Poplar, Blackwall and District Rowing Club
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| Location | Isle of Dogs, London, England |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°29′12″N 0°0′36″W / 51.48667°N 0.01000°W |
| Home water | Tideway |
| Founded | 1845 |
| Former names | The Blackwall Rowing and Athletic Club |
| Affiliations | British Rowing boat code - PBD |
| Website | www |
| Events | |
| Poplar Regatta | |
| Notable members | |
| Mark Hunter, Kenny Dwan, John Roberts, Colin Seymour | |
Poplar Blackwall and District Rowing Club is a rowing club in Millwall, on the River Thames in England, on the northern bank of the Thames opposite Greenwich on the Isle of Dogs, London.
Club history
[edit]Poplar Blackwall and District Rowing Club was founded in 1845 and is one of the oldest rowing clubs in Great Britain. It is the oldest non-academic rowing club in London. It was established by a group of young lightermen as "The Blackwall Rowing and Athletic Club". Boats were carried to the river from a local pub.
After World War I there was an increase in membership from shipwrights, boilermakers and stevedores from the nearby shipyards and docks, although the depression in the 1930s led to reduced activity again.
The club reformed with its present name in 1935 and established a club and boat house on the present site in 1937: "the boys themselves constructed a launching ramp at Calder's Wharf", using North Greenwich railway station as a shelter for the boats.[1]
In 1951 the club was admitted to the National Amateur Rowing Association (later British Rowing), ending its classification as a professional club and enabling members to compete in all amateur regattas.[2] In 1953 the club recorded its first notable amateur win when it competed for and won the Vale of Evesham trophy. In 1956 the club entered Henley Royal Regatta for the first time, reaching the semi-finals of the Thames Challenge Cup.[2] Shortly before the outbreak of World War II, the club purchased four clinker fours and five rum tum sculling boats at a cost of £500; wartime restrictions prevented their use until 1945, the boats being stored beneath railway arches.[2]
In 1964 the club became aware of Greenwich Council’s plans to buy the existing site at Calders Wharf, which up until that point had been privately leased to the club, and relocate them to the South side of the river. The then club president, Dorothea (Dolly) Woodward Fisher O.B.E.[3] negotiated with the council to reach agreement that they fund construction of a new building themselves under the council’s proviso that a gymnasium be provided and the club, "…should cater for the poor boys and men of Poplar, Blackwall, Stepney and surrounding Districts".[4]
An appeal was launched to raise £75,000 for construction. Club president Mrs Woodward Fisher, who also ran a prominent lighterage business together with her late husband W. J. Woodward-Fisher, in Limehouse, took the helm in securing funds, "Mrs Fisher was wonderful and got all sorts of people on board. Ex Mayor of London Lord Rothchilds, Lord Cottesloe and many charities to help our cause."[5]
Architects Forrest and Barber were commissioned to design the new club house, completed in 1970. The building has a strong modernist aesthetic, particularly visibly when seen from the South side of the river, characteristic of the architects’ previous projects which include the Harrison Gibson furniture showroom in Ilford, East London.
Activities
[edit]The club provides rowing and sculling for adult, adult beginner, junior, masters (mature categories). It has events for recreational and competitive sides of the sport.[6]
The club house marks the finish of the annual Great River Race.
Taking the period since 2000 alone, PBDRC has seen members win more than 10 regattas and winter head races. The club has, at the top level, produced and enhanced international oarsmen and oarswomen: a few members of the club have represented Great Britain in the Olympic Games and World Championships in this period.
