David W B Wilkie
Melbourne University Boat Club (VIC)
An and prominent rower in the early days of Victorian rowing.
In John Lang's The Victorian Oarsman, Massina & Co 1919, Thomas Colles describes David as: The bow of the Hopeand Wilkie pair and bow in the University Four. A man of light build and good reach. It was a matter of surprise that he could hold and steer a strong oar like Hope, but Wilkie had a long head, and the dodges of which he was ignorant were not worth learning. He could steer a pair oar without a cox from Princes Bridge to Botanical Bridge without once looking round.
The pair with Hopewas dominant at that time with Colles adding that: They made a pair that was never beaten, and they rowed many first-class races.
Rowing details
1867 - Melbourne Regatta, maiden pair, bow - First
1868 - Committee member of his club
1868 - Melbourne Regatta, Challenge Pairs, bow - First
1868 - Melbourne Regatta, Grand Challenge Cup for Fours, bow - Second
1869 - Melbourne Regatta, Challenge Pairs, bow - First
1869 - Melbourne Regatta, Grand Challenge Cup for Fours, bow - First
1870 - Melbourne Regatta, Challenge Pairs, bow - First
1870 - Inaugural Australian University Men's Four Championship, stroke - First
1872 - Melbourne Regatta, Grand Challenge Cup for Fours, bow - First
1873 - Melbourne Regatta, Grand Challenge Cup for Fours, bow - First
Compiled by Andrew Guerin
June 2021