History of Balmain Working Men's Rowing Club

Grand Opening

The grand opening of Balmain Working Men’s Rowing Club took place on the afternoon of 27th February 1886. The new building was profusely decorated with ﬂags and foliage. The Balmain Alliance band and Naval Brigade band played at intervals with the Vernon band. White Horse Point was ﬁlled with increasing streams of visitors, and the reserve immediately behind the boat shed and further back on the higher ground was crowded with spectators, waiting expectantly for the arrival of his Excellency the Governor, Lord Carrington, who had consented to open the Balmain Working Men’s Rowing club.

His Excellency arrived in the steam launch Ena, accompanied by Lady Carrington and her sister Miss Harboard. On the approach to White Horse Point his Excellency’s launch was met by a number of boats representing the other rowing clubs, and these escorted the launch to the shed. The party was received with loud cheers.

Dr Evans, president of the club, led the way to the entrance of the shed, where the formal ceremony of the opening of the building was performed. Lady Carrington was handed the halyard on which the colours of the club had been hoisted, and as she shook out the ﬂag, his Excellency declared the boat shed open, amid the enthusiastic cheering of the spectators. Lord Carrington was then asked to launch a skiff from the platform, and as he started the boat down the stage he named it “Marjorie,” after one of his daughters.

Lord Carrington proposed a toast “Prosperity to the Balmain Working Men’s Rowing Club.” He felt honoured in being permitted to propose the toast, and continued it was “no empty prophecy when he said that this club, so auspiciously begun, would bear its fruits, and that a club which did so much to elevate the moral as well as the physical condition of the populations would prosper for many year”.

Balmain Working Men’s Rowing Club’s First Committee Men in 1886

Illuminated Address presented to Lord Carrington from the Committee & Members of the Balmain Working Men’s Rowing club - 1886
Signatures of the Committee Men

< Formation

> Change of Name

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, errors may exist. Please send advice of any errors or inaccuracies by email to:

Also your comments, suggestions and photos are sought to enhance this site.

The idea for this history originated from the Olympic Rowing and World Senior Rowing Championship histories written by Andrew Guerin and Margot Foster in 1991, 1992 & 1993 for the Australian team handbooks. Andrew Guerin developed and extended these histories to the current format in 2004 for publication in 2004 and then expanded the site.

Steve Roll has been an invaluable contributor to the website in locating errors and finding Christian names of rowers. His superb work is acknowledged.

© Andrew Guerin – 2004
These contents of this history are copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted by the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. However given that the purpose of the history is to assist rowers and rowing clubs, written permission is not required for non-commercial usage by rowers and rowing clubs provided acknowledgement is made.

Disclaimer: Whilst extensive efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the information supplied, the editors take no responsibility for any loss or damage whatsoever arising from inaccuracies contained in this work.