Eights 1897

BUMPS CHART

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

STATISTICS College All Crews [ ]=rank Crews Bps Avg Christ Church 1[ 1] 5[ 1] 5.00[ 1] Merton 1[ 1] 2[ 2] 2.00[ 2] Brasenose 1[ 1] 1[ 3] 1.00[ 3] Magdalen 1[ 1] 1[ 3] 1.00[ 3] Lincoln 1[ 1] 1[ 3] 1.00[ 3] Oriel 1[ 1] 1[ 3] 1.00[ 3] Corpus Christi 1[ 1] 1[ 3] 1.00[ 3] Queen's 1[ 1] 0[ 8] 0.00[ 8] Pembroke 1[ 1] 0[ 8] 0.00[ 8] Jesus 1[ 1] 0[ 8] 0.00[ 8] Keble 1[ 1] 0[ 8] 0.00[ 8] St Edmund Hall 1[ 1] 0[ 8] 0.00[ 8] Worcester 1[ 1] 0[ 8] 0.00[ 8] New College 1[ 1] 0[ 8] 0.00[ 8] University 1[ 1] 0[ 8] 0.00[ 8] Balliol 1[ 1] 0[ 8] 0.00[ 8] Trinity 1[ 1] -1[17] -1.00[17] St Catherine's 1[ 1] -1[17] -1.00[17] Hertford 1[ 1] -1[17] -1.00[17] Exeter 1[ 1] -1[17] -1.00[17] Wadham 1[ 1] -4[21] -4.00[21] St John's 1[ 1] -4[21] -4.00[21]

• 6 days: Thu 27 May – Wed 2 June 1897
• [Photo] 'Spectators watching the rowing on Monday of Eights Week in 1897 from Tallboy's' [barge], on [oxforduniversityimages.com]
• [Photo] 'The New College crew, Oxford, at rest during Eights Week, 1897', on [oxforduniversityimages.com]
• [Photo] 'OXON: Thames at Oxford: eights post a race, antique print 1897, on [www.alamy.com/stock-photo/oxford-eights.html]
• [Photo] 'OXON: Oxford Eights: last spurt for a bump, antique print 1897', on [www.alamy.com/stock-photo/oxford-eights.html]
• Notes from Sherwood
  • First night: Oriel started badly and were bumped, but rebumped St. Edmund Hall next night.
  • Second night: Wadham ran into the bank. Worcester rowed past but did not stop for some time, so that when they stopped Merton ran into them, broke an oar, caught a crab, and were bumped by Lincoln.

• The Times Fri 28 May

  The attendance at these races, which commenced yesterday, was hardly so numerous as usual on account of the weather, though no rain fell.

  In the second division, in which the boats started at half-past 4, the order was :— Christ Church, Pembroke, Jesus, Keble, Wadham, Corpus, Worcester, Merton, Lincoln, St. Catherine's, Oriel, and St. Edmund Hall. Christ Church easily maintained their position, paddling in three lengths in front of Pembroke, who were well away from Jesus. The latter lost a considerable distance to Keble in the first part of the course, but pulled away towards the close and finished a length to the good. Wadham, whose stroke was absent last week for some days, could not maintain their position against Corpus, who bumped them at the entrance to the Gut. Merton gained slightly on Worcester. Oriel, who got off badly, were caught by St. Edmund Hall in Iffley Reach.

  The first division boats started at 6 o'clock in the following order :— New College, Trinity, Magdalen, University, Balliol, Exeter, St. John's, Hertford, Brasenose, Queen's, and Christ Church/ Just upon leaving the Gut Magdalen caught Trinity, the leading boat being well away at the time. St. John's were almost in position to bump Exeter when they were run into by Hertford at the Long Bridges. Queen's had to give way to Christ Church, who had already rowed as the head boat in the other division, at the boathouse. The races continue until Wednesday.

• The Times Sat 29 May

  There was some interesting racing yesterday, and the weather being fine, there was a large attendance.

  The second division started in the following order :— Queen's, Pembroke, Jesus, Keble, Corpus, Wadham, Worcester, Merton, Lincoln, St. Catherine's, St. Edmund Hall, and Oriel. Jesus were hard pressed by Keble, but ultimately succeeded in passing the post half a length in front. A series of mishaps occurred with some of the boats following. Wadham ran into the bank soon after starting, and were thus easily overtaken by Worcester. The latter at the time were across the river, and Merton caught them. No. 6 in the Merton boat broke his slide and they were bumped by Lincoln. The question as to whether this bump will be allowed will be decided by the boat club committee. Oriel recovered the position they lost on Thursday evening by securing St. Edmund Hall at the ferry.

  The order of starting in the first division was :— New College, Magdalen, Trinity, University, Balliol, Exeter, Hertford, St. John's, Brasenose, Christ Church, and Queen's. Some capital form was displayed by the two leading boats, but, although Magdalen got within their distance of New College, the latter never really exerted themselves, and finished a good length ahead. The superiority of the two head boats was shown by the long gap which separated them from Trinity, who were four lengths in front of University. The latter had a splendid race with Balliol, and at the Gut less than a quarter of a length separated them. Along the green bank, University began to draw away again and Balliol, feeling the effects of their exertions, fell back to their starting distance. St. John's were very unfortunate. No. 3 in their boat caught a crab half-a-dozen strokes from the start, and before they could right themselves Brasenose came crashing into the stern, with the results that their coxswain was knocked out of the boat.