Competition history
[edit]The club has a long rowing tradition and many of its members are winners of the Doggett's Coat and Badge, the world's oldest annual sporting event, raced every year since 1715 in single sculls from London Bridge to Chelsea. In total the club has over 45 winners including some current and former international rowers.[2] In 1962 the club recorded its first win of the Wingfield Sculls, one of Britain's premier sculling events, by Charlie Dearsley; from 1968 Kenny Dwan recorded a further five consecutive wins and again in 1975, which is the most wins by any person since 1926.[2] The club has produced numerous international rowers and scullers including Kenny Dwan, who represented Great Britain at the 1968 and 1972 Olympic Games, and Mark Hunter, who won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and silver at the 2012 London Olympics in the lightweight double sculls alongside Zac Purchase.[7] Hunter started his rowing career at PBDRC at the age of 14, having been introduced to the sport by his father.[8]
In 1995 and 1996, juniors from the club (in a composite quad with the Windsor Boys' School) won the Fawley Challenge Cup at Henley Regatta.[9]
In 2011, Ralph Humphrey and Robert Milligan's double won the World Masters in Poznan, Poland,[10] the Britain Masters and the Henley Masters Veterans.
| Year | Competition | Division | Winners | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | Henley Royal Regatta | Silver Goblets & Nickalls' Challenge Cup, II- | R Easterling and J T McCarthy (runners-up) | |
| 1968 | Henley Royal Regatta | Diamond Challenge Sculls, M1x | Kenny Dwan (runner-up) | |
| 1968 | Wingfield Sculls | M1x | Kenny Dwan | |
| 1968 | Summer Olympics, Mexico | M1x | Kenny Dwan (6th overall) | |
| 1969 | Wingfield Sculls | M1x | Kenny Dwan | |
| 1970 | Wingfield Sculls | M1x | Kenny Dwan | |
| 1971 | Wingfield Sculls | M1x | Kenny Dwan | |
| 1972 | Wingfield Sculls | M1x | Kenny Dwan | |
| 1972 | Summer Olympics, Munich | M1x | Kenny Dwan (9th overall) | |
| 1974 | Henley Royal Regatta | Diamond Challenge Sculls, M1x | Kenny Dwan (runner-up) | |
| 1975 | Wingfield Sculls | M1x | Kenny Dwan | |
| 1978 | Henley Royal Regatta | Double Sculls Challenge Cup, M2x | MS Spencer and R Prentice (runners-up) | |
| 1979 | Henley Royal Regatta | Double Sculls Challenge Cup, M2x | Ian Gold (runner up) (in a composite with Bewl Bridge's AC Rudkin) | |
| 1995 | Henley Royal Regatta | Fawley Challenge Cup, JM4x | in a composite quad with the Windsor Boys' School | |
| 1996 | Henley Royal Regatta | Fawley Challenge Cup, JM4x | in a composite quad with the Windsor Boys' School | |
| 1997 | Henley Royal Regatta | Queen Mother Challenge Cup, B4x | (runners-up) | |
| 2016 | Marlow Regatta | Masters B/C | Andrea Stock | |
| 2016 | Novice JW1x | Phoebe O'Hene | ||
| 2016 | Peterborough Spring Regatta | IM3W1x | Beverley Reid | [11] |
| 2016 | WJ16 1x | Laura Stewart | [11] | |
| 2016 | Masters F 1x | Robert Milligan | [12] | |
| 2016 | Henley Masters Regatta | Masters B 1x | Andrea Stock | [13] |
| 2016 | Masters C 2x | Ralph Humphrey (in a composite with Medway Town's Shaun Martin) | [13] | |
| 2016 | Euro Masters Regatta, Munich | Masters C mixed 4x | Andrea Stock, Beverley Reid and Ralph Humphrey (in a composite with Medway Town's Shaun Martin) | [14] |
| 2016 | Masters A 1x | Andrea Stock | [14] | |
| 2016 | Masters B 1x | Andrea Stock | [14] | |
| 2016 | Masters B 2x | Ralph Humphrey (in a composite with Medway Town's Shaun Martin) | [14] | |
| 2016 | World Masters Championships, Copenhagen | Masters F 1x | Robert Milligan | |
| 2016 | Masters G VIII+ | Robert Milligan (in a composite with Ardingly, Quintin and Worcester) | ||
| 2016 | Masters G IV- | Robert Milligan (in a composite with Ardingly) | [15] | |
| 2016 | Masters A 2x | Ralph Humphrey (in a composite with Medway Town's Shaun Martin) | ||
| 2016 | Henley Sculls Head | IM3W 1x | Phoebe O'Herne | [16] |
| 2016 | IM1W 1x | Andrea Stock | [16] |
British champions
[edit]| Year | Winning crew/s |
|---|---|
| 1972 | Men 1x[17] |
| 1973 | Men 1x[18] |
| 1974 | Men 1x, Men J16 1x[19] |
| 1975 | Men 1x[20] |
| 1977 | Men 2x, Men J18 1x[21] |
| 1980 | Men J18 4x[22] |
| 1982 | Men J18 1x[23] |
| 1983 | Men J18 1x[24] |
| 1994 | Men J16 1x[25] |
| 1997 | Men 4x[26] |
| 2011 | Open J17 1x[27] |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "Raising £50,000 for East End Oarsmen". The Tatler. 13 August 1966. p. 38. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Club History | Poplar, Blackwall & District Rowing Club". 8 July 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
- ↑ "Dolly Fisher – 'Tugboat Annie of the Thames'". 19 February 2017.
