1936 South Australian Schools' Head of the River
Saturday, 18 April – Torrens Lake:
The 1936 edition of the SA Head of the River featured the following schoolboy events on the Torrens Lake:
- First Eight
- Open Tub Fours (Fixed)
- Under 16 Tub Fours (Fixed)
- Under 15 Tub Fours (Fixed)
The Mail wrote that record crowds lined the banks from Morphett St Bridge to the City Bridge. St. Peter's College won the Gosse Shield for the First Eight for three years in-a-row by just 4 feet over Adelaide High School. They also retained the Blackmore Shield by defeating Prince Alfred College in the heat. St. Peter's also won Open Tub and Under 16 Tub Fours, whilst P.A.C. won the Under 15 Tub Four.
First Eight
The Mail wrote the following of St. Peter's tight win the 1936 First Eight:
"In the Head-of-the-River final High School got the best start and led by a few feet for 300 yards. Then Saints levelled, and the two crews came up to the bridge neck and neck. High School gained a little at the turn, but opposite the Adelaide Rowing Club sheds Saints spurted. Near home one of the High School boys 'caught a crab,' and with 180 yards to go Saints were half a canvas ahead. Both crews were rowing wonderfully well. Saints retained the shield by only 4 ft."
St. Peter's College winning the Gosse Shield for First Eights for the third successive year
(Source: The Advertiser, 20 April 1936)
Organising Committee:
South Australian Rowing Association
Officials:
Starter and Umpire: Mr C. R. Cudmore
Timekeeper: Mr. V. S. Murphy
First Eight
Gosse Shield
½ mile
Time: 3 min 4½ sec
Margin: 4 feet
1st St. Peter's College – Bow: E. S. Dyson, 2: J. A. Game, 3: K. M. Lindsay, 4: D. W. Bryant, 5: D. C. Wighton, 6: G. M. Neuenkirchen, 7: J. D. Gordon, Stroke: J. G. Gosse, Cox: H. A. Willoughby
2nd Adelaide High School – Bow: unknown, 2: unknown, 3: W. Wilson, 4: B. Ball, 5: R. Barnes, 6: L. Roberts, 7: B. K. Clapp, Stroke: B. D. Leahy, Cox: R. H. Burden
(Knocked out in heat by St. Peter's College):
Prince Alfred College – Bow: B. King, 2: R. K. Dunn, 3: B. Stacey, 4: D. A. Dibden, 5: D. C. Philips, 6: F. Niebos, 7: J. C. Walker, Stroke: D. O. Crompton, Cox: K. K. Preburg
(Knocked out in heat by Adelaide High School):
Scotch College – Bow: C. B. Treloar, 2: R. M. Norman, 3: W. T. Dean, 4: unknown, 5: J. M. Arnold, 6: X. Martin, 7: K. F. Crocker, Stroke: W. Biglehart, Cox: W. B. Swanson
Open Tub Four (Fixed)
¼ mile
Time: unknown
Margin: 2½ lengths
1st St. Peter's College – Bow: C. R. Gordon, 2: B. K. A. Sawyers 3: B. C. Quayle, Stroke: P. R. Bull, Cox: J. Gosse
2nd Adelaide High School – Bow: B. Shaughnessy, 2: J. Hughes 3: W. Mazure, Stroke: E. Rowe, Cox: J. Mates
(Knocked out in heat by St. Peter's College):
Prince Alfred College – Bow: R. W. Oliver, 2: R. A. Wagner, 3: R. T. Hand, Stroke: J. A. Roberts, Cox: R. H. Turner
(Knocked out in heat by Adelaide High School):
Scotch College – Bow: F. E. Trembath, 2: D. W. Gray, 3: T. M. Wood, Stroke: J. A. Harris, Cox: H. R. Gilmore
Under 16 Tub Four (Fixed)
¼ mile
Time: unknown
Margin: 1 length
1st St. Peter's College – Bow: M. J. C. Muirhead, 2: C. C. Hampton, 3: R. A. Burston, Stroke: P. W. Leslie, Cox: G. Mudge
2nd Adelaide High School – Bow: A. Oliver, 2: B. Pitman 3: L. Clapson, Stroke: K. Richards, Cox: L. Scull
(Knocked out in heat by Adelaide High School):
Prince Alfred College – Bow: J. K. Marshman, 2: R. Blackett, 3: R. H. Buttery, Stroke: T. B. Hamilton, Cox: K. F. Davey
Under 15 Tub Four (Fixed)
¼ mile
Time: unknown
Margin: 3 lengths
1st Prince Alfred College – Bow: P. H. Kelpert, 2: P. F. Edwards, 3: B. G. Clarke, Stroke: L. H. Kirkman, Cox: A. W. Crompton
2nd St. Peter's College – Bow: B. Shaughnessy, 2: J. Hughes 3: W. Mazure, Stroke: E. Rowe, Cox: J. Mates
(Knocked out in heat by Prince Alfred College):
Adelaide High School – Bow: R. Gild, 2: R. Jordan, 3: R. Hyde, Stroke: G. Thornthwaite, Cox: D. Sweetman
Sources
ST. PETER'S WINS GOSSE SHIELD (1936, 20 April), The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA: 1931 – 1954), p. 9, Retrieved July 26 2023, from https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/35425488
Saints Win Head-of-River for Third Successive Year (1936, 18 April), The Mail (Adelaide, SA: 1912 – 1954), p. 16, Retrieved July 26 2023, from https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/55724470