Harry Kelley

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For similarly named persons, see Harry Kelly.
Harry Kelley

Harry Kelley circa 1870
Born Harry Kelley
1832
London, England
Died 1914
Fulham, London, England
Nationality British
Title World champion sculler
Term 1857-1859; 1865-1866; 1868
Parents John Kelley

Harry Kelley (1832 – 1914) was a famous professional oarsman on the Thames. He became the Tyne, Thames, English and World Sculling Champion, a title he won four times.

[edit] Sculling Career

The son of Jack Kelley, another Thames waterman, Kelley's first Championship win was in 1857, when he beat James Messenger for the Championship of England. Kelley's technical abilities in a boat soon got him noticed and he was regularly referred to as the best waterman the Thames ever produced, either as an oarsman or as a judge of rowing.

Messenger's reign was a short one. For There was working as foremosthand (pronounced "formstand") on one of the boats a young fellow whom old Johnny Coates, of Chelsea, denominated the future "star" of the Thames, Harry Kelley, one of the prettiest scullers ever seen in a boat. Messenger, never a very strong man, had to give place to this rising young waterman.
We shall never forget the handsome figure of Harry as he sat in his boat. Many a time and oft have we stood at Newbold's window, at the corner of Holywell street, and looked at the outstretched arms of Kelley, and wondered when we should be able to grow a black beard like his.
AQUATICS OLD AND NEW. Otago Witness, Issue 1951, 11 April 1889, Page 25

Kelley lost the sculling title to Tyneside rival Robert Chambers in 1859. He eventually won it back in 1865 and the following year won the first Championship of the World, after a challenge by the American sculler James Hammill, from Pittsburgh.

[edit] Renforth

Kelley was one of the celebrated English crew which visited America in 1871 with the then champion James Renforth. During a race against a St John's crew on Aug 23 1871, Renforth collapsed and eventually died in Kelley's arms.

A memorial sculpture, erected by public subscription showsing the dying figure of Renforth in the arms of Kelley now stands outside Shipley Art Gallery in Gateshead.

After finally retiring from competitive rowing, Kelley went on to act as a steer and trainer for a number of crews and scullers. He steered Australian Edward Trickett against Canadian Ned Hanlan during their race for the World Champion title on the Thames. He was still busy coaching F L Playford for the amateur championship in 1879 and steered the umpire for the Oxford Cambridge Boat Race on a number of occasions.

He died at his home in Fulham in 1914 aged 82.

[edit] References

  • ABOVE BRIDGES . A Chat with “Honest John” Phelps, the Fulham Waterman. BY “BORDERER.”
  • Woodgate W.B., "Boating", the Badmington Library, 1891, p. 218
  • New York Times, "Sculler Kelley Dies", January 4, 1915, p. 11
  • Wigglesworth N, A Social History of English Rowing, 1992, p. 80
  • New York Times, "HANLAN AGAIN A VICTOR", November 16, 1880, p. 1