1964 QLD GPS Head of the River
The 1964 GPS Head of the River was conducted on April 4th 1964 on the Milton Reach of the Brisbane River.
Below are two excerpts from The Telegraph and The Courier-Mail written in the lead up to the regatta:
“STATE HIGH FAVOURITES FOR RIVER HEAD
The State High Head of the River eights still is a narrow favourite for the GPS, 2000 metre rowing classic to be raced at 2.45 p.m. on the Milton Reach tomorrow.
They completed their final 2000 metre course yesterday afternoon to wind up three months of intense training. Improved for and blade work over the last fortnight by the solid combination has moved them into consideration as placegetters. They won the first of the school eights races earlier this season, but did not come up to expectations in later events. In final comments yesterday, the coaches had this to say:
Dave Magoffin (BBC): they have improved at every row and should be at their top tomorrow.
Early Fry (Churchie): The boys have shown up well in recent training rows
Clavil Bere (Southport): I am very happy with the form of the crew
Denis Donnelly (State High): The crew is fit
Arthur Fleming (Terrace): The boys are ready to take part in what promises to be a tough race and should acquit themselves well
John Ireland (Grammar) The race will find the crew at its peak and although we have the outside lane, we are happy with the draw.
An unsual feature this year is that less than 4lb separates the topweight Brisbane Grammar who average 12.0 ½ and the lightest, Southport averaging 11.11, If the present outrunning fresh on the river continues it could upset the predictions. Crews in the outside lanes will be out of the fresh early, but will have to push against it over the last 12000 metres. The starting positions will be 1. BBC, 2 CEGS, 3: Southport, 4: State High, 5: Terrace, 6: Brisbane Grammar.
Doug Adam, stroke of the BBC combination will be starting in his third Head of the River eights as stroke to achieve a unique record.
All the crews will be using the modern style wide blades, but all of the racing shells will be conventionally rigged. No School has ventured to try the skilled controversial tandem rigging which has proved successful in fours. Main vantage points for seeing the eight event program will be the area between the Toowong and BBC Rowing sheds. On the Southside of the river a good view of the middle sections of the main race may be secured at Davies Park. An official launch will cruise down the north bank flying school colors to indicate the result of each race.”
Page 42, Telegraph, Friday 3rd April 1964 Edition
“WINDS WILL DECIDE IF ‘HEAD’ IS ROWED
WIND gusts of up to 50 knots, as forecast by the Weather Bureau last night, could make the Brisbane River too dangerous for the Head of the River rowing today.
A meeting of officials at 9 o’clock this morning will decide whether the race will be held. Postponed, or cancelled. If winds and rain from the cyclone moving along to Queensland coast prevents the race it will be the first time since 1955 that it has not been held. The 2000 metre river classic on Milton Reach is due to start at 2.45 p.m. (high tide). Crews will line up near the William Jolly Bridge and finish opposite the Regatta Hotel.
Crews will line up from the north bank as follows, No. 1 lane Brisbane Boys’ College, No. 2 Church of England Grammar School, No. 3 The Southport School , No. 4 Brisbane State High School, No. 5 Gregory Terrace, No. 6 Brisbane Grammar School.
Gregory Terrace, noted for light crews, has the heaviest crew at 96st 1lb this year. The Southport School, usually the heaviest are the lightest at 92st 9lb. Other crews weigh B.B.C. 95st 9lb: B.S.H.S. 95st 4lb: C.E.G.S. 94st 12lb: B.G.S. 93st 10lb. The Southport School are ideally positions in lane 3
If the river is not too choppy, T.S.S. could win the event. B.B.C. could be in trouble in lane 1. This lane would be wars: affected under blowy south-east conditions. B.B.C.’s no. 6 man last year, John Ricketts, will be rowing No. 1. B.G.S. (lane 6) will have a definite advantage id the river is choppy. The South bank is regarded as dead water and is sheltered for south-east winds. Gregory Terrace (lane 5) will have the same advantage as B.G.S. under blowy south-east conditions. This crew has been working extremely well and need only to reproduce the winning form of the first pre-head regatta to win. Top-eights, they will relish heavy conditions. “Churchie” (lane 2) will be stroked by 11st 7lb Lindsay Carter.
Last year’s winners, “Churchie” have been working solidly having completed six courses during training. State High (lane 4) have been working vigorously and last week had training runs against the Toowong lightweight four.
