Sons of the Thames is a

rowing Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically ...

club in Hammersmith,

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. It was formed in

Putney Putney () is a district of southwest London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. History Putney is an ancient paris ...

in 1886 with the aim, still enshrined in its constitution, to further the sport of rowing.

History

Originally a tradesmen's club, thus open to those in manual work, that boated from Erith, the club by the date of its formal constitution had moved up river to Putney, boating from the Duke's Head, and then to Hammersmith. The latest move, since 2000, shares there Linden House, on the promenade known as Upper Mall, with

London Corinthian Sailing Club The London Corinthian Sailing Club is based on the river Thames at Hammersmith. Its activities include Dinghy sailing and racing on the river, and yachting in the Solent and further afield, as well as an active social side including 'Club Nights' ...

. The sailing club enjoys a 999-year lease. The club welcomes novices and offers a Learn to Row course each summer. More experienced members and graduates moving on from university boat clubs are also very welcome and will be integrated into the training squads for Henley and other regattas. The club's official founding date is 1886, however there is evidence of crews racing under the "Sons of the Thames" name at least as far back as 1865. See also Joseph Sadler Crew Races.

Possible connections

In 1861,

Herbert Playford Herbert Harlee Playford (1831 – 1 January 1883) was a British rower who won the Wingfield Sculls and the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley Royal Regatta. He was instrumental in founding London Rowing Club and the Metropolitan Regatta. Playfor ...

created the Sons of the Thames Regatta, to bring forward new junior rowers. The race was held on the Thames between Putney and Hammersmith and had the distinction that the competitors must not use slides. There are also mentions of a society called Sons of the Thames Society formed before 1790 to celebrate the annual Doggett's Coat and Badge sculling race.

Results

Henley Royal Regatta

Sons of the Thames enjoyed success in the 1960s, winning twice at Henley. * 1964,

Wyfold Challenge Cup The Wyfold Challenge Cup is a rowing event for men's coxless fours at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male crews from a single rowing club. Boat clubs from any university, colle ...

* 1968,

Silver Goblets & Nickalls' Challenge Cup The Silver Goblets & Nickalls' Challenge Cup is a rowing event for men's coxless pairs at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male crews from all eligible rowing club A rowing club ...

, AJ Sutton & PJW Sharp.

Henley Women's Regatta

Sons of the Thames are the 2010 winners of the Frank Harry Cup at Henley Women's Regatta, setting a new course record. * 2010, Frank Harry Cup: James Renwick + Cat Hart, Emily Wright, Lyndsay Campbell and Pippa Blockley.

British Championships

1985 British Rowing Championships The 1985 National Rowing Championships was the 14th edition of the National Championships, held from 20–21 July 1985 at the National Water Sports Centre in Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham. Senior Medal summary * dead heat for first place ...

, Women 2x, Women L2x *

1986 British Rowing Championships The 1986 National Rowing Championships was the 15th edition of the National Championships, held from 18–20 July 1986 at the National Water Sports Centre in Holme Pierrepont Holme Pierrepont is a hamlet and civil parish located south-east ...

, Women 2-

Dewar Shield

Sons of the Thames, along with

Auriol Kensington Rowing Club Auriol Kensington Rowing Club is a rowing club in Hammersmith, west London, England. The club was formed in 1981 by the amalgamation of Auriol Rowing Club which was founded in 1896 and Kensington Rowing Club which was founded in 1872. The clubhou ...

and

Furnivall Sculling Club Furnivall Sculling Club is a rowing club based on the Tideway in Hammersmith, London. It was for a time called Hammersmith Sculling Club. It was founded in 1896 by Frederick Furnivall, after whom the riverside Furnivall Gardens a few metres awa ...

organise a yearly head race, the winners of which receive the Dewar Challenge Shield. The race covers half the Championship Course in the opposite direction, starting at Chiswick Bridge and finishing at Hammersmith Bridge. The shield is named after Alice Dewar, a Furnival Captain in 1909. However, there are many other "Dewar Challenge Shields" that were presented by Sir Thomas Dewar dating from around the same time and which are very similar in design, so it's possible the origins of the shield may be different.

References

External links

* {{United Kingdom rowing clubs Tideway Rowing clubs Sports clubs and teams established in 1886 1886 establishments in England Sport in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham Rowing clubs of the River Thames