John Reginald Keith Fenning (23 June 1885 – 3 January 1955) was a British medical doctor and

rower Rowing, often called crew in the United States, is the sport of racing boats using oars. It differs from paddling sports in that rowing oars (called blades in the United Kingdom) are attached to the boat using rowlocks, while paddles are ...

who competed in the

1908 Summer Olympics The 1908 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the IV Olympiad and also known as London 1908) were an international multi-sport event held in London, England, from 27 April to 31 October 1908. The 1908 Games were originally schedu ...

. Fenning was born in

Fulham Fulham () is an area of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It lies in a loop on the north bank of the River Thames, bordering Hammersmith, Kensington and Chelsea, London, Chelsea ...

, London. He entered

London Hospital Medical College The London Hospital Medical College was a medical school, medical and later dental school based at the London Hospital (later Royal London Hospital) in Whitechapel, London. Founded in 1785, it was the first purpose-built medical college in Englan ...

in January 1904, but it took him thirteen years to complete his course. He became a rower for

Leander Club Leander Club, founded in 1818, is one of the oldest rowing clubs in the world, and the oldest non-academic club. It is based in Remenham in Berkshire, England and adjoins Henley-on-Thames. Only three other surviving clubs were founded prior ...

. He partnered Gordon Thomson at bow in the

coxless pair A coxless pair, abbreviated as a 2- and also known as a straight pair, is a racing shell used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for two rowers, who propel the boat with sweep oars. The crew consists of a pair of rowers, each ...

s to win the gold medal for Great Britain

rowing at the 1908 Summer Olympics At the 1908 Summer Olympics, four rowing events were contested, all for men only. Races were held at Henley-on-Thames Henley-on-Thames ( ) is a town status in the United Kingdom, town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish on the Riv ...

. Later in the same afternoon, he and Thomson were in the Leander

coxless four A coxless four, abbreviated as a 4- and also called a straight four, is a racing shell used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for four persons who propel the boat with sweep oars, without a coxswain. The crew consists of four ...

with

Philip Filleul Philip Rowland Filleul (15 July 1885 – 29 July 1974) was a British rower who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics. Filleul was born at Bath, Somerset. He was strokeman in the Leander coxless four with John Fenning, Gordon Thomson and H ...

and Harold Barker, which won a silver medal, losing to the

Magdalen College, Oxford Magdalen College ( ) is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by Bishop of Winchester William of Waynflete. It is one of the wealthiest Oxford colleges, as of 2022, and ...

crew. After he qualified in 1927, Fenning initially practiced in the Home Counties, but in 1937, he moved to the Midlands. Fenning died at

Coventry Coventry ( or rarely ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands county, in England, on the River Sherbourne. Coventry had been a large settlement for centurie ...

at the age of 69.

References

External links

* * 1885 births 1955 deaths English male rowers British male rowers Olympic rowers for Great Britain Rowers at the 1908 Summer Olympics English Olympic competitors Olympic gold medallists for Great Britain Olympic silver medallists for Great Britain Olympic medalists in rowing Members of Leander Club Rowers from London Medalists at the 1908 Summer Olympics {{UK-rowing-bio-stub