Eights 1893

BUMPS CHART

STANDINGS Start Finish Pos College Pts Pts College 1 Magdalen 23 23 Magdalen 2 New College 20 20 Brasenose 3 Brasenose 17 17 New College 4 Christ Church 15 15 Balliol 5 Balliol 13 13 Christ Church 6 St John's 11 11 St John's 7 Pembroke 10 10 Queen's 8 Keble 8 8 Trinity 9 Queen's 7 7 Pembroke 10 Hertford 6 6 Exeter 11 Exeter 6 6 Keble 12 University 5 5 Hertford 13 Trinity 4 4 University 14 Merton 4 4 Wadham 15 Wadham 3 3 Lincoln 16 Lincoln 3 3 Corpus Christi 17 Worcester 2 2 Worcester 18 Corpus Christi 2 2 St Catherine's 19 St Catherine's 2 2 Merton 20 Oriel 2 2 Oriel 21 St Edmund Hall 1 1 St Edmund Hall 22 Jesus 1 1 Jesus 23 St Mary Hall 1 1 St Mary Hall

STATISTICS College All Crews [ ]=rank Crews Bps Avg Trinity 1[ 1] 5[ 1] 5.00[ 1] Queen's 1[ 1] 2[ 2] 2.00[ 2] Corpus Christi 1[ 1] 2[ 2] 2.00[ 2] Brasenose 1[ 1] 1[ 4] 1.00[ 4] Exeter 1[ 1] 1[ 4] 1.00[ 4] Wadham 1[ 1] 1[ 4] 1.00[ 4] Lincoln 1[ 1] 1[ 4] 1.00[ 4] Balliol 1[ 1] 1[ 4] 1.00[ 4] St Catherine's 1[ 1] 1[ 4] 1.00[ 4] St Mary Hall 1[ 1] 0[10] 0.00[10] Magdalen 1[ 1] 0[10] 0.00[10] St Edmund Hall 1[ 1] 0[10] 0.00[10] Oriel 1[ 1] 0[10] 0.00[10] Worcester 1[ 1] 0[10] 0.00[10] Jesus 1[ 1] 0[10] 0.00[10] St John's 1[ 1] 0[10] 0.00[10] Christ Church 1[ 1] -1[17] -1.00[17] New College 1[ 1] -1[17] -1.00[17] University 1[ 1] -1[17] -1.00[17] Hertford 1[ 1] -2[20] -2.00[20] Pembroke 1[ 1] -2[20] -2.00[20] Keble 1[ 1] -3[22] -3.00[22] Merton 1[ 1] -5[23] -5.00[23]

• 6 days: Thu 18 – Wed 24 May 1893
• [Harper's Weekly] (v.38, pp 419–423) describes a visit to Oxford (and Cambridge) in 1893, explaining the rowing set-up to American readers. It also includes a number of photographs of bumping races, credited to H. W. Taunt & Co, an Oxford photographer, so may have been from even earlier.
• Notes from Sherwood
  • Sixth night: Jesus rebumped St. Mary Hall through the latter breaking an oar.

• The Times Fri 19 May

  The racing of the summer eights yesterday was witnessed by large numbers of spectators. The eights are undoubtedly a better lot, on the whole, than last year, and several are distinctly good, so that there is every possibility of Oxford being well and worthily represented at Henley this season.

  The second division started at half-past 4 in the following order :— University, Trinity, Merton, Wadham, Lincoln, Worcester, Corpus. St. Catharine's, Oriel, St. Edmund Hall, Jesus, St. Mary Hall. Trinity, who have a much better crew than for some time past, gained steadily on University up Iffley Reach, and, spurting hard at the Green Barge, they made their bump opposite the freewater stone. Merton could never make any headway against Wadham and had to lower their flag in the Gut. Lincoln rowed up, but Worcester, who were somewhat hampered by the boats in front of them, failed to keep clear of Corpus, and fell victims to them at Rough's Boathouse. St. Catharine's rowed up easily ahead of Oriel, who were pressed somewhat by St. Edmund Hall, whilst St. Mary Hall caught Jesus before reaching the Weirs bridge.

