships and the World Masters Regatta.  The crew that won Veteran D quads at the National Veteran Championships in 2004 and 2005 also won Veteran C in 2004.  In most years Quintin enters crews in the Wyfolds and the Thames Cup, with varying degrees of success. In 2006 our Wyfold four won their first round by three feet but then lost to Leander.

One of the most radical changes of the last 100 years came in 1999 when women were admitted as members.  Their presence has gradually grown and they now form about a quarter of the membership, including 2006’s top pot winner.

Memories from the 1960s about rowing at Quintin

Chiswick Regatta

Always held on the last w/e of May. The Hartington Road Horse Chestnut trees in full blossom. The field adjacent to the clubhouse filled with white canvas boat tents, converted Coal Lorries standing by to transport the one piece wooden VIII’s and IV’s at the end of the day.

Tom & Mrs. Peters

The Boatman and his wife, their taciturn demeanour masking hearts of gold.

Basil Kemp-Gee, Honorary Bar Steward

Immaculate in blazer, club tie and white shirt, opening the bar at midday on Sunday with bowls of cheese and pickled onions for his customers.

Lou Barry and Ron Needs

Two of the finest post war coaches this country has produced, both operating from the club at the same time. The coaching and training schedules provided by these two gentlemen laid the foundation for the success enjoyed by the club during the following two decades.
Lou, a natural communicator and master of the telling one liner. Ron, with his slightly more earnest approach, none the less effective, racing along the tow path on his bike, pausing to draw breath and clear his throat before delivering his words of wisdom.

Gordon Madge

The quintessential club man. One of life’s gentlemen, he had a wonderful ability to find the right turn of phrase whether he was commiserating with a losing novice, or congratulating a winning head crew.

Bill Barry

He strode through the club like a Colossus during the Sixties. His winning the Scullers HOR and the Wingfields four times running, a never to be forgotten achievement, nor the performance of the record breaking, winning, Stewards IV he rowed in at Henley Royal Regatta in ’65. They went on to represent GB at that year’s European Champs, but unfortunately could not repeat their July form.

The Club’s Wyfold IV crew of ’67

The four were coached by Ron Needs at HRR. They met a star studded Tideway Scullers School crew in the final, and lost by half a length. Their consolation was to win outright the IVs Head of the River later that year.

The Thames Cup VIII of ‘68

Again coached by Ron Needs. After the disappointment of the “flooded” HRR, they were selected to represent England at that years Home Countries International, held on Lake Blessington, Dublin. The club defeated the Garda Siochana Boat Club, representing Ireland, by one length on their home water. A result to be reversed seven years later in the final of the Thames Cup at HRR.
 

The IVs Head of the River

During the decade Quintin Boat Club won this event four times outright and the Coxless IVs division five times running, not to mention one Junior IVs title.
One of the most memorable occasions was the 1965 race rowed in appalling conditions. The club Ist IV started off at No1 only to see the following six crews sink behind them before they crossed the finish line, victorious for the second year running. The average age of the crew that year was 20.The club also recorded its one and only Junior Coxed Clinker IV’s title in that storm tossed race.

Club Dances

Held on Saturday evenings in the club room. Toe-curlingly embarrassing non events of the early ‘60s, where six men and a dog stood round an empty room save for an enormous mahogany table set centre square, gave way to joint jumping standing room only affairs, invariably organised by Mike Ealand. The club house would be full of drop dead gorgeous girls and tongue tied oarsmen strutting their stuff to live music from a rock group or West Indian Steel Band Mike had conjured up from somewhere.

Happy Days!

Here is an old newsreel about the men of Quintin training for the Olympics.

Quintin's web history can be found here