Race times are: 1.30 p.m. 4th fours: 1.45 6th fours: 2.00 3rd fours: 2.15 8th fours, 2.30 1st fours, 2.45 Head of River: 3.00 2nd fours: 3.15 7th fours: 3.30 5th fours. Milton Reach will be closed by police after 1.30.”
Page 14, The Courier-Mail Saturday April 4th 1964
Organising Committee
Great Public Schools' Association
All Schools' Championship First Eight
The O'Connor Cup
Distance: 2000 Metres
Winning Times: 6:25.00
Margins:
2 Feet (1-2)
0.5 Length (2-3)
1st Brisbane Grammar School - Bow: Patrick Buckridge, 2: Peter Clayton, 3: Ross Flutter, 4: Bruce Miller, 5: Trevor Blanch, 6: Peter Robbins, 7: Vernon Wills, Str: Ken Hudson, Cox: Ian Buchanan, Coach: John Ireland
2nd The Southport School - Bow: D. Rouse, 2: B. Braithwaite, 3: J. Spooner, 4: B. Hutcheon, 5: R. Alexander, 6: G. Wehl, 7: R. Seccombe, Str: B. Bell, Cox: R. Taylor, Coach: C. Bere
3rd Brisbane State High School - Coach: D. Donnelly
4th Church of England Grammar School - Bow: D. S. Fossey, 2: W. R. Heaslop, 3: P. C. Macmillan, 4: F. W. Quinton, 5: P. A. Jell, 6: P. Shakespeare, 7: D. C. Friend, Str: L. J. Cutler, Cox: P. J. Watson, Coach: E. Fry
5th Brisbane Boys’ College - 6: J. Ricketts, Str: D. Adam, Coach: D. Magoffin
6th Gregory Terrace - Bow: D. Courtney, 2: J. Daly, 3: T. Anderson, 4: T. Mulligan, 5: B. Lacey, 6: T. McMahon, 7: F. Marchasi, Str K. O’Rourke, Cox: L. Waters, Coach: A. Fleming
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The 1964 Southport First VIII 
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1964 Gregory Terrace First VIII
1964 Church of England Grammar School
The Five seat of the 1964 Anglican Church Grammar School Crew, Peter A. Jell, represented Queensland in the 1966 & 1967 King’s Cup.
D. C. Friend, the seven seat in the 1964 Anglican Church Grammar School First VIII, was the 1964 recipient Of the MacIntyre Cup awarded to the best all-round Churchie sportsman of the year.
Peter Shakespeare profile
Peter Shakespeare, the 6 seat in the 1964 Church of England Grammar School Frist VIII, was arguably the most successful Churchie Old Boy in rowing. He not only won the King’s Cup for Western Australia and an Australian pair championship but also represented Australia internationally on four separate occasions, culminating with 5th place in the Olympic Eight final at Montreal in 1976.
Peter has made a career of rowing, having gone on to be Rowing Master at Canberra Grammar School, Wesley College, Melbourne Grammar School and at Churchie, and elite level coach of more than 10 Australian international crews between 1982 and 1990, including the men’s coxless four at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984, and the Women’s eight at the 1986 Commonwealth Games (gold medal) and World Championships.
Peter has held other important positions in rowing such as Development Officer for Rowing Australia, essentially to coach the coaches, and since he left Churchie in 2002, he has been Performance Development Manager for the British Rowing Association. One of Peter’s more important legacies to the sport has been his development of talent identification techniques which he began with the women’s program in Canberra, continued during his time at Churchie and has been refining even further in his English years.
In 1984, Churchie celebrated their 1964 Captain of boats, Peter Shakespeare by naming a boat in his honour. The six racing pairs obtained by Churchie during the 1980s were all named for old boys or close associated who had represented Australia in rowing in one or other role. Peter Shakespeare was also the 1964 recipient of the Sylvia Dixon Prize for the Churchie student who most demonstrated leadership and skills in the 1964 Churchie sporting calendar.
The Race Described
The race described:
“Brisbane Grammar, off to a bad start, staged a great recovery to win the Head of the River eights on Toowong Reach yesterday. Stroked by an intense Senior student, Ken Hudson, 17, they had charge of 50 percent of the race and that was the last 1000 metres.
Grammar won by three-quarters of a length from The Southport School with 2 ft to hot favourites, State High. To make even a tough race tougher, Grammar lost the start by almost half-a-length, through misunderstanding.