  The first division started at 6 in the following order :— Magdalen, New College, Brasenose, Christ Church, Balliol, St. John's, Pembroke, Keble, Queen's, Hertford, Exeter, Trinity. Magdalen were never in any danger from New, but the latter failed to keep away from Brasenose, who came up rapidly from the willows and made their bump at the Hertford Barge. Balliol got right on to Christ Church, but took a very bad course at the Cherwell, and Christ Church reached home a quarter of a length in front. Queen's bumped Keble in the Gut, and Trinity made their second bump by securing Exeter at the top of Iffley Reach.

• The Times Sat 20 May

  Boisterous and showery weather was associated with the races at Oxford yesterday afternoon. There was, notwithstanding, a numerous attendance, although the racing was somewhat uninteresting.

  The second division started at half-past 4 in the following order :— Exeter, University, Wadham, Merton, Lincoln, Corpus, Worcester, St. Catharine's, Oriel, St. Edmund Hall, St. Mary Hall, Jesus. Exeter, who, the previous night, were bumped by Trinity, never gave University a chance, and rowed in quite two lengths to the good; but the latter had their work cut out to escape Wadham, who passed the post only half a length in the rear. Merton were again on the down line, and, although they struggled hard to escape Lincoln, their fate was sealed before getting through the Gut. The next batch of boats came in quite their distances apart, although St. Edmund Hall gained considerably on Oriel.

  The first division started at 6 in the following order :— Magdalen, Brasenose, New College, Christ Church, Balliol, St. John's, Pembroke, Queen's, Keble, Hertford, Trinity, Exeter. A close race was anticipated between Magdalen and Brasenose, owing to the easy manner in which the latter had secured New College the previous night, but they never gave the leaders any cause for anxiety, and Magdalen rowed up quite their starting disance ahead. These two had drawn quite four lengths away from New College, who easily held their own with Christ Church. The latter, who were lucky to escape Balliol the previous night, were bumped by them just above the Cherwell, and Trinity scored their third success by securing Hertford near the Weir's bridge, the remaining boats all rowing up their distances apart.

• The Times Mon 22 May

  The weather was showery on Saturday afternoon, and this considerably affected the attendance. The second division started at half-past 4 o'clock in the following order :— Exeter, University, Wadham, Lincoln, Merton, Corpus, Worcester, St. Catharine's, Oriel, St. Edmund Hall, St. Mary Hall, Jesus. University, hard pressed by Wadham, gained considerably on Exeter, although the last-named finished a length to the good. Merton succumbed to Lincoln before reaching the Gut. The next three boats were their distances apart but Oriel found it a hard matter to keep clear of St. Edmund Hall, who, amidst great excitement, got within two yards at the winning post.

  The first division started at 6 o'clock as under :— Magdalen, Brasenose, New College, Balliol, Christ Church, St. John's, Pembroke, Queen's, Keble, Trinity, Hertford, Exeter. Brasenose got off in capital style, and gained considerably up Iffley Reach, and little more than half a length separated them from Magdalen as they rounded the bend from the Gut. From this point, however, Magdalen improved their position, and finished quite a length to the good. The next four boats rowed up without alteration, but Pembroke were caught by Queen's opposite their college barge. Trinity bumped Keble in Iffley Reach, and Hertford were displaced by Exeter opposite Talboy's Raft.

• The Times Tue 23 May

  Taking advantage of Bank Holiday and the glorious weather which prevailed, an immense number of visitors attended the eights yesterday, and they had the satisfaction of witnessing some very interesting struggles, more especially in the second division, which started at half-past 4 in the following order :— Hertford, University, Wadham, Lincoln, Corpus, Merton, Worcester, St. Catharine's, Oriel, St. Edmund Hall, St. Mary Hall, Jesus. The three leading boats had a desperately hard struggle from start to finish. University, hard pressed by Wadham, drew on to Hertford, and at the Cherwell less than a quarter of a length separated each. From this point Wadham spurted again and again, and, gradually creeping up, they were only a few inches clear of University; the latter's cox, Portman, displayed excellent judgment, and they got home unscathed, Hertford being only a few feet in front of University. Lincoln were their distance ahead of Corpus. Merton succumbed to Worcester at the New boathouse, St. Catharine's being on to them at the time, but the other boats finished some distance apart.

