Charles F Barton
Maryborough Rowing Club (QLD)
1880 - Queensland Championship Men's Four two seat - First
May 1884 - Queensland Championship Men's Four three seat - First
December 1884 - Queensland Championship Men's Four - Fourth
1885 - Queensland Championship Men's Four three seat - First
Dec 1885 - Queensland Championship Men's Four two seat - First
May 1886 - Queensland Championship Men's Four two seat - First
Charles was a member of a well known rowing family from Maryborough, Queensland. He was the oldest of three brothers, who were all pioneers of the sport in Queensland. See the profile of his younger brother Newton.
The Barton family lived on the banks of the Mary River. Given the proximity to the river, their family background and the importance of boating as a means of transportation, they all became champion rowers.
Charles won a total of five State Championships in fours, the major sweep oared Queensland Championship of the day. These victories included the second Queensland championship on 10th December 1880. The other championships were in 1884, 1885 (May and December) and 1886. All races were over the championship distance of 3 miles. The 1884 race was only won by 2 feet from another Maryborough crew with another four crews further behind.
Drawn from Jack Pritchard's Rowing in Queensland 1880-1995 and John Tidey's Newton and his Daughters - a memoir.
Andrew Guerin
April 2020