History of UTS Haberfield Rowing Club

A Historical Calendar

With so large a subject of Haberfield Rowing Club, a Historical Calendar at this stage can hardly be made exhaustive. Chiefly mentioned are State Championships and Interstate races and matters of Historical interest.

1925

11 March – First meeting to form Haberfield Rowing Club.
25th May – Meeting on proposed constitution and By-Laws.
4th June – First public meeting with Q. L. Deloitte in the Chair, held at Haberfield. Frank Wheeler first Captain, R Stanton President.
December – Milton C. Kent won first State Championships when he won State Sculling title on the Parramatta River.

1926

March – Opening Day Regatta
2nd October – First Haberfield Eight raced at Mosman Regatta. J. Scott (bow), E. Cork (2), O. Coleman (3), N. Elphinstone (4), E. Bray (5), N. Coulson (6), E Werrick (7), M Woollett (Stroke), N. Ella (Cox), and Bernie Williams (Coach).
23rd October – Haberfield’s first crew win. Maiden Fours at Sydney Regatta. was E. Cork (bow), N. Elphinstone (2), C. Coleman (3), H. Coulson (Stroke), N. Ella (Cox), and Bernie Williams (Coach)

1927

Year opened with Club owning one Eight, two Fours and two pairs – oar tubs.
April – Norm Ella won N.S.W.R.A. Coxswains Trophy 1926-27 season for Haberfield with eight wins.
New Best and Best Fours added to fleet due to the magnificent efforts of Miss Betty Wright and other members of the 1927 Queen Competition.
Haberfield won Sharp Cup for first time.
December – First State crew Championship won by Haberfield Lightweight Champion Fours. W. Cork (bow), R Allman (2), S Elphinstone (3), M Woollett (stroke), N. Ella (cox), B. Williams (coach).

1928

Haberfield finished second in both Junior and Senior Pennant. N. Ella again won coxswains trophy. F. O. Hedger new President.
3th October -First crew entered in Senior Champion Fours of N/S.W., finished second.

1929

Haberfield won Lightweight Champion Eights of N.S.W. H. McCann (bow), C. Kiel (2), J. Guinane (3), R. Kelly (4), W. Cork (5), R. Allman (6), S. Randall (7), P. Davis (stroke), N. Ella (cox), B. S. Williams (Coach).
26th October – First Interstate victory. Jack Scott Jnr. Won the Challenge Sculls at Australian Henley Melbourne in record time.
November – Club again won lightweight Champion Fours of N.S.W. Stan Elphinstone Memorial Cup presented after his tragic death to the N.S.W.R.A. as trophy for Lightweight Champion Fours.

1930

March – Club won Gold Cup at Riverview Regatta and scored its first Senior Eights win. R. Kelly (bow), P. Davis (2), C. Coleman (3), F. Beggs (4), S. Randall (5), A. Stewart (6), H. Fleming (7), H. Coulson (stroke), N. Ella (cox), Mr. Ernie Keary (coach).
May – Jack Scott won the Australian Sculling Championship at Mannum, South Australia.
December – Haberfield won the Lightweight Champion Fours of N.S.W. by half length from Mosman and Drummoyne.

1931

Mark Woolett resigned as Captain. Cliff Wilson, now Captain.
First Annual Football match against Leichhardt Rowing Club at St. Ignatius College.

1932

Herb Turner won Champion Sculls of N.S.W. and later in Melbourne won Australian Champion Sculls.
Won N.S.W. Lightweight Champion Fours. R. Walker first Club King’s Cup representative with crew to Victoria.

1933

Won Lightweight Champion Fours of N.S.W. (from Sydney and Glebe). H. Turner won Australian Sculls Title.
Stan McGilvray and Ted Howlett in winning King’s Cup squad at Hamilton Reach, Brisbane Queensland in Australian record time.
November – Haberfield failed by three feet to win Champion Fours. Sydney gained title.

1934

Bob W. Rees set record of over five years as Club Treasurer
December – E. Howlett (bow), V. Mossong (2), S. McGilvray (3), E. Firth (stroke), D. Bowden (cox), C. Saleh (coach), gave the club its first Senior Crew title when on the Nepean River at Penrith it won the State Championship Fours by three quarters of a length from Mosman.

1935

Mr Frank J. Herlihy, former Club Secretary elected President.
King’s Cup crew contained two Haberfield oarsmen Stan McGilvray and Ted Firth.

1936

Dr. J. A. Forbes joined Haberfield Rowing Club.
Stan McGilvray in the N.S.W. crew which won the King’s Cup in Perth, Western Australia.
Former Haberfield sculler Herb Turner and coxswain Norm Ella in Australian Olympic Team to the Berlin Games.

1937

Messrs. F. Herlihy, E. Williams, J. W. Scott, M. Woollett, C. Wilson and E Firth elected Honorary Life Members of the Club.
Won N.S.W. Junior Pennant.
Bernie Williams famous Haberfield and St. Joseph’s coach passed away. Bernie Williams Memorial Cup for perpetual competition at Haberfield Regatta.

1938

Won N.S.W. Champion Fours and in 1937-38 season N.S.W. Lightweight Champion Fours.
September – Famous racing eight “J.A. Parkes” built by A. & H. Green added to the fleet.

