Summary

Australia New South Wales Sydney
1881 (AD)
Mint: Sydney
Awarded to: 6th: William Henry Tuckett

Silver medal for the 1881 Interstate Rowing Championships hosted by the New South Wales Rowing Association. The New South Wales Rowing Association (NSWRA) was formed in 1878 in response to a challenge from Victoria for a race to be held in 1879. Three clubs were part of the Association at the time of formation. Since 1878 the number of rowing clubs in NSW has grown to more than 30 clubs today, as well as schools with rowing programs. The NSWRA governs the sport of rowing in NSW. It sets rules for racing, determines boat classes for racing events, sets an annual calendar of regattas and promotes rowing in NSW.

This medal is a great, early example of the competitive rivalry between Victoria and New South Wales, particularly in regards to sport.
From 'Sydney Rows' by AL May: "Both crews tried and discarded swivels, relying instead on poppets. The crowd of 5,000 odd, including the Governor, was to be disappointed in the race itself. Victoria led from start to finish and won by about 30 seconds over the Championship course. Experts considered their style not individualistic like that of the NSW oarsmen: the Victorian rowing 'was from end to end, as one piece of beautifully adjusted machinery'.

At that time the championship was held on alternate years in Victoria and New South Wales. The 1881 race was held on the Parramatta River, New South Wales, for a distance of 3 miles 330 yards. It was won by Victoria for a time of 18 minutes and 12 seconds, a margin of 30 seconds.
The crews were:
Victoria - Bow: Frederic G Hughes, 2: J Booth, 3: J L Irvine, 4: Robert D Booth, 5: H Hopkins, 6: William H Tuckett, 7: R Brown, Str: George E Upward, Cox: Walter Bray. With an average weight of 11 stone 13 pounds.
New South Wales - Bow: Charles A Bros, 2: Charles W Gaden, 3: John Arthur, 4: W (Bill) G Brett, 5: William G Anslow, 6: Charles S Salmond, 7: Alex Finlayson, Str: David Lord, Cox: Walter W Foster, Cch: Jim Clark. With an average weight of 12 stone.
After over 130 races, Victoria has won Intercolonial Eight Oar Championship 67 times between 1878 and 2021, considerably more than New South Wales (38).

William rowed for both Banks and Melbourne Rowing Clubs. He came first in his maiden race in 1876 at the Melbourne Regatta. In position 5, he was part of a Victorian crew that won the first Intercolonial Eight Oar Championship on the Lower Yarra River, Victoria in 1878. In total, he participated five times in the Intercolonial Eight Oar Championship, winning three of them.

William Tuckett died unexpectedly young at age 31 from "paralysis of [the] heart" (now identified as a heart attack) and his parents donated the 'Wills Challenge Cup', a pair of silver sculls (oars) in a wooden box, as a perpetual trophy to the Victorian Rowing Association for senior sculls at the Melbourne Regatta in his memory. William, as part of the Banks Rowing Club, had previously won the silver oars outright after winning the Senior Scull for the Challenge Scull and Australasian Cup in 1878, 1879, and 1880. The 'Wills Challenge Cup' is still awarded to this day.

Physical Description

On obverse: Viking oared boat on water with three sails with inscription around. On reverse: Laurel wreath with knotted rope around inscription and two shields crossed at centre top

Obverse Description

N.S.W. ROWING ASSOCIATION/SYDNEY/ESTBD. 1878 Viking oared boat with 3 sails (in the shape of flags)

Reverse Description

Laurel wreath, 2 shields crossed at centre top. In centre; rope with knot at centre btm. Inscription in centre: INTERCOLONIAL /EIGHT OAR RACE/SYDNEY/APRIL, 9TH 1881/WON BY VICTORIA./W.H.TUCKETT-6

Edge Description

Plain

Significance

The New South Wales Rowing Association (NSWRA) was formed in 1878 in response to a challenge from Victoria for a race to be held in 1879. Three clubs were part of the Association at the time of formation. Since 1878 the number of rowing clubs in NSW has grown to more than 30 clubs today, as well as schools with rowing programs. The NSWRA governs the sport of rowing in NSW. It sets rules for racing, determines boat classes for racing events, sets an annual calendar of regattas and promotes rowing in NSW. - New South Wales Rowing Association web site http://www.rowingnsw.asn.au/about.shtml. -D. Tout-Smith 2/12/2003

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