- ↑ Fisher, Dolly. "Humble Beginnings - Dolly Fisher" (PDF). pbdrc.co.uk. Poplar, Blackwall & District Rowing Club. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ↑ Roberts, John. "PBDRC Our History. Poplar Blackwall & District Rowing Club". Docplayer.net. Emily James. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ↑ Official public information British Rowing
- ↑ "Olympic champion Mark Hunter retires from rowing". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
- ↑ "Mark Hunter". Olympics.com. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
- ↑ Solem, Karen (1 March 1997). American Rower's Almanac 1997. The Rowers Almanac Inc. p. 310. ISBN 9780965132718.
- ↑ "2011 Masters' Regatta Overall Results" (PDF). World Rowing. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
- 1 2 "Saturday 4th June 2016 - Results" (PDF). Peterborough City Rowing Club. 4 June 2016.
- ↑ "Sunday 5th June - Results" (PDF). Peterborough City Rowing Club. 5 June 2016.
- 1 2 "Henley Masters Regatta 2016 Results" (PDF).
- 1 2 3 4 "Euro Masters Regatta 2016 Munich RESULTS" (PDF). Rowing Club Port-Marly. 1 August 2016.
- ↑ "2016 World Rowing Masters Regatta Copenhagen" (PDF).
- 1 2 "Henley Sculls Head of the River Race - 5 Nov 2016". Henley Open Events. 5 November 2016.
- ↑ Railton, Jim (21 July 1972). "Railton, Jim. "Nottingham in their Olympic stride." Times, 21 July 1972, p. 10". The Times. p. 10.
- ↑ Railton, Jim (23 July 1973). "Railton, Jim. "Rowing." Times, 23 July 1973, p. 7". The Times. p. 7.
- ↑ Railton, Jim (22 July 1974). "Railton, Jim. "Marriage of two quads promises something special for Lucerne." Times, 22 July 1974, p. 8". The Times. p. 8.
- ↑ Railton, Jim (21 July 1975). "Railton, Jim. "Rowing." Times, 21 July 1975, p. 6". The Times. p. 6.
- ↑ Railton, Jim (18 July 1977). "Railton, Jim. "Rowing." Times, 18 July 1977, p. 7". The Times. p. 7.
- ↑ ""Rowing." Times, 21 July 1980, p. 12". The Times. 21 July 1980. p. 12.
- ↑ Railton, Jim (19 July 1982). "Railton, Jim. "Rowing." Times, 19 July 1982, p. 15". The Times. p. 15.
- ↑ Railton, Jim (18 July 1983). "Railton, Jim. "Problems for British selectors." Times, 18 July 1983, p. 19". The Times. p. 19.
- ↑ ""For the Record." Times, 18 July 1994, p. 22". The Times. 18 July 1994. p. 22.
- ↑ "Full archive of results". Web Archive. Archived from the original on 13 March 2017.
- ↑ "2011 Championships - Results of Sunday Racing". British Rowing Championships. Archived from the original on 6 December 2016.
External links
[edit]- http://www.pbdrc.co.uk/ official website
