Brasenose College Boat Club
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Brasenose College Boat Club (BNCBC) is the rowing club of Brasenose College, Oxford in Oxford, England. The foundation date of the boat club is unknown but it did beat Jesus College Boat Club in the first ever Head Race in 1815. The club's colours are black and gold, with black blades. The 1st VIII, however, may wear the distinctive "Childe of Hale" colours — red, purple and yellow — which are synonymous with Brasenose rowing.
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[edit] History
In the 19th century, BNCBC was very strong and regularly won events in Oxford, and at various regattas around the country, notably the Henley Royal Regatta, and regularly contributed rowers to the Oxford boat for the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. Brasenose regularly held the headship at Oxford Torpids and Eights, and won a large number of Blades for bumping in every race.
In the 20th century the club remained very competitive and continued to achieve success in various events, yet this declined as the century progressed. Externally, Brasenose suffered due to the difference in the standard of rowing between Oxbridge colleges and non-University clubs reducing greatly over the twentieth century, possibly due to standards within college clubs falling or to the quality of rowing in other clubs improving, but probably a combination of the two. For example BNCBC, like all other Oxbridge college crews, now have difficulty achieving a standard of rowing to even qualify for events at the Henley Royal Regatta, let alone to win these events. In spite of this, rowing within Oxford remains exceptionally popular and Summer Eights, the main inter-college event, see well over a thousand students competing, typically around 6 boats from Brasenose. BNCBC last held the headship in the mid 1990s, and currently sit in the middle of the Men's Division 2 for Eights, and near the top of Men's Division 2 for Torpids.
[edit] The Childe of Hale
John Middleton, the Childe of Hale, was a seventeenth century farmer from Hale in Lancashire. He was an exceptional man, standing over nine feet tall. He was taken by his landlord to the Royal court, where he beat the King's best wrestler and became a local hero. His landlord was a member of Brasenose College at the time, and brought John Middleton to College on his return from court, where two life–size portraits were painted of him.
When, in 1815, the students came to establish a Boat Club, it was this story and tradition that was used as inspiration. The Childe of Hale has since been a role model for generations of rowers and a portrait still hangs in the college. By tradition, the first VIII is always called "The Childe of Hale."
[edit] Success at the Henley Royal
Brasenose has a long and distinguished history on the water. One of the forebears of the current first boat raced in the very first Henley Regatta in 1839. Thus began a long history of Brasenose crews competing at this prestigious regatta. BNC won the Visitors' at Henley in 1851 (the first "Royal" Regatta) rowing as "Childe of Hale BC" in an attempt to hide their identities: tutors being unhappy with rowers is not a new phenomenon.
The most famous episode occurred in 1868 when the stroke, G. B. "Guts Woodgate," of the BNCBC Stewards' Cup entry told the cox to jump out of the boat immediately after the start of the race. The crew went on to win the race but the umpire, sadly, disqualified the enterprising BNC men. Five years later, the Regatta Stewards changed the event to one for coxless fours, with BNC crews going on to record legal wins in the event.
[edit] Great oarsmen
Brasenose College Boat Club can also boast many great oarsmen in its history. From before 1900, Brasenose was unbeatable in competition, particularly during the time of the legendary C.W. Kent, the greatest stroke in the world at that time. Most recently, Andrew Lindsay was part of the Great Britain Olympic VIII that won gold in Sydney - one of several Oxford Olympians to win medals in 2000. Michael Hall (aka the Cookie Monster), formerly of the GB Coxless IV and Indonesian PM, also rowed in the Brasenose Second VIII (the 'Sloppy Seconds').
[edit] Women's Boat Club
A women's boat club was established with the admission of women undergraduates in 1974. It has established a strong reputation and a history of enthusiastic participation at all levels. The Women's VIII won blades in 2001 and is now competing with the best colleges. Blues from OUWBC now join the long list of College members to represent the University against Cambridge.
[edit] BNCBC today
A sense of this history still pervades the club, especially on formal occasions and amongst former members. One former Brasenose rower recently purchased and donated an oar dating from 1887 that he had discovered in an auctioneer's basement. This now hangs in the traditional Captain's Room (now occupied by the Club President) in College together with other paintings, oars and memorabilia.
