1919 - Winning the Henley Peace Regatta
Between 1910 and 1940, the RSSBC 1st VIII was coached by the legendary ‘Kitch’ (A.E. Kitchin), who laid the foundation of Shrewsbury’s reputation as one of the leading rowing schools in the country.
Both he and E.H.L. Southwell, who joined the staff the same year, were Oxford Rowing Blues and Kitch coached the Oxford Blue Boat for several years.
The RSSBC first rowed at Henley Royal Regatta in 1912; a major turning point that marked the arrival of the School upon the national scene. Headmaster Alington is famously reported as saying that having a crew at Henley was the most important thing he did at Shrewsbury.
Photo: 1912 1st VIII the first RSSBC crew to row at Henley, with coaches A.E. Kitchin and E.H.L Southwell.
The Henley Royal Regatta was cancelled during World War 1. In 1919 it was decided that the first post-war regatta should be dedicated to those who had lost their lives in the fighting. It was therefore called the Royal Henley Peace Regatta.
Shrewsbury’s 1st VIII won the Elsenham Cup, that year’s equivalent of the Ladies’ Challenge Plate. ‘Kitch’ attributed their victory to the crew’s ability to “synchronise a long swing with their leg drive” and also to the contribution of the new Boatman, Edgar Dickens. The crew included A.C. ‘Sandy’ Irvine, who five years later was part of the 1924 Everest Expedition.
Photo: Shrewsbury beating Bedford in the 1919 Peace Regatta Final.
Shrewsbury beating their old rivals Bedford in the final of the 1919 Royal Henley Peace Regatta. Sandy Irvine later descried the race in a letter to his mother: “It was the most awful race I have ever rowed, because Bedford was such a colossally strong crew; though they had an ugly style but weight was all on their side. We were determined that it would be too disgraceful to let them win.”
Photo: 1919 1st VIII Sandy Irvine is fourth from the left.
The Old Salopians presented silver oars to each member of the 1919 1st VIII. This one belonged to the much applauded stroke, M.H. Ellis. The Daily Telegraph’s report of Shrewsbury’s 1st round race against Pembroke College, Cambridge described his performance as “little short of perfect. The manner in which he steadied out his crew after the start, the cool way in which he watched his opponents’ continuous spurts, and held his own until the exact moment, was superb.”
During the 1920s and 30s, the RSSBC was the dominant school boat club in the country, winning the Ladies’ Challenge Plate at Henley twice, in 1924 and 1932, and narrowly losing in the final in 1931.