Torpids 1866

BUMPS CHART

STANDINGS Start Finish Pos College Pts Pts College 1 Exeter 17 16 Brasenose 2 Brasenose 13 15 Exeter 3 University 11 11 Christ Church 4 Corpus Christi 9 9 University 5 Balliol 8 8 Pembroke 6 Queen's 6 6 Corpus Christi 7 Christ Church 5 5 Balliol 8 Wadham 4 4 Queen's 9 Pembroke 4 4 Worcester 10 Lincoln 3 3 Wadham 11 Trinity 3 3 Lincoln 12 Worcester 2 2 St John's 13 Magdalen 2 2 Trinity 14 St John's 1 1 New College 15 New College 1 0 Magdalen

STATISTICS College All Crews [ ]=rank Crews Bps Avg Christ Church 1[ 2] 4[ 1] 4.00[ 1] Pembroke 1[ 2] 4[ 1] 4.00[ 1] Worcester 1[ 2] 3[ 3] 3.00[ 3] St John's 1[ 2] 2[ 4] 2.00[ 4] Brasenose 1[ 2] 1[ 5] 1.00[ 5] New College 1[ 2] 1[ 5] 1.00[ 5] Exeter 2[ 1] 0[ 7] 0.00[ 7] University 1[ 2] -1[ 8] -1.00[ 8] Lincoln 1[ 2] -1[ 8] -1.00[ 8] Corpus Christi 1[ 2] -2[10] -2.00[10] Balliol 1[ 2] -2[10] -2.00[10] Queen's 1[ 2] -2[10] -2.00[10] Wadham 1[ 2] -2[10] -2.00[10] Trinity 1[ 2] -2[10] -2.00[10] Magdalen 1[ 2] -986[15] -986.00[15]

• 6 days: Thu 22 – Wed 28 Feb 1866
• First appearance of New College in Torpids.

• Notes from Sherwood

  Floods all through training.

  First day: Brasenose rowed by Exeter. New College Torpid is declared to be quite a 'new thing', being put on for the first time. Curiously enough they bumped their future rivals, Magdalen, 'who having reached the bottom took off'.

  Second day: Worcester rebumped by Trinity owing to a bad start. 'Brasenose is therefore head of the river, both in the Eights and Torpids. It is but fair, however, to say that they had five B.A.'s in their boat, amongst whom was Pocklington, an old 'Varsity stroke.'

  Sixth day: The last gun fired fifteen seconds too soon, so the bumps were appealed against, but the committee decided they must stand.

• From the main text of Sherwood (p.46)

  Brasenose went head, rowing five B.A.'s, including an old stroke of the Oxford boat. In consequence of this a rule was passed next year, to take effect in 1868, 'That no man who has ever rowed as many as four nights in his college Eight, shall afterwards be allowed to row in his college Torpids'; but this does not appear in the rules printed in 1869; but a rule was inserted shortly afterwards, 'That no gentleman be allowed to row in his Torpid who has exceeded the limit for honours in the final schools.'

• In other news ... [1866]

  Monarch: Victoria

  Prime Minister: John Russell, 1st Earl Russell (Liberal)

  February 26

  The Calaveras Skull is discovered in California. Purported to be evidence of humans in North America during the Pliocene epoch, it turns out to be a hoax.

  February 28

  The month concludes without having a full moon.

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