Rowing Rudder And Team Photograph

£750

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Category

Rowing & Yachting

Reference

31924

Cambridge University - First Trinity III Rowing Rudder & Team Photograph, 1932.
A wonderful and highly evocative original 1932 Cambridge University May Bumps rowing commemorative, comprising the presentation rudder and accompanying crew photograph from First Trinity Boat Club, Trinity College, Cambridge.
These pieces were formerly the property of W.H.J. Mercer, cox of the First Trinity III crew.
The traditional wooden presentation rudder retains its original varnished finish with gilt calligraphic decoration and the insignia of First Trinity Boat Club. There is some bubbling to the varnish and minor loss to the painted crest, however all crew names and weights remain clearly legible. The accompanying double photograph features, to the right, the crew seated in their boat, and to the left a formal posed group photograph outside the boathouse. The original mount bears the college crest together with the calligraphic title: First Trinity 3rd May Boat 1932, and records the names and weights of the crew, coaches, and the colleges bumped during the races.

Crew
Bow - H.G. Preston - 11 st. 3 lbs.
2 - J.H. Wright - 10 st. 12 lbs.
3 - C. Beale - 11 st. 3 lbs.
4 - J. Davidson - 11 st. 13 lbs.
5 - H.T. Stott - 12 st. 6 lbs.
6 - W.L. Addison - 11 st. 10 lbs.
7 - J.A.L. Brutton - 12 st. 1 lb.
Stroke - J.R.D. Walker - 10 st. 8 lbs.
Cox - W.H.J. Mercer - 8 st. 6 lbs.

Coaches
Rev. E.M. Gresford-Jones
E.P. Kenrick

Colleges Bumped
Emmanuel II
Queens' II
Downing I
Christ's II

The size quoted is for the rudder. The framed photograph measures 42 cm high by 83 cm wide.

In both Oxford and Cambridge Universities, any crew which records four consecutive bumps is said to have 'gained their oars'. Traditionally, each rower received a full-sized painted oar decorated in college colours with the crew names in gilt lettering. The cox received a decorated rudder, while the coach was presented with a painted wooden shield in the form of a boat's bow section.
Both Oxford and Cambridge Universities hold annual bumps races, each lasting several days. The races are for eights (i.e. eight rowers and a cox), each representing one of the university's various colleges. One of the races is held in early spring and the other in early summer. In Cambridge these are the Lent Bumps and the May Bumps; in Oxford they are known as Torpids and Eights. The leading crews of the Lent Bumps go on to race the leading Oxford Torpids crews at the Henley Boat Races around Easter.
The first attested bumps race took place in Oxford in 1815 and was between two eights from Brasenose College and Jesus College. Twelve years later Lent Bumps racing commenced at Cambridge University. As the Isis and Cam are long narrow rivers, not ideal for normal side by side racing, Bumps racing evolved. The competing crews line up bow-to-stern in order, one behind the other with gaps of about 1½ boat lengths between them. The start of the race commences with the firing of a cannon, the idea to progress up their division by attempting to catch and Bump (touch) the boat in front whilst simultaneously trying not to be Bumped by the boat behind. The ultimate aim becoming top of the first division and "Head Of The River". When a bump has taken place both of the crews involved in the Bump pull over to the river bank and take no further part in that race, allowing the rest of the division to pass. The only difference is in Torpids where the crew whose boat was Bumped has to continue racing (and is liable to be bumped again). It is possible to "over bump", if the 2 crews involved in the Bump have pulled over and the crew behind them manage to catch the boat that was in front of them, this is an "over bump".