in 1844, ‘ Pairs’ came into existence in 1845, styled ‘silver wher- ries, and the then winners, Arnold and Mann, of Caius, have ever been handed down by tradition as something much above the aver- age. The prize became ‘ silver goblets’ in 1850, and the first winners of them were Justice Sir Joseph Chitty and Dr. Hornby, provost of Eton. The Ladies’ Plate was called the ‘New’ Cup when it appeared in 1845. At that time it was open to the world, like the Grand. Clubs from the Thames won it on sundry occasions, In 1857 it was restricted to schools and colleges as now, copying the ‘Visitors’ Cup’ for fours, founded upon parallel principles in 1847. The Wyfald Cup dates from 1847, thaugh it does not figure in the local official calendar of the regatta as a four-oar prize until 1856. In the latter year it hecame a four-oar prize, open to all, and the Argonauts won it and the ‘Stewards’ with the same crew. Later on it obtained its present qualification, As to the forgotten functions of the ‘Wyfold’ between 1847 and 1856, we venture 1o record them. The cup originally was held by the winner of the trial heats for the Grand. If the best challenger won the Grand also, or if the ‘holders’ did not compete, then the same crew would take both Grand and Wyfold for the season ; but the Grand holders were ineligible to row for the Wyfold. This latter anomaly in time induced the executive to obtain leave from the donor to alter the destination of the cup and (o devote it to fours, Local races flourished in the fortics and fifties. Besides the Town Cup, there were local sculls, sometimes for a ‘silver wherry, and some- times for a presentation cup. Local pairs existed from 1858 to 1861 inclusive, The Thames Cup began life in 1868 as a sort of junior race, but later on obtained its present qualification, “There was a presentation prize for fours without coxswains in 1869, but the Stewards Cup was not opened for fours of the modem style till 1873; and the Visitors’ and Wyfold were similarly emanci- pated a year later. The advent and disappearance of the Public Schools’ Cup need no comment.
We well recollect the sensation produced by the first keelless eight, that of Chester, in 1856. The club came like a meteor, and swon both Grand and Ladies’ (the latter being an open race for the last time in that year). The art of ‘watermanship’ had not then reached its present pitch. The Chester men could not sit their boat in the least; they flopped their blades along the water on the recovery in a manner which few junior crews at minor regattas would now be guilty of; but they rowed well away from their
