Home > Rowing Profiles > Edwards, E K "Eddy"

E K "Eddy" Edwards

Fremantle Rowing Club (WA)

Eddy Edwards was the son of past Captain H J G Edwards and served the club with distinction as an oarsman, coach, boat race official and administrator. His work was recognised with election to life membership of not only his club, but also of the Association.

The Fremantle Rowing Club history published in 1987 also highlighted Eddy's great work as the boatman from 1932-40. Specifically it noted that in those difficult times he was able to find the materials to keep the boats in good order. Eddie instituted the art of collecting boat material which could have fallen off the back of a truck and was a driving force in having the boats "ship shape".

For a period from the late 1950s onwards, Eddy was a prominent boat race official in Western Australia and today is probably remembered more that work than his rowing and coaching.

Not only was Eddy Edwards a great servant of the sport, so was his wife Mary, who served as President of the Fremantle Ladies' Rowing Club in 1963.

1955 West Australian Crew coached by Eddy Edwards
Bow: Jack Messer, 2: Don O'Brien, 3: Richard Child, 4: Ken Roberts, 5: Milton Francis, 6: Allan Hall, 7: Don Ross, Str: Robert Semple, Cox: Terry Scook

Known rowing record

1934-35 - Captain

1938 and 1939 - Dominated junior pair oared rowing with Ralph Jeffreys

1946 - WA Championships, Men's Pair, bow - First

1946 - Interstate Championships, King's Cup, bow - Third

1948- WA Championships, Men's Junior Eight, coach - Second

1948-49 - Captain

1951 - WA Championships, Men's Eight, coach - Second

1951 - Elected as a Life member

1952 - WA Championships, Men's Eight, coach - Second

1953 - WA Championships, Men's Junior Eight - First

1953 - WA Championships, Men's Eight, coach - First

1954 - WA Championships, Men's Eight, coach - First

1954 - Interstate Championships, King's Cup, coach - Fifth

1955 - WA Championships, Men's Eight, coach - First

1955 - Interstate Championships, King's Cup, coach - First

Served as a Vice-President of his Club for many years

Served on the WA Rowing Association in various roles.

1969 - Elected life member of the WA Rowing Association

Andrew Guerin
October 2024

Sources

History of Fremantle Rowing Club 1887-1987 by Ralph Jeffreys, 1987
This website
Home & Dry - A history of rowing in Western Australia by Bill Cooper, 2008.

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
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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.