“Not ready”
Stroke Hudson said later: “we thought we were off course as we faced the line. The cox, Ian Buchanan had his hand up to show we were not ready, but just then the gun went and the race was on. We just swung into it and forgot all about or bad start.” The race was delayed almost 20 minutes when a strong wind blew the six starters towards the north bank and when several fours boats were on the “Head” course. The starter first backed the crews but was finally forced to turn all crews around for a new start. It was Grammar’s first win since 1960.
Stroke Hudson, after calling for a high early rating, stuck to it, and the crew was never really on for an “effort.” They averaged 39-40 strokes a minute.
Their coach, former King’s Cup oarsman, John Ireland, told them to try for a high rating from the start and stick with it.
No Panic
The leeway Grammar gave at the start could have told on a less calculating stroke-cox combination than Hudson and Buchanan. They did not panic for the lost ground, but kept the crew steady to their coach’s plan. The crews had completed half the 2000-metre course before the coolness of the Grammar crew paid of. At the half-way, Grammar had overhauled early leaders State High and Southport. From then on it was Grammar by an inch, a foot, a yard, a canvas - all the time going away. The time of 6 min 38.5 sec was excellent for a schoolboy crew in difficult conditions. And who could have forecast that Grammar, the unglamorous crew unable to win early Head previews, would win so well after missing the start?”
Page 29, The Sunday Mail, April 5th 1964 Edition
"The Head of the River regatta was held on 4th April. In the draw two weeks earlier t had drawn apparently favourable inside lanes. However, south-east winds caused by a cyclone overcame this. [Churchie] had drawn apparently favourable inside lanes. However, south-east winds caused by a cyclone overcame this...
Although timed for 2.45 difficult conditions delayed the start of the Head of the River. From the start the school rowing in lane two, got away well and was sharing the lead with TSS. For most of the first 1000m [Churchie] led the tightly packed field, but on equal terms with TSS. At this stage the right Churchie's eight was rowing in an excellent position with a controlled hard, high rating. In the closing stages a disconcerting breeze hampered inside lanes, but the [Churchie] finished less than a length from the winning crew, BGS, who defeated TSS and BSHS, then the CEGS, BBC, and GT."
Page 203, Churchie Rowing by Peter Jell, Published by Anglican Church Grammar School
All Schools' First Four
Distance: 0.75 Mile
Winning Times: 4:46.00
Margins:
1 Length (1-2)
0.5 Length (2-3)1st Brisbane Grammar School
2nd The Southport School
3rd Church of England Grammar School - Bow: B. R. Lewis, 2: A. J. Leeds, 3: C. G. Sommer, Str: T. L. Atkinson, Cox: P. J. Heaslop, Coach: T. Holt
Other Competing Crews:
Gregory Terrace - Bow: R. McDonnell, 2: R. Stenson, 3: I. Farry, Str: G. Chappel, Cox: B. McManus
Gregory Terrace 1964 First IV 
All Schools' Second Four
Distance: 0.75 Mile
Winning Times: 4:55.00
Margins:
2.5 Lengths (1-2)
0.5 Length (2-3)1st The Southport School
2nd Church of England Grammar School - Bow: R. C. Elliot, 2: C. J. Boucher, 3: J. R. Petrie, Str: G. D. Wilmouth, Cox: M. E. Hartley, Coach: T. Holt
3rd Gregory Terrace - Bow: P. Greenfield, 2: J. Drapes, 3: D. Spence, Str: V. Knauth, Cox: D. Murr
Gregory Terrace 1964 First IV
All Schools' Third Four
Distance: 0.5 Mile
Winning Time: 2:55.00
Times:
0.75 Length (1-2)
2 Feet (2-3)1st Brisbane Grammar School
2nd The Southport School
3rd Gregory Terrace - Bow: P. Chappel, 2: P. Cullen, 3: R. Handy, Str: G. Keogh, Cox: P. Halliday
