1955 Head of the River
The regatta was held on the Barwon as usual with heats on 15th April and finals on 16th April. This was to be the last year of the involement of W H Pincott of Geelong Grammar. He died later this year.
As with many other years, many well known rowers came from this year. They included Caithness and Norwood from Geelong College, Lee and McCall from Scotch and Gillon from Xavier. Stuart McArthur, stroke of the winning Geelong College crew, became a well known local Geelong federal politician.
Index to Results:
1955 Winning Xavier College Third Crew
Reproduced with permission from "Lift her home to victory lads! A centenary history of Xavier College Rowing 1906-2006" by Michael Lefebvre
Time: 4:44.4
Margin: 1/3 length
and dead heat
Losers final
Time: 4:51.6
Margins: 1/3 length and 1/2 length
1st Geelong College - Bow: J G Pennefather, 2: David M Caithness, 3: G G Wills, 4: W W Lawler, 5: Derek E H Norwood, 6: W A W Wood, 7: B S Kinder, Str: F Stuart McArthur, Cox: A T John, Cch: Albert B Bell
Equal 2nd Scotch College - Bow: Robert E Lee, 2: A Russell Frater, 3: J Peter Rowland, 4: Hugh A C Dick, 5: Michael J Edgar, 6: Graeme A McCall, 7: William V Waddell, Str: William S Tingate, Cox: Kenneth S Jasper, Cch: Laurence H Christie
Equal 2nd Wesley College - Bow: J W Ralton, 2: M F Boyt, 3: M J Lee, 4: B R G McKeown, 5: Irvin P Rockman, 6: D Ian Allen, 7: T H Jackett, Str: Peter J Guest, Cox: I M Trudinger, Cch: Alan W Mitchell
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1955 Final with Geelong College leading with a dead heat between Scotch and Wesley looming
Scotch College 1st Crew
Photo: The Scotch Collegian June 1955
Wesley College 1st Crew
Photo: Ian Allen
Losers final
Geelong Grammar - Bow: R W Sneddon, 2: S M Welsh, 3: J G Gatenby, 4: R B D Cook, 5: I A K Baillieu, 6: D R Clutter, 7: P M Robinson, Str: J P Gilmore, Cox: N P W Allen, Cch: John E L Barber
Melbourne Grammar - Bow: G R Coldham, 2: A G Johnson, 3: W R Riches, 4: J B Ward, 5: R F Richards, 6: N R A Barrett, 7: D B Brown, Str: F B W Laycock, Cox: G H Hazard, Cch: Anthony J Smith
Xavier College - Bow: J B Galbraith, 2: P F Darling, 3: J B Wallace, 4: B L Maloney, 5: W L Greville, 6: Peter L Gillon, 7: P R Dowling, Str: Edward W O'Bryan, Cox: G D Reilly, Cch: Charles G Saleh
Heat results:
E1: 1st WC, 2nd MGS, Time: 4:45.6, Margin: 1 length
E2: 1st GC, 2nd GGS, Time: 4:45, Margin: 1 1/4 length
E3: 1st SC, 2nd XC, Time: 4:47, Margin: 1 1/2 lengths
Time: 2:27
Margins: 3 feet and 1/2 length
Losers final
Time: 2:28.6
margins: 1 foot and 3/4 length
1st Geelong College
2nd Geelong Grammar
3rd
Scotch College - Bow: I O Nicholls, 2: B J Andrews, 3: J H C Nairn, 4: M H Munro, 5: A S Olsson, 6: B Conduit, 7: N C W Courtney, Str: P G Russell, Cox: R McC Hawthorne, Cch: M R Wood
Scotch College Second Crew
Photo: The Scotch Collegian June 1955
Losers final:
1st Wesley College
2nd
Xavier College - Bow: M Hayden, 2: W Sinn, 3: M Martin, 4: W O'Connell, 5: P Metzner, 6: B Nixon, 7: R Dupuche, Str: C Donelan, Cox: P Chisholm, Cch: Fr M O'Mahoney SJ
3rd Melbourne Grammar
Heats:
E1: 1st: GC, 2nd XC, Time: 2:29.4, Margin: 1/2 length
E2: 1st SC, 2nd MGS, Time: 2:29.8, Margin: 1/2 length
E3: 1st GGS, 2nd WC, Time: 2:30.4, Margin: 1/3 length
Time: 2:32
Margins: 2 feet and 1/2 length
Losers final
Time: 2:29
Margins:
1/2 length and 1/4 length
1st Xavier College - Bow: G King, 2: A Porges, 3: J Doyle, 4: J Boston, 5: A Vio, 6: J Cade, 7: K Johnston, Str: John Tynan, Cox: J McGrath
2nd Scotch College - Bow: A M Cordell, 2: B Geary, 3: J F Macrae, 4: M J Errington, 5: A S Peacock, 6: P I Hunter, 7: J L Osborne, Str: T T Tilley, Cox: F P Newman, cch: D M Green
3rd Melbourne Grammar
Xavier College Third Crew
Photo: Lift Her Home To Victory, Lads by Michael Lefebve
Losers final:
1st Geelong College
2nd Wesley College
3rd Geelong Grammar
Heats:
E1: 1st XC, 2nd WC, Time: 2:32, Margin: 1 length
E2: 1st SC, 2nd GC, Time: 2:32, Margin: 1 length
E3: 1st MGS, 2nd GGS, Time: 2:32.4, Margin: 1/2 length