1939 NSW AAGPS Head of the River
Convincing Victory in Eights. Sydney High School Wins Both Fours. (Sydney Morning Herald, 24 Apr 1939).
For the first successive year Sydney Church of England Grammar School won the Great Public Schools’ championship eights on the Nepean River on Saturday, in a race which provided a tense struggle over a mile and a quarter of the course, but ended in a decisive victory.
The race was the most spectacular in the history of the event, as the eight competing crews have never been so close together at the finish. A couple of lengths would have covered the seven beaten crews at the finish of a gruelling mile and a half.
The winning eight, under extreme pressure, maintained perfect rhythm and smoothness, rowing its higher ratings without flurry or bustle, and getting relentless and incessant run.
The result was a triumph for the stroke of Sydney Church of England Grammar School, D.T. Bartley, who rower to schedule, and at the critical stage was able to raise the rating without loss of combination. Sydney High School won both the First and Second four-oar events with crews which rowers splendid form.
Senior 1st Eight
Major Rennie Trophy
8:19.20
2 ½ lengths
1 length
1st Sydney Church of England Grammar School – Bow: S.C. Clarke, 2: D.M. Taylor, 3: A.B. Cuthbert, 4: D.R. Roughton, 5: D.R. Osborne, 6: M.H. Forsyth, 7: G.G. Fisher, Str: D.T. Bartley, Cox: R.P. Windeyer, Cch: L.C. Robson
2nd Sydney High School – Bow: J.B. McCoust, 2: A.H. Mann, 3: L. Foley, 4: R.L. Chaselling, 5: W.J. McMurray, 6: L.H. Wieland, 7: K.M. Baret, Str: E.O. Loughley, Cox: F.B. McFee, Cch: F.M. Nicholls
3rd Scots College – Bow: J. Leitch, 2: D. Whiteford, 3: J.A. Wright, 4: J.P. Curry, 5: B. Christie, 6: H.B. May, 7: D. Lloyd, Str: R. Clemesha, Cox: J. Bateman, Cch: N.C. Pottle
4th St. Ignatius’ College – Bow: J. D’Arcy, 2: D. Meagher, 3: K. Wawn, 4: J. Hodges, 5: E. Giblin, 6: B. Barry, 7: G. O’Shaughnessy, Str: K. Morgan, Cox: J. Mallon, Cch: L.P. Raper
Senior 1st Four
Yaralla Cup
6:07.00
3 ½ lengths
1st Sydney High School – Bow: A.W. Brown, 2: W.E. Skinner, 3: E.S. White, Str: G.E. Meldrum, Cox: T.H. Kelly, Cch: D.J. Duffy
2nd St. Ignatius’ College – Bow: M. McIver, 2: V. Quarrell, 3: F. Downes, Str: J.N. O’Riordan, Cox: E. Booth, Cch: D.J. Bagget
3rd Newington College – Bow: B.N. Nelson, 2: K.B.D. Bussell, 3: G.L.B. Dean, Str: M.S. Neal, Cox: B. Lee, Cch: N.B. Castle
4th St. Joseph’s College – Bow: P.E. Smith, 2: P.H. Mainsbridge, 3: J.W. Howell, Str: R.C. Handley, Cox: B.J. Ryan, Cch: S.E. Cusack
Senior 2nd Four
6:14.75
1 ¼ lengths
1 length
1st Sydney High School – Bow: N.G. Docker, 2: K. Davenport, 3: J.G. Duffy, Str: J.K. Longmuir, Cox: D.W. Hain, Cch: D.C. Duffy
2nd Sydney Grammar School – Bow: D.B. McCreadie, 2: J.M. Furkington, 3: J.S. Duff, Str: S.H. Prentice, Cox: O.C. Brooks, Cch: E.L. Pilkington
3rd St. Joseph’s College – Bow: R.M. Ferrari, 2: P.J. Tuthill, 3: R.A. Cayzer, Str: E.A. Fahey, Cox: R.M. Ryan, Cch: S.C. Cusack
4th Sydney Church of England Grammar School – Bow: H.H. Chancellor, 2: D.E. Wood, 3: D.C. Dent, Str: T.R. Watson, Cox: T.H. Capp, Cch: J.B. Burrell