that won this ‘Gold Cup’ in the forties are still to be found, the most notable of them being Messrs. Frank Playford, senr. (amateur champion in 1849) ; and Rhodes Cobb, the president of the Kingston Rowing Club. (Vhe sons of each of these old athletes haye similarly made their mark in aquatics of the present generation.) Owing to the action of the chairman of a steamboat company and other gentlemen who had other interests than those of boating to serve, these regattas have lapsed.
To resume—as to Thames regattas. The Thames Sub- scription Club, between 1861 and 1866, got up a Thames regatta, which annually produced fine sport between Thames and Tyne men, and once or twice good Glasgow crews joined in the competition. In 1866 the amateur element was intro- duced as a mixture. This was the last year of the series.
Mcantime the late Mr, H. H, Playford had for three years laboured to form a sort of ‘nursery’ regatta for professionals. It was styled the ‘Sons of the Thames’ regatta, and it had the efiect of bringing out several good men, such as the Biffens, Wise, Tagg, &c., who afterwards distinguished themselves in the greater regattas on the Thames, which were open to the world. Never was professional rowing at higher flood than just at this date, thanks to the gentleman referred to.
In 1867 there was no regatta ; but in 1868 a new series was founded, ‘The late Messrs. J. G. Chambers, George Morrison, Allan Morrison, Rey. R. W. Risley, the Playfords, Brickwood and other prominent amateurs, gave moncy and labour to aid the scheme, and it flourished right well for nine seasons, It produced, like the preceding series, fine rowing, and many a subsequent sculling or four-oar match arose out of the regatta contests. So far these regattas had been promoted solely for sport, and in pure unselfishness. In 1876 steamboat company originated the idea of a Thames regatta, and advertised a scheme. Subscriptions were obtaincd from several of the City sources which had formerly subscribed to the Zod fide Thames regatta, and thus the funds of the old-established meeting were sapped. The latter came off all the same that year, there thus being two