1939

Won N.S.W. Champion Eights for the first time in the Club’s history. J. Eddie (bow), G. Harrison (2), B. Williams (3), O. Ruffels (4), D, Marks (5), M. Ruffels (6), A. Eddie (7), L. Robinson (stroke), R. Schneider (cox), Dr. J. A. Parkes (coach).
Won N.S.W. State Premiership for first time.
1939 King’s Cup crew contained the following Haberfield men: L. Robinson, O. Ruffels, M. Ruffels, D. Marks, G. Harrison, A. Eddie, M. Schnieder, B. Williams and Dr. J. A. Parkes.
November – Won Champion Four of N.S.W.
First Haberfield oarsmen enlist for overseas service.

1940

January – Three Haberfield oarsmen chosen to tour New Zealand:- L. Robinson, K. Webb and W. Taylor. The N.S.W. crew stroked by Lance Robinson won the New Zealand Championship at the Centennial Regatta.
Alderman F. Heger, Patron and past President, passed away.
Haberfield won last official Premiership until end of war.
Won Lightweight Champion Eights of N.S.W.

1941

N.S.W.R.A. unofficial Premiership won by Haberfield and retained each year until end of war.

1942

Over sixty Haberfield Oarsmen on active service abroad.

1943

Dr. J. B. Sharp, Vice-President of the Club and grand-old-man of Bay Club rowing passed away.
Club placed £500 in Commonwealth War Bonds.
Mr. Milton C. Kent new Club President.

1944

Haberfield Rowing Club’s Old Boys Union formed. Mr. W. Casben first President.
C. Kiel donated new Gladstone Skiff.
M. Ruffels, N. Teasdale and W. Shepherd, as Captain, Secretary and Treasure respectively, did grand job as office bearers during difficult war period.

1945

C. W Winkworth new Club Treasurer – which position he still holds with the Club – an all time record.

1946

Haberfield won first post war Champion Eights.
Entire crew chosen to represent in King’s Cup race. V. Aitken (bow), C. Cogle (2), F. Smith (3), K. Vale (4), M. Ruffels (5), K. Webb (6), O. Ruffels (7), L. Robinson (stroke), E. Healey (cox), Dr. J. A Parkes (coach).
Won N.S.W. Champion Fours
Won Grand Challenge Cup for Senior Eights, Australian Henley, Melbourne, Victoria.
Won State Premiership. Jack Eddie re-elected as Club Captain.

1947

Won Lightweight Champion Fours of N.S.W.
Won Champion Eights of N.S.W. at Penrith.
1947 King’s Cup crew contained several Haberfield Oarsmen, namely – L. Robinson, O. Ruffels, K. Webb, C. Cogle, A. Eddie, E. Healey and Dr. J. A. Parkes.
Misses Pat Wilding, Gwen Sims and Shirley Wallace as a result of their great work in the 1947 Queen competition presented the Club with the racing eight “Pat Wilding” named after the winner.
Won N.S.W. Olympic Test Fours – B. Goswell, K. Webb, O. Ruffels, L. Robinson, E. Healey and Dr. J. A. Parkes.

1948

N.S.W. Olympic Test Four with A. Eddie replacing K. Webb injured, second to Victoria in test race at Ballarat.
Owen Ruffels chosen to represent Australia at the 1948 Olympic Games in London, England. Due to lack of finance his nomination later withdrawn.
Won N.S.W. Champion Eights and test Race for King’s Cup.
Entire Haberfield crew chosen and won Australian Champion Eights at Hobart, Tasmania. W. Shepherd (bow), D. Malligan (2), K. Gee (3), W. Winkworth (4), E. Eder (5), T. Brennan (6), A. Eddie (7), J. Eddie (stroke), E. Healey (cox), Dr. J. A. Parkes (coach). Won by 2 lengths from Western Australia, in the excellent time of 14 minutes 50 3/5 seconds.
K. Webb won the Challenge Cup for Single Sculls at Australian Henley 1948.
Won Champion Fours of N.S.W.
Won Champion Pair of Victoria – E. Eder (bow), K. Webb (stroke). Club’s first Champion Pair win.
Mr. David Jones new Club President.
Again won N.S.W. Senior and Junior Premierships.
Club raced against New Zealand Champion Eight – Aramoho Club of Wanganui –Wins were scored against the touring team in the Senior Eights at the Haberfield Regatta and by K. Webb in the Senior Sculls at Sydney and Metropolitan Regattas.

1949

Norm Hobson won Lightweight Champion Sculls of N.S.W.
Dr. J.A. Parkes coach of over a hundred winning Haberfield crews passed away. One of, if not the greatest influenced men in the Club’s history.
Haberfield won Stewards Cup for Senior Fours – Same crew, K. Gee (bow), W. Winkworth (2), E. Eder (3), L. Montgomery (stroke), K. Fox (cox), Jack Eddie (coach), won the Australian Four Oared Test Race for British Empire Games selection at Ballarat, Victoria.
Haberfield won 1948-49 Season Premiership.
Ron Rawlins and Kevyn Webb won N.S.W. Double Scull Championship.
Charles Davison attended his 150th Club Committee Meeting.

1950

In the Australian Team for the 1950 British Empire Games, seven Haberfield men were selected – K. Gee, K. Fox, J. Eddie, K. Webb, L. Montgomery, E. Eder and W. Winkworth.
Norm Cannon won N.S.W. Lightweight Champion Sculls.
Haberfield celebrated its 25th Anniversary.
J. A. Parkes Memorial Cup won by Erwin Eder.
Haberfield four with coxswain representing Australia at the Empire Games won the silver medal.