OB Rowing Club
The 150th anniversary of the Bedford School Boat Club sparked many great events over the last 6 months for the OB Cub. The 150th anniversary ball was a huge success in March which saw 220 people come back and support the School on such a memorable landmark for the School's rowing history.
Also at Henley 2011 the 150th Anniversary of Bedford School Boat Club, which was founded by the Reverend J.B, was celebrated by an OB Row Past. Lee. Records show that the Club first appeared at Henley in 1879 and in 1881 won the Public Schools’ Challenge Cup, beating both Radley and Westminster. The Old Bedfordian crew row past represented the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s! When you look at the individual achievements of the crew below, we should all feel a great sense of pride at what Bedford School oarsmen have achieved over the years.
The Old Bedfordian Crew
The stroke of the School 1st VIII in 1916, Jack Beresford, went on to win a silver medal in the single sculls at the Antwerp Olympics, gold at Paris in 1924, silver in the Eights at Amsterdam in 1928, gold in the Coxless Fours at the Los Angeles games in 1932, and finally another gold in the double sculls at the Berlin Games in 1936. His nephew Michael Beresford (47-53) will be in the crew rowing on the 29th June. Michael enjoyed a highly successful rowing career winning a European silver medal, a Commonwealth gold medal and was placed 5th in the coxless fours in the 1960 Rome Olympics. He held Olympic and European records in the coxless fours and a Commonwealth Games record which stood for 28 years. Michael rowed at Henley over a period of 13 years, being a finalist in the Thames Cup, Stewards Cup, the Goblets and Grand Challenge Cup, winning the Grand once, and the Stewards twice.
Bedford School enjoyed a “golden period” in the 1940’s when it won the Princess Elizabeth Cup three times in a row - 1946, 1947, 1948 and again in 1951. The victorious 1946 crew contained among its crew James Crowden (41-46), who would later form part of Cambridge’s victorious Boat Race crew of 1951, the same year that he won gold at the European Championships in Mâcon, France. James went onto coach many successful Cambridge crews and recently returned to the School in May 2011 to visit the School Boat Club before the annual Bedford Regatta.
Michael Bevan (50-62), rowed for Cambridge in the 1963/1964 Boat Race and is nephew of Edward Bevan, Olympic gold medallist in 1928, who was one of four brothers educated at Bedford all of whom rowed in the Bedford School 1st VIII for 2 years. L V Bevan, rowed twice for Cambridge in the Boat race, Edward, despite an Olympic gold and wins in the Visitors and Stewards didn’t get a blue, and Owen, father of Michael Bevan, was captain of Lady Margaret, when they won the Ladies in 1930. David Bevan, went to Oxford, and won blues for boxing and swimming.
In 1978 the School 1st VIII won the Special Race for Schools at Henley beating St Edwards in the final. Terry Hine (75-79), a member of the victorious crew, will be in the crew at Henley.
Hugh Malty (73-83), son of former Cambridge President Michael Maltby (Old Bedfordian) represented England in the Home Countries competition while at School. He then went on to Reading University where he lost the final of the Visitor’s Cup in 1984 before winning it in1986. He also competed in the Under 23 World Championship in 1986 finishing 4th.
Julian Ormerod (75-85) won the Wyfold Cup with Leander (including Tim Foster) setting a new course record of 6.32 in 1989, which still stands today! Julian also rowed in the 1988 Under 23 World Cup Championship winning a bronze medal.
Richard Young (79-86) is one of only two men to win a Rowing Blue for both Cambridge and Oxford in 1990 and 1991. Rob Perry (82-92) rowed for England while at School and then went on to represent the University of London as a finalist of the Visitor’s Cup in 1995. Rob won gold medals in the Lightweight fours at the 1994/1995 Under 23 World Championship and in 1996 finished 6th in the Men’s eight.
Phelan Hill (87-97) won gold medals in the 2002 and 2006 at the Commonwealth Championships for England and in 2007 came 4th in the coxed four at the World Championships in Munich. Phelan also won gold in the eight at the World Cup in Amsterdam in June of 2007. He coxed the men’s eight to a 5th place at the 2009 World Championships in Poznan, after the crew achieved a direct A-Final qualification from their heat by overhauling Australia on the last stroke. In 2010, he coxed the Men’s eight to a silver medal at the World Championships.
Tom Broadway (95-00) first represented Great Britain at the 2000 World Rowing Junior Championships, finishing 9th in the coxed pair. He gained his first senior GB vest in the men’s pair at the 2005 World Championships in Gifu, Japan, finishing tenth. At the 2008 European Championships in Greece he raced in the eight finishing 6th. Tom finished 5th in the men’s eight at the 2009 World Championships in Poznan, This followed 8th place in the second GB men’s four at the 2009 Munich World Cup and 4th place in the eight in Lucerne.
At the 2010 World Rowing Championships on New Zealand’s Lake Karapiro, Tom won a fine silver medal in the eight, only six-tenths of a second behind the reigning world champions, Germany.
Future 150th Anniversary Celebrations
Saturday 17th September 2011, Great River Race, London
Planning is already underway for a School crew to take part in the Great River Race on Saturday 17th September. A cannon will start the race at 1.20pm in Docklands and the course will finish 21 miles later at Ham in Richmond. A Bedford School viewing point for supporters to gather will be announced nearer the time. We hope that an OB crew will also take part. If you are interested in participating please contact Brenda or Gina in the OB Club Office on tel; 01234 359201 or by email; obclub@bedfordschool.org.uk