Other Competing Crews:
Church of England Grammar School - Bow: R. J. Rodgers, 2: J. D. Liddle, 3: D. G. Allan, Str: K. N. Foote, Cox: R. M. Grant
All Schools' Fourth Four
Distance: 0.5 Mile
Winning Time: 3:02.00
Margins:
1.25 Lengths (1-2)
1 Canvas (2-3)1st Gregory Terrace - Bow: J. O'Shea, 2: P. Kilcullen, 3: B. Miller, Str: P. Reid, Cox: D. Murr
2nd The Southport School
3rd Brisbane Boys' College
Other competing crews
Church of England Grammar School - Bow: D. H. Slatter, 2: P. M. Taylor, 3: D. J. Marr, Str: J. R. Miller, Cox: J. Cranley
Gregory Terrace 1964 Fourth IV
P. Reid (Str), B. Miller, D. Murr (Cox), P. Kilcullen, J. O'Shea
All Schools' Fifth Four
Distance: 0.5 Mile
Winning Time: 3:50.00
Margins:
1 Length (1-2)
3 Lengths (2-3)1st Brisbane Grammar School
2nd Church of England Grammar School - Bow: K. L. Thomas, 2: P. R. Walker, 3: I. W. Greenwod, Str: C. S. Cooper, Cox: B. W. Lindley
3rd Gregory Terrace - Bow: J. Vine, 2: P. Burgess, 3: D. Stirling, Str: R. Stewart, Cox: B. Whitehill
All Schools' Sixth Four
Distance: 0.5 Mile
Winning Time: 3:00.00
Margins:
1.25 Lengths (1-2)
1 Canvas (2-3)1st Brisbane State High School
2nd Church of England Grammar School - Bow: D. K. Galwey, 2: P. F. Snowball, 3: R. M. White, Str: P. E. Maddern, Cox: G. K. Blythe
3rd Gregory Terrace - Bow: M. Toohey, 2: E. L'Estrange, 3: L. Tunney, Str: J. Barbeler, Cox: J. Mayse
All Schools' Seventh Four
Distance: 0.5 Mile
Winning Time: 3:11.00
Margins:
0.75 Lengths (1-2)
1 Length (2-3)1st Brisbane State High School
2nd Brisbane Boys' College
3rd Church of England Grammar School (a) - Bow: N. W. Collyer, 2: D. R. McMaugh, 3: I. L. Fellows, Str: I. A. Scudamore, Cox: N. J. Cranley
Other Competing Crews:
Church of England Grammar School (b) - Bow: C. J. Osbourne, 2: R. W. Ayres, 3: I. G. Marr, Str: A. C. Miller, Cox: D. B. Rutledge
Church of England Grammar School (c) - Bow: D. G. Penman, 2: P. D. Clark, 3: W. A. Gibson, Str: P. Ede, Cox: A. M. Davis
Gregory Terrace - Bow: G. Lang, 2: J. Kluver, 3: A. Coyne, Str: G. Grant
All Schools' Eighth Four
Distance: 0.5 Mile
Winning Time: 3:50.00
Margins:
2 Lengths (1-2)
2 Feet (2-3)1st Church of England Grammar School (b) - Bow: P. J. Schmidt, 2: J. M. Hunter, 3: R. F. South, Str: C. K. McDonald, Cox: P. J. Trotter
2nd Brisbane Boys' College
3rd Brisbane Boys' College
Other Competing Crews:
Church of England Grammar School (b) - Bow: R. J. Priest, 2: P. G. Doggett, 3: R. A. Isles, Str: K. M. Woodhead, Cox: L. G. Palmer
Gregory Terrace (8th IV) - Bow: B. Foran, 2: J. Stack, 3: P. Bowden, Str: R. Oliver
Gregory Terrace (9th IV) - Bow: S. Grieve, 2: S. Mulligan, 3: K. Lynagh, Str: R. Cantarino
Gregory Terrace (10th IV) - Bow: R. Jenson, 2: N. Fanning, 3: D. Cannife, Str: M. Johnson
Gregory Terrace (11th IV)- Bow: M. Hackett, 2: K. Stapleton, 3: B. Overell, Str: V. Cavallucci
Sources
Page 42, Telegraph, Friday 3rd April 1964 Edition https://archive.org/details/page-42-telegraph-friday-april-3rd-1964-edition
Page 12, The Courier-Mail, Friday, April 3rd 1964 Edition https://archive.org/details/page-12-the-courier-mail-friday-3rd-april-1964
Page 14, The Courier-Mail, Saturday April 4th 1964 Edition https://archive.org/details/page-14-the-courier-mail-saturday-april-4th-1964
Page 28, The Sunday Mail, April 5th 1964 Edition https://archive.org/details/img-20201214074549
Page 29, The Sunday Mail, April 5th 1964 Edition https://archive.org/details/img-20201214074559
Churchie Rowing by Peter Jell, Published by Anglican Church Grammar School
Page 70-72. St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace, 1964 Edition https://media.digistormhosting.com.au/sjgt-au-qld-91-oldboys/documents/1964-St-Joseph-College-Terrace.pdf?mtime=20180403073408