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HEXHAM ROWING CLUB
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By Bob Manning
Two events of some poignancy have taken place at Hexham Rowing Club.
The first was the annual Joseph Robinson Club Handicap races for any club members, junior, senior and veteran who wished to enter.
Rowers competed against one another, over a timed distance, first in singles and later in randomly selected mixed fours. The eventual results were:
Fastest senior man and fastest overall, Sam Doody. Fastest senior woman, Sarah Furniss. Fastest junior man: James Upstill-Goddard. Fastest Junior woman, Laura Furniss. Fastest veteran man, John Mulholland
The event was named for Joseph Robinson of Hexham who competed for the club in the early years of the last century.
Joseph was, by all accounts, a very promising young sculler. He emigrated to Australia with his brother in 1912/13 and subsequently paid the supreme sacrifice at Gallipoli as part of the Anzac forces.
His great niece is married to a Hexham rower.
The second event was the naming of a new boat: a combined four and quad scull.
Head coach and former captain Bob Manning had the privilege of calling the boat ‘Neil Lewis’ after the sadly missed club stalwart and good friend who died earlier this year.
It was Neil, with his interest in all things rowing and an avid historian, who discovered the story of Joseph Robinson.
Neil also instituted the annual races named after this local man.
The arrival of the new boat marks a further improvement in the fortunes of a rowing club which continues to flourish.
Membership is increasing as more people of all ages turn to rowing for sport, recreation and health. The club welcomes enquiries at any time.
Above, head coach Bob Manning is pictured naming the 'Neil Lewis'.
Previously published by Hexham Courant
24 Sep 2004
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