C W (Bill) Hidgcock
Mercantile Rowing Club (VIC)
The following obituary appeared in the Club's 1998-99 annual report.
Bill Hidgcock was a member of the Club for over fifty years.
Bill was an old Geelong Grammarian and joined the Club in 1945 immediately on return from active war service. He raced for the Club during the 1945 / 46 season winning Maiden VIII's, Junior IV's and Open VIII's in the company of well known old Mercantilians such as Hugh Clarke, Harry Duncan, Herb Shears, Bill Wallace and Arthur Atkins. At the end of 1946 he went to live in the country and took no further part in competitive rowing.
In his latter years he had lived in the Yea district and had not enjoyed the best of health.
Although Bill rowed at Mercantile for only a short time he valued his association with the Club so much that he maintained his membership for another fifty years. It is the continued support of members such as Bill which help make up the traditions of Mercantile and help to provide the financial stability which enables the active members of today to enjoy the fleet and facilities of which the Club is proud.
Andrew Guerin
February 2023