Edwin Jack

Tamar Rowing Club (TAS)

Edwin Jack was an accomplished sculler and oarsman pre World War I.

He first came to fame in 1907 when he represented Tasmania in the Interstate Sculling Championship of Australia, finishing third.

Controversy surrounded his 1908 appearance in this Championship when he was disqualified for being a 'professional'. Specifically he was assessed by the other States competing that he was no longer an amateur as he earned a living 'employed in or about boats for wages' thus deemed to be contrary to the amateur definition at the time. Jack was the son of a boat builder and must have worked in the employ of his father. Most galling about this post race decision was that it was reported that he won the race by three lengths and the decision made well after the event.

In his other racing, he was the Tasmanian Championship sculler consecutively for eight years. Two of those years are known to be 1908 and 1911.

He is also recorded as being the bowman of a winning Tamar Stewards' Cup Four at Henley on Yarra in 1909. This crew was stroked by the Club's famous coach J Artis, who supervised club crews in the 1920s.

Jack as shown in the 1907 Interstate Championships program

Jack from the 1908 program

Andrew Guerin

May 2024

Sources

Tamar Rowing Club records and images obtained during a visit in May 2024
The Victorian Oarsman and Rowing Register by John Lang and published by Messina & Co 1919
1907 and 1908 regatta programs

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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