Stourport Regatta and Sports ... 1901

Gallant Rescue of a Wolverley Boy

The officials of the Stourport Boat Club are to be congratulated on the success which attended the two days? Regatta and Athletic Sports. They were fortunate in the weather. Saturday was gloriously fine. On Sunday night the district was visited with a heavy downpour of rain which greatly refreshed everything. On Monday rain continued to fall internittently during the day at Kidderminster and elsewhere, but at Stourport no rain fell, although the sky was overcast and the outlook was threatening. No doubt the attendance was less in consequence of this state of things, but during the afternoon there was a great crowd in the meadow so that the financial tesults willl no doubt be substantial. The experiment made last year to extend the regatta and sports over two days rather than crowd an exceedingly full programme into one day?s engagement has proved a success, for on both occasions the gatherings have been very large, and a handsome sum has been realised. Last year most of the regatta events were contested on the second day, but this year the opposite order was taken and the chief aquatic contests were held on Saturday leaving the workmen?s boating contests, for which Mr Cecil B. Harmsworth gave a handsome prize, and the athletic sports to be decided on Monday. Mr Zachary Lloyd, J.P. and Mr Knowles again lent their meadows situate on the Areley Kings side of the river, and similar arrangements were made as in former years. The swimming contests for boys on Monday, for which Mr John Brinton, of Moor Hall, gave the prizes, provided a sensational incident. Nine boys had started for a 50 yards? race. Eight were making capital progress. The ninth, H. H. Wheeler, of the Wolverley Grammar School did not make much headway. Then he stopped and was evidently in distress. His position became perilous. The other boys were at least 20 yards ahead, closely followed by the police and other small boats. Wheeler cried out for help. Mr P. Donald Glover, who had acted as starter, without a moment?s hesitation, and heavily dressed with leather leggings, boots and coat, plunged into the water, and reached the boy just as he was sinking. Wheeler was placed in a boat and removed to the dressing tent where he was attended to by Dr Martin. The heroic act of Mr Glover was enthusiastically cheered by the thousands of spectators.

It is to be regretted that Stourport Boat Club had not put a senior crew on the river this season. The reason given was that, the officials were engaged erecting a new handsome boat house which was opened and used for the first time on Saturday, they could not sustain the expense incidental to the training of a senior crew, and sending it to the variousregattas in the country, and they prefer to ?lie low? for a season and put renewed life into the struggle next year. The Stourport crew two years ago carried everything before it, and were the holders of about half-a-dozed challenge cups, some of great value and beauty; so that they can for a while afford to rest on their laurels. The contests were exceedingly keen, especially amongst the Workmen?s crews, on Monday, and the entries more than usually numerous, especially with the maidens and juniors. This is a satisfactory feature of the regatta, indicating a well sustained interest in aquatic exercises, for the juniors will soon become seniors, and will compete for the challenge vases offered at various centres. Last year the Stourport crew held the Boddington Vase. Now it goes to Nottingham Britannia Club, who defeated the Evesham crew after a stiff contest, and then beat the opposing crew from their own town. The County Member?s Plate was secured by the men from Bath after a hard fight. The Bewdley crew received much encouragement and sympathy from the spectators in their hard struggle for the mastery, but the fates were unrelenting, and they were beaten by a few yards. The Cardiff crew have competed at Stourport on several occasions, but had not hitherto succeeded in carrying off a prize. On Saturday they secured the Baldwin Challenge Vase, and were greatly delighted at their success. It was a novelty to have some of the schools entering into competition on the river, but regretable that any feeling should have arisen owing to the presence of a strong crew from Bridgnorth. The radius limit was fixed at seven miles. There did not seem at first much eagerness on the part of the schools to enter, and to secure competition the officials waived the distance condition and invited Bridgnorth School to send a crew. Immediately afterwards two local crews entered, and then objections arose, the result being that one of the crews declined to row and the prizes went to the old borough of Bridgnorth. The water polo competitions excited much interest, as did the horse-jumping on the two days; while the athletic contests on Monday provoked much interest. The officials were: Regatta - Starters and Umpires: Messrs. F. C. Boon, J. M. Harding, G. H. Livesey, G. Stones, and T. Williams. Judges: Messrs. E. A. Baldwin JP, W. Dorsett, F. Harrison (Nottingham), W. H. Harrison, R. S. Blundell, J. W. Anderson Jnr., E. S. Robinson, and P. D. Glover. Stewards: Messrs. F. J. Collett, F. C. Glover, T. Jones, G. Jones, A. E. Oakley and W. Randle.

