Harry Trebilcock
Yarra Yarra Rowing Club (VIC)
Member 1950/51 - 1988/89. Passed away 11/7/1989
Committee 1953/54, 1954/55, 1980/81, 1985/86 - 1988/89
Secretary 1982/83
Recorded wins:-
1954 - Albert Park regatta, lightweight four (2)
1953 - Ballarat regatta, junior four (stroke)
1956 - V.R.A. regatta, senior pair (stroke) (Yarra’s first senior win since the 1890’s)
From the Yarra Yarra Rowing Club newsletter 'Yarra Yabbie' no 32, 1989-9-20
Vale
Harry Trebilcock (young Harry), Harry passed away after a long battle with cancer.
Many of Harry’s friends and family attended a service at Faulkner Crematorium. Harry joined Yarra in September 1950 and progressed to senior oarsman. Always involved in club life, at the time of his death Harry was a committee member and vintage 4 member and dedicated to keeping Yarra’s regatta on the ball with some very late hours on programme.
Harry joined the Victorian Police force, then moved to New Guinea (Papua) and worked his way up to assistant superintendent, he then moved to London on hotel security and returned to Melbourne, working with the ministry of housing in a security teaching role and then was in charge of security at Victorian Museum. His first job being the Egyptian Pharaohs Gold, a multimillion dollar exhibition.
From the YYRC 1988/89 annual report:-
Harry John Trebilcock: born 1933, died 11 July 1989
Harry, or “Young Harry” as he was affectionately known by the older veterans of Yarra, joined the club when he was 16 years of age and with determination and skill progressed through maiden and junior ranks to senior class rowing.
After a long period in the police force, Harry went overseas; first to Papua New Guinea then to England where he was engaged in security work. On his return to Australia, Harry quickly re-joined Yarra and became a regular member of the “vintage four” on their rows downstream to Westgate on Sunday mornings, flat water, and hard work and above all, teamwork characterised Harry's rowing and made him a most valuable member of the crew.
In addition to his regular rowing and sculling, Harry was a devoted runner and swimmer; it might be said that he was one of the fittest men at Yarra – all the more tragic, therefore, that he was stricken so young by a terminal illness. To the bitter end he fought, but to no avail.
A past committee man and secretary of the club, Harry is greatly missed by all who knew him; to his mother and Sister Jan we extend our most sincere condolences.
1985 masters regatta Harry in bow seat
1982 Sunday crew returning from a row to Westgate Bridge, Harry in stroke seat.
Jim Skidmore
June 2024