• The Times Mon 31 May

  Shortly before the races began on Saturday there was a heavy shower which materially affected the attendance, whilst the high wind occasioned the crews a good deal of inconvenience. Only three bumps were made in the two divisions and these all occurred below the boathouse.

  The second division started as under :— Queen's, Pembroke, Jesus, Keble, Corpus, Worcester, Wadham, Lincoln, Merton, St. Catherine's, Oriel, and St. Edmund Hall. Queen's had no difficulty in maintaining their position at the head of the division. Nearing the post one of the men in the Pembroke boat caught a crab, and, but for the fact that Jesus were some distance in the rear, the mishap would probably have caused them to lose a place. The boat was righted as quickly as possible, and they succeeded in getting home three-quarters of a length to the good. There was a good race between Jesus and Keble, and, although the latter at one period had gained considerably they proved unequal to catching the former. Merton recovered the position which they were unfortunate in losing the previous night, by bumping Lincoln under the Willows. After a hard struggle St. Catherine's gave way to Oriel near the Red Post.

  The first division started in the following order :— New College, Magdalen, Trinity, University, Balliol, Exeter, Hertford, Brasenose, St. John's, Christ Church, and Queen's. The New College crew put more vigour into their work than on the previous evening and finished fully three lengths in front of Magdalen. The best racing was between Exeter, Hertford, and Brasenose, but no bump took place. Christ Church had no difficulty in securing St. John's; they went off at a great pace and St. John's acknowledged their defeat in Iffley Reach.

• The Times Tue 1 June

  The weather at Oxford yesterday was charming, and there was a numerous attendance.

  The second division started in the following order :— Queen's, Pembroke, Jesus, Keble, Corpus, Worcester, Wadham, Merton, Lincoln, Oriel, St. Catherine's, and St. Edmund Hall. Queen's easily kept their position, and finished more than two lengths in front of Pembroke. The latter were hard pressed by Jesus, and at one time only half a length separated the boats, while Keble were within a length of Jesus. Merton overtook Wadham under the Willows.

  In the first division the order was :— New College, Magdalen, Trinity, University, Balliol, Exeter, Hertford, Brasenose, Christ Church, St. John's, and Queen's. New College showed their superiority by finishing quite four lengths to the good in front of Magdalen, and, indeed, the first four boats were well away from each other. Christ Church added another to their list of successes by overtaking Brasenose, after an exciting race, under the Willows. Queen's could get not nearer than half a length to St. John's, which they did at the boathouse.

• The Times Wed 2 June

  Rain fell heavily yesterday afternoon shortly before the starting of the second division boats, but, fortunately, the weather was finer while racing was in progress. The attendance was not so numerous as usual. The rowing resulted in but two changes in the order — one in each division.

  The second division boats started in the following order :— Queen's, Pembroke, Jesus, Keble, Corpus, Worcester, Merton, Wadham, Lincoln, Oriel, St. Catherine's, and St. Edmund Hall. The leading boat finished two lengths to the good. Worcester, after a hard struggle from the Long Bridges, were overtaken by Merton just after passing the boathouse. There was an exciting race between Wadham, Lincoln, and Oriel, but no bump took place, although at the University barge Oriel overlapped Lincoln, while Wadham at the time were barely two yards in front of Lincoln.

  The order of the first division was as follows :— New College, Magdalen, Trinity, University, Balliol, Exeter, Hertford, Christ Church, Brasenose, St. John's, and Queen's. The first half-dozen boats maintained their respective positions. Christ Church added to their previous successes by displacing Hertford just before reaching the Long Bridges.

• The Times Thu 3 June

  The concluding day's racing yesterday was watched by a great number of spectators. There have been throughout fewer changes than for some years past. New College finished head of the river, a position they well deserved, and it is believed they are a faster crew than last year. Magdalen were another good crew, and Christ Church could claim the best record of the series with five bumps during the six days.

  The second division started in the following order :— Queen's, Pembroke, Jesus, Keble, Corpus, Merton, Worcester, Wadham, Lincoln, Oriel, St. Catherine's, and St. Edmund Hall. Queen's hardly figured to such advantage as heretofore, and Pembroke, rowing with great determination, managed to get within a length at the finish. Jesus in turn gained on Pembroke, less than a length dividing them at the post. Between Corpus and Merton a magnificent race was witnessed. Merton were well up with them under the Willows and afterwards still further reduced the gap, only a few feet separating them at the Cherwell. From this point, however, Corpus held them, and, drawing away slightly in the last hundred yards, had nearly a quarter of a length to spare at the finish. Another grand struggle took place between Wadham and Lincoln, and after they had passed the Cherwell it seemed as if Wadham would get home, but Lincoln made a final effort at the University barge and succeeded in effecting their bump about a dozen yards from the post.

  The first division rowed in the following order :— New College, Magdalen, Trinity, University, Balliol, Exeter, Christ Church, Hertford, Brasenose, St. John's, and Queen's. New College were never in any danger of being caught by Magdalen, and no less than five lengths divided Magdalen from Trinity. Exeter proved no match for Christ Church, who ran them down just as the boats were leaving the Gut. Hertford succumbed to Brasenose at the boathouse, and Queen's, who had evidently been reserving themselves for a final effort, caught St. John's at the Balliol barge.

  The article finishes with a list of the start and finish order for the week.

• In other news ... [1897]

  Monarch: Queen Victoria

  Prime Minister: Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (Conservative)

  Wed 26 May

  Irish-born theatrical manager Bram Stoker's contemporary Gothic horror novel Dracula is first published (in London); it will influence the direction of vampire literature for the following century.

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