David Wreyford Burnford (6 January 1915 – 10 June 1984) 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 at the

1936 Summer Olympics The 1936 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XI Olympiad () and officially branded as Berlin 1936, were an international multi-sport event held from 1 to 16 August 1936 in Berlin, then capital of Nazi Germany. Berlin won the bid to ...

Life

Burnford was educated at

Jesus College, Cambridge Jesus College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Jesus College was established in 1496 on the site of the twelfth-century Benedictine nunnery of St Radegund's Priory, Cambridge, St ...

. In 1935 he partnered Thomas Cree to win

Silver Goblets The Silver Goblets & Nickalls' Challenge Cup is a Rowing (sport), 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 clubs ...

Henley Royal Regatta Henley Royal Regatta (or Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage) is a Rowing (sport), rowing event held annually on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. It was established on 26 March 1839. It diffe ...

. In 1936 he was a member of the winning

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...

boat in the

Boat Race The Boat Race is an annual set of rowing races between the Cambridge University Boat Club and the Oxford University Boat Club, traditionally rowed between open-weight eights on the River Thames in London, England. It is also known as the Uni ...

. Later in the year he partnered Cree 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 ...

representing

Great Britain at the 1936 Summer Olympics Great Britain, represented by the British Olympic Association (BOA), competed at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. 208 competitors, 171 men and 37 women, took part in 91 events in 17 sports. British athletes have competed in every Sum ...

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

, but was unplaced. Burnford became a medical doctor and in 1944 was serving as a surgeon lieutenant commander in the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

.British Medical Journal 25 November 1944
/ref> He and his wife moved to Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada where he practiced medicine until 1968. His wife was the novelist

Sheila Burnford Sheila Philip Cochrane Burnford née Every (11 May 1916 – 20 April 1984) was a Scottish writer. She is best known for her novel '' The Incredible Journey'' about two dogs and a cat traveling through the Canadian wilderness. Life and work Bu ...

, who wrote The Incredible Journey, which was later adapted to a Disney movie of the same name. After leaving Thunder Bay, the Burnfords moved to the United States in 197
Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal, June 27,1984
David and Sheila eventually divorced, with both remarrying. David Burnford practiced medicine in Florida until his medical licence was removed. In 1979 Burnford was caught with 10 pounds of cocaine in Florida. He beat the charges with the excuse that the drugs had been slipped into his luggage during a stopover in Peru as he was returning from Englan
Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal, June 27, 1984
Burnford relocated to Colorado. On June 9, 1984 he was questioned by the FBI after investigators seized 36 pounds of cocaine from the trunk of a car he had rented in New York. The car was found parked in Burnford's driveway. The FBI believed Burnford had driven the car from New York to Colorad
Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal, June 17, 1984
The very next day, on June 10, 1984 David Burnford was found dead in his home with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his hea
Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph, 6/19/1984

References

1915 births 1984 deaths Alumni of Jesus College, Cambridge British male rowers Olympic rowers for Great Britain Rowers at the 1936 Summer Olympics Royal Navy officers of World War II {{UK-rowing-bio-stub

Life

See also

References