Torpids 1840

BUMPS CHART

STANDINGS Start Finish Pos College Pts Pts College 1 Oriel 6 6 Wadham 2 Brasenose 4 0 Oriel 3 Exeter 3 0 Brasenose 4 Trinity 2 0 Exeter 5 Wadham 1 0 Trinity 6 St John's 1 0 St John's

STATISTICS College All Crews [ ]=rank Crews Bps Avg Wadham 1[ 1] 4[ 1] 4.00[ 1] St John's 1[ 1] -993[ 2] -993.00[ 2] Trinity 1[ 1] -995[ 3] -995.00[ 3] Exeter 1[ 1] -996[ 4] -996.00[ 4] Brasenose 1[ 1] -997[ 5] -997.00[ 5] Oriel 1[ 1] -998[ 6] -998.00[ 6]

• 4 days: Sat 13, Tue 16, Sat 20 and Wed 24 June 1840
• First appearance of St John's and Wadham in Torpids.
• First Torpids headship for Wadham, although by default (see below)

• Notes from Sherwood

  June 20: Wadham bumped Exeter, who objected to the stroke of the Wadham, because he had rowed several nights in the racing boats [i.e. Eights]. Evidence was heard, and it was decided by the O.U.B.C. 'that every man who has pulled one night in a racing boat is disqualified from pulling in a Torpid'. As the decision was injurious to the crews, no boat but Wadham put on the last day.

• From the main text of Sherwood (p.45)

  In 1840 the O.U.B.C. made a drastic rule prohibiting any man who had rowed, even for one night, in his Eight, rowing in the Torpids, in consequence of which all the boats but one took off. The rule was subsequently modified, so that a man rowing for three nights in the Eights could not row in the following Torpids.

• In other news ... [1840]

  Monarch: Victoria

  Prime Minister: William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne (Whig)

  May 1

  Britain issues the Penny Black, the world's first postage stamp; it becomes valid for the pre-payment of postage from May 6.

  May 21

  New Zealand is declared a British colony.

  June 7

  On the death of Frederick William III of Prussia, he is succeeded on the throne of the Kingdom of Prussia (which he has ruled for more than 40 years) by his eldest son Frederick William IV.

  June 12–23

  The World Anti-Slavery Convention is organised by the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society, at Exeter Hall in London, England. Arguments over the exclusion of women from the convention have important ramifications for the movement for women's suffrage in the United States.

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