We have had another shy at Henley but although we came off better than we did last year we did not win. The four went into training on April 20th going out from Sails at Lambeth composed as follows –
W.W. Bury Q.S (bow)
2. R.T. Squire T.B.
3. R.H. Coke Q.S.
E.J.H Brandon Q.S. (stroke)
On the first week of May Bury was attacked with measles and as he had to be away a week it had a prejudicial effect on our chance. One June 2nd had training begun and Squire was, as the event proved, unwisely, displaced from the boat – R.C. Batley T.B. taking his place. About a week before Henley the four has a spin with the second eight in which neither could claim any advantage. Mr W. Compton-Smith (O.W) kindly undertook the coaching of the eight which constituted as follow.-
C.B. Crews T.B. (bow) 2. R. Berens T.B. 3. E.C. Frere T.B. 4. T. Clarke Q.S. 5. E. Poland T.B. 6. T. Morison T.B. 7. H.W. Waterfield Q.S. R.T. Squire T.B. (stroke) R. Vavasseur Q.S. (cox)
On June 28th our four left for Henley. As the primary hears of the Public Schools Race were rowed on the same day as the final (An arrangement that cannot be well defended as no one will urge that boys are better calculated to endure two races on one day than men are) our four had nothing to do on the first day. On the second day they started from the Berks station Derby being in the centre and Cheltenham on the Bucks shore. We went off with the lead which we held for half the course where Cheltenham challenged us and a most exciting contest ensued in which there was nothing to choose between the two fours until close upon the finish when a plucky spurt by Westminster landed us victorious by three feet.
The final heat needs little description as the Bedford cads despite the rule passed this year forbidding the use of slides had their seats enamelled and greased and slid on them, won easily Radley having no difficulty in heading our crew who had not recovered from their desperate race with Cheltenham. Our four was steered by G.G. Phillimore T.B.
John B Hodge for
W.L. Benbow Prin Opp.