James Yeomans

Melbourne City Rowing Club (VIC) until 1890 then Yarra Yarra Rowing Club (VIC) and from 1894, Queen's Drive Rowing Club (NZL)

James Yeomans was an outstanding oarsman of his day who enjoyed great success as a rower in Victoria. Despite continuous success over five season, he was a Victorian representative only on one occasion.

In 1894, Yeomans moved to New Zealand where he became a noted rower and coach. He rowed in and coached the Queen's Drive Rowing Club Champion Four. In one newspaper report, he is noted as being "the greatest coach of his day". The unsourced newspaper article on New Zealand rowing coaches goes on to report that he remodelled the rowing style the senior crews. "He introduced the powerful leg drive from Australia and shortened the swing. The result was victory in the champion fours of '95, '96 and '97."

1891-2-3 Victorian Champion Eights from Yarra Yarra Rowing Club with Yeoman seated on the left hand side

1889 - Victorian Championships, Champion Men's Four, three seat - First (Melbourne City RC)

1890 - Melbourne Regatta, men's Maiden Scull - First (Melbourne City RC)

1890 (Feb) - Warrnambool Regatta, Senior Four, three seat - First (Melbourne City RC)

1890 - Colas Regatta, Senior Four, two seat - First

1890 (Dec) - Warrnambool Regatta, Senior Four, three seat - First

1890 - Victorian Championships, Champion Men's Four, two seat - First

1891 - Warrnambool Regatta, Senior Eight, six seat - First

1891 (March) - Claymore Challenge Cup, six seat - First

1891 (Dec) - Claymore Challenge Cup, six seat - First

1891 - Geelong and Barwon Regatta, Men's Four, two seat - First

1891 - Melbourne Regatta, Men's Four, two seat - First

1891 - Bairnsdale Regatta, Senior Four, two seat - First

1891 - Victorian Championships, Champion Men's Four, two seat - First

1891 - Victorian Championships, Champion Men's Eight, six seat - First

1892 - Warrnambool Regatta, Senior Eight, six seat - First

1892 - Richmond and South Yarra Regatta, Senior Four, two seat - First

1892 - Bairnsdale Regatta, Senior Four, two seat - First

1892 - Geelong and Barwon Regatta, Junior Eight, two seat - First

1892 - Melbourne Regatta, Men's Four, two seat - First

1892 - Victorian Championships, Champion Men's Four, two seat - First

1893 - Melbourne Regatta, Men's Four, two seat - First

1893 - Victorian Championships, Champion Men's Four, two seat - First

1891 - Victorian Championships, Champion Men's Eight, six seat - First

1893 – Intercolonial Men’s Eight Championship seven seat – Second

1895 - New Zealand Championships, Men's Four, two seat - First

1896 - New Zealand Championships, Men's Four, two seat - First

1896 - Intercolonial Four Oared Championship. Selected to race for New Zealand but the crew was withdrawn in favour of a Blenheim crew after NSW objected to two carpenters being in crew, thus offending their amateur definition.

1897 - New Zealand Championships, Men's Four, coach - First

Andrew Guerin
June 2021 (Updated February 2022)

Sources:

The Victorian Oarsman by John Lang, Messina & Co 1919
Rowing. (1895, May 14). Sportsman (Melbourne, Vic. : 1882 - 1904), p. 5. Retrieved February 27, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article227717830
Unsourced newspaper article.
YYRA website
Jim Skidmore and Peter Gill
Author's own records

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
These contents of this history are copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted by the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. However given that the purpose of the history is to assist rowers and rowing clubs, written permission is not required for non-commercial usage by rowers and rowing clubs provided acknowledgement is made.

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.