100 YEARS of the VANCOUVER ROWING CLUB

Gleanings from Jack Carver's "The Vancouver Rowing Club - A History 1886-1980" compiled by Honorary Vice President, Norman Jack in 1999. Additional sources from the VRC archives. ( Brief chronological highlights here)

OUR HISTORY
"That a Club to be called the Vancouver Rowing Club be formed, the charter members of which to be all the members of the Vancouver Boating Club, and of the Burrard Inlet Rowing Club who are in good standing."

With this motion being passed unanimously by a meeting of both clubs on April 1st 1899 our present Club came into being.

The VBC was the more senior of the two Clubs having been formed in 1886, the year of Vancouver's incorporation as a city. This is reflected by that year being emblazoned on our Club crest. The BIRC was formed 4 years later. Our roots in the Vancouver Boating Club establish us as the oldest amateur sports organization in Vancouver, and the second oldest in British Columbia.

The previous fall a combined crew from both the founding clubs had defeated a Portland crew by five lengths. This success had led to thoughts of amalgamation, and both Clubs had held meetings over the winter to discuss this matter.

Both founding Clubs had floating clubhouses, and 1905 saw these moored at the foot of Bute St. As the CPR required this site for an extension of the wharf, the Club approached the City with a view to obtaining a suitable alternative site. Two sites were offered. One at the foot of Denman St. the other was Lot 14 Park Bridge. This lot was described as "In Stanley Park, just past the bridge, below the bear pit". The Club held a special General Meeting to choose a site. On June 20, 1905 a tug towed over "the houses and floats" to the site we still occupy.

In 1910 the decision was made to erect a new clubhouse. Plans were made for "a reading room, reception hall, ballroom, gymnasium and accommodation for all racing boats, canoes and training quarters for the crews." The Provincial Construction Company won the contract with a bid of $13,000. The final cost was closer to $15,000 of which nearly $10,000 was raised through the sale of $100 Life memberships. The new clubhouse was officially opened on September 9, 1911. This building was essentially what we have today, without the Trophy Lounge which was added in 1936. In 1990 the VRC clubhouse received Heritage Designation from Vancouver City Council.

The North Pacific Association of Amateur Oarsmen, of which our two founding clubs were members, held its first regatta in Vancouver on August 12 and 13, 1892. Up until the outbreak of war on August 4, 1914 those clubs and the VRC competed regularly. One of our founding clubs, the Burrard Inlet Rowing Club, dominated the 1892 competition. The Advertiser reported: "B.I.R.C. members were happy over an almost unbroken line of victories. Every wharf and ship in the harbour was thronged with spectators... the Senior Fours event had the crowd cheering madly as the B.I.R.C. crew won by 2 feet... with the Boating Club, having worse water and an outgoing tide, four lengths behind". In the Senior Fours race referred to, Bob Johnston rowed 2nd. He later became a world-renowned professional sculler and was coached by the ‘great‘ Ned Hanlan, and became the first recipient of Ned Hanlan's cane, which now resides in our trophy case as our most treasured belonging. The Vancouver Boating Club's first NPAAO victory was in the 1895 Junior Fours, later dubbed "the Sponge Race". The B.I.R.C. continued to dominate, with minor exceptions, the Ferguson Cup (for championship of the harbour) until the two clubs merged to form the Vancouver Rowing Club in 1899.

The first recorded VPAAO win by the VRC in Jack Carver's book was in 1907 with C.G. Laing winning both the Junior and Seniors singles. In 1908 the NPAAO had decided against having eight oared races because of the expense involved in transporting the shells. Although all clubs were in favour of eights being included, it was not until 1937 that this happened.

Also in 1908, Reggie Woodward first got the oarsmen playing rugby. He did not go out and recruit players but encouraged those VRC members playing for other clubs to play for the VRC. All were oarsmen as well as rugby players. This dual sport participation lasted through to the early fifties. Unfortunately the commitment required by both sports now probably makes it impossible to participate in both at any competitive level. In 1908 the Club lost all of its games in the City Senior League and in 1909 lost all but one. In 1910 they won all 10 games, and the Miller Cup, scoring 186 points to 5 against.

1913 saw the Club start a Hockey team (Ice), which was entered in the City Senior League. It was the class of the league, winning all its games and on January 21, 1914 the City Championship. The war intervened and it was not revived in 1919.

At the outbreak of WWI ninety VRC members volunteered immediately. Of the VRC active list at the beginning of the war, 115 members were eligible for military service. During the course of the war another 49, under the age limit at the start, enlisted, making a total of 164 volunteers. This out of an active membership of 200 brought activity at the Club to almost a halt. A spring regatta was held in 1915 although with few events and contestants. The summer rowing regatta of 1914 was the last held until the end of the war. Rugby was discontinued and the Vancouver Rugby Union did not reorganize until 1919. In 1917 at the AGM, Life members were asked to donate not less than $5.00 towards the upkeep of the Club owing to the fact so many members were on active service. In 1918 the Club roster numbered only 35 "not one of whom was a single man fit for service".

The 1920's saw resurgence in Club activities with increasing membership and renewal of competition in rowing and rugby after the lack of it during the war years. 1924 brought the first Olympic medals to members of the VRC, with Colin Finlayson, George Mackay, Archie Black and Bill Wood winning the silver at the Paris games, and becoming known as the "Paris Four". On the rugby field the Club won the Miller Cup in 1921, 1922, 1924 and 1929.

Ever since the Clubhouse had been built most of the members who owned pleasure boats moored them at floats alongside, but as membership increased more floats were needed. In the spring of 1926 an additional float was obtained. A committee of " Motor Boat Owners" was organized to allot moorage space, and this was the start or what was to be called the "Mooring Section", and later the "Yachting Section". The revenue from these moorage rentals helped to provide money needed to operate the Club.

In 1927 Colonel Victor Spencer of the VRC had arranged races for the sculling championship of the world to take place in Vancouver between M. Goodsell an Australian and B. Barry from England. These races created a great deal of interest and attracted large numbers of spectators. The resulting interest brought a boom in local sculling.

A magnificent silver cup (still in our Trophy case) was donated by Sir Thomas Lipton for the Single Sculls Championship of Vancouver. The first winner of this trophy in 1928 was O.E. (Ed) Snead. Many or our older members will remember Ed as our Honorary Secretary.

The spring regatta of 1931 was won by the V.R.C. eight. This is believed to be the first race in Canada broadcast by radio. Tom Quirk, many members will recall him as a faithful fixture at club events, was stroke in this crew.

The Rugby team won the Miller Cup in 1931 and again in 1932. Six members of the team were selected to be on the Canada team, which toured Japan in 1931. Ernie Pinkham and Art Lungley were two who are still with us.

The year 1932 saw the depression well established. To aid members, rowing dues were reduced from $25 to $15, and this could be paid in instalment. This was also the year of the Los Angeles Olympics. Ned Pratt and Noel de Mille of the Club represented Canada in the doubles and brought back the bronze medals to give the club a second crew of Olympic medallists.

Also in 1932, those members mooring their boats at the Club formed themselves into the Burrard Yacht club.

II Into the International Spotlight - The Frank Read Years