Details:
The County Members? Plate - for maiden fours, with coxswain. Distance about three-quarters of a mile.
First Heat: Bewdley RC bt Gloucester RC, scratched, r.o.
Second Heat: Stourport BC, C. Cope (bow), J. Hughes (2), F. Smythe (3), F. Dawes (stroke), R. Williams, (cox). bt Worcester RC, Worcester having won at the maiden event at Worcester Regatta could not compete, r.o.
Third Heat: Nottingham Union RC bt Cardiff Amateur RC. A capital race, one length dividing the boats.
Fourth Heat: Bath Avon RC bt Derwent RC (Derby). The event was closely contested from start to finish, and only half a length divided the boats at the flagstaff.
Fifth Heat: Bewdley RC bt Stourport BC. The struggle excited a good deal of local interest, and both crews were encouraged by the spectators along the course. Unfortunately at about the middle of the course both crews got into the centre of the stream. Then No. 3 of the Bewdley crew missed a stroke, which caused the boat to swerve towards their opponents? boat and they were ruled as having fouled the local men. Each crew pulled hard for victory, and Bewdley passed the judge?s post one-third of a length ahead. As partiality might have been alleged, the judges offered the Bewdley men to again contest the course, and so remove all possibility of complaint on a point on which there was a diversity of opinion. This course was followed and Bewdley again won by exactly the same distance as in the first struggle. The Bewdley men were warmly complimented on their victory.
Sixth Heat: Bath Avon bt Nottingham Union RC. A clinking performance. The contest was keen throughout. When 100 yards from the finish the lace men, who were then a length behind, put on a spurt and were scarcely half a length in the rear at the finish. The Bath men were the runners up at the Worcester Regatta.
Final: Bath Avon RC bt Bewdley RC. The Bath men were eveidently more experienced, and the fact that Bewdley had had two severe trials told against them. They, however, pulled together well and forced the pace of the Bath crew, who won by a short length.

Public School Race - Four oars with coxswain in boats with fixed seats. Open to boys attending any public school. Prize £2. Distance about a quarter of a mile.
First Heat: Hartlebury Grammar School - H. G. Dorsett (bow), A. Ruscoe (2), H. A. Ragg (3), H. Stones (stroke), W. J. Hodges (cox) bt Wolverley Grammar School - Gray (bow), Hamblett (2), Richards (3), Maddever (stroke), Turner (cox). Won by 2 lengths.
Second Heat: Bridgnorth Grammar School - E. H. Wadlow (bow), T. Green (2), W. H. Ivens (3), H. G. Evans (stroke), I. Smith (cox) - The Wolverley Grammar School crew - Griffiths, Robinson, Powell, Munn and Moore, would not contest on the ground that the Bridgnorth crew were beyond the radius fixed by the committee.
Final: Bridgnorth Grammar School bt Hartlebury Grammar School. It seemed as though this would be an unequal contest, for while the Hartlebury crew was consisted of boys who are studying in the school, two of the Bridgnorth crew were evidently bearded tutors. The local youths, however, pulled finely, and were only a length and a quarter behind at the judge?s box. They were heartily complimented on the pluck they had shown.

The Boddington Challenge Vase - for senior fours, in first class boats, with coxswain. Vase to be held for one year, and prize £25. Distance about one mile.
First Heat: Nottingham Britannia RC rowed over - Hereford RC did not put in an appearance.
Second Heat: Nottingham BC bt Birmingham RC. A well contested race. The boats kept well together until they got into the straight, when the lace men pulled away from the city crew and won by a length and a half.
Third Heat: Nottingham Britannia RC bt Evesham RC. The lace men were the stronger set, and pulled together finely. They were not pressed from the start and won by nearly two lengths.
Final: Nottingham Britannia RC bt Nottingham BC. This was, of course, the event of the day, and was fiercely contested. The crews were capitally balanced, and pulled for all they were worth, Britannia winning by three-quarters of a length.

The Baldwin Challenge Vase - for junior fours, with coxswain, in clinker-built boats. Winners to hold the vase for one year; prizes, £12. Distance, three-quarters of a mile.
First Heat: Cardiff ARC bt Bedford Rowing and Swimming Club. A very goodrace up to within 100 yards of the end, when Bedford No. 2 broke his oar, and Cardiff won with tolerable ease.
Second Heat: Stratford-on-Avon RC rowed over, Birmingham RC did not put in an appearance.
Third Heat: Cardiff ARC bt Worcester RC. The crews were pulling well together, going at a good pace, when Worcester fouled about 200 yards from the end, and near the judges? post their blades clashed with those of the Welshmen, who appealed and the judges decided in their favour.
Fourth Heat: Bath Avon RC rowed over, Gloucester RC did not come.
Fifth Heat: Stratford-on-Avon RC bt Derwent RC (Derby). Won by a length.
Sixth Heat: Cardiff ARC bt Stratford-on-Avon RC. The Bath crew, having won the County Member?s Plate, scratched for the final of the Baldwin Vase, leaving Cardiff ARC the winners of the Plate.

Workmen?s Race - Four oar on fixed seats with coxswain. Open th representatives of any public body or works in Kidderminster, Bewdley, Stourport, or within seven miles radius of Stourport Town Hall. Distance about half a mile. First prize, value £7, second £3 (presented by Mr Cecil B. Harmsworth).
First Heat: Baldwin, Son and Co Ltd - F. Wainwright (bow), J. Jenks (2), G. Jones (3), A. Morris (stroke), T. Dunn (cox) bt Anglo American Tin Stamping Co - W. Greenwood (bow), R. Greenwood (2), W. Taylor (3), A. Jasper (stroke), J. Boswell (cox). The foundry men practically took the water of their opponents and came home easily.
Second Heat: Anglo American Tin Stamping Co - J. Tipper (bow), G. Smith (2), W. Baker (3), C. Newnham (stroke), W. Lashford (cox) bt Unity Football Club - H. Pardoe (bow), J. W. Taylor (2)