  At 6 o'clock the first division started in the following order :— Magdalen, Brasenose, New College, Balliol, Christ Church, St. John's, Queen's, Pembroke, Trinity, Keble, Exeter, Hertford. Brasenose tried cutting-down tactics, and went off at a very fast stroke, but they met with no success, and Magdalen, drawing away again at the Willows, led in by a length and a half. New College followed two lengths and a half behind. Balliol and Christ Church were a length apart. Queen's and St. John's had a rare struggle, but the former were not too well steered and St. John's reached home by a quarter length. Trinity made their fifth bump by securing Pembroke at the Weirs Bridge, and Exeter finished within a length of Keble.

• The Times Wed 24 May

  Rain fell just before the second division rowed up yesterday afternoon, and the attendance was not nearly so numerous as on Monday. The racing proved of an interesting character, although in the first division not a single bump was recorded — a most unusual occurrence.

  The second division started at half-past 4 in the following order :— Hertford, University, Wadham, Lincoln, Corpus, Worcester, Merton, St. Catharine's, Oriel, St. Edmund Hall, St. Mary Hall, Jesus. Hertford kept well away from University until passing the Gut, when the latter, driven on by Wadham, began to gain considerably under the Willows. Wadham further reduced the advantage of University, and, nearing the wall, only a few feet divided them. After the Cherwell Wadham made an ineffectual shot, thanks to the skill of the University cox, and No.3 catching a crab afterwards spoilt their chance of a bump. Lincoln, Corpus, and Worcester were some distance apart, but Merton succumbed to St. Catherine's at the Freewater Stone, and after several fruitless efforts St. Edmund Hall at last secured Oriel opposite the Christ Church barge.

  The first division started at 6 in the following order :— Magdalen, Brasenose, New College, Balliol, Christ Church, St. John's, Queen's, Trinity, Pembroke, Keble, Exeter, Hertford. The first four boats finished their starting distances apart, but a good race resulted between Christ Church and St. John's, the latter being within a quarter of a length as they passed the post. Trinity went off at a tremendous pace, and rapidly gained on Queen's, whom they overlapped. But they were unable to sustain the effort, however, and from the Long Bridges Queen's drew away again, and were double their distance ahead at the post. Exeter made a good race with Keble, but the latter held their own, and at the finish there was a quarter of a length between them.

• The Times Thu 25 May

  In delightful weather the summer eight-oar races were brought to a close last evening. Magdalen for the second year leaving off head of the river.

  The Second Division started in the following order :— Hertford, University, Wadham, Lincoln, Corpus, Worcester, St. Catherine's, Merton, St. Edmund Hall, Oriel, St. Mary Hall, Jesus. Oriel, who had previously been bumped by St. Edmund Hall, chopped the latter at the start, and this regained their position, whilst St. Mary Hall fell an easy prey to Jesus.

  The First Division started in the following order :— Magdalen, Brasenose, New College, Balliol, Christ Church, St. John's, Queen's, Trinity, Pembroke, Keble, Exeter, Hertford. Brasenose made a determined effort to secure the headship in spite of their previous failures and going off very fast gained considerably up Iffley Reach. Magdalen, however, were never in much danger, and for the second year they left off head of the river with an advantage of nearly a length.

  The article also lists the Magdalen crew, noting that it contained 4 Blues, although the same list below, with weights, is from Sherwood.

• In other news ... [1893]

  Monarch: Queen Victoria

  Prime Minister: William Ewart Gladstone (Liberal)

  Tue 23 May

  Mahatma Gandhi arrives in South Africa, where he will live until 1914, lead non-violent protests on behalf of Indian immigrants in the South African Republic (Transvaal), and generally have a deeper experience of such activities during these years

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