Mr, Brickwood, moreover, seems to haye gleaned from some independent’ source sundry valuable details of early Oxford races, He tells us that ‘the first known races were those of the college eights in 1815, when Brasenose was the head boat, and their chief and perhaps their only opponent was Jesus.’ He speaks of four-oared races in the next ensuing years, and ofa match between Mr. de Ros’ four and a pair manned hy a B.N.C. man and a waterman—won by the pair, Then comes some information as to the years 1822, 1824, and 1825, which exactly tallies with Mr. Staniforth’s journals, save that Mr. Brickwood ascribes the discontinuance of the races in 1823 directly to the recorded quarrel between B.N.C. and Jesus; whereas Mr, Staniforth attributes. it to the untimely death of Musgrave (supra).
The first University race took place in 1829, over the course from Hambledon Lock to Henley, Mr. Staniforth states that till the Oxford went to practise over the course, no one thought of steering an eight through the Berks channel, past ‘regatta’ island, However, the Oxonians ‘timed’ the two straits, and decided to select the Berks one, if they got the chance. They took that channel in the race and won casily. A foul occurred in the first essay at starting, and the boats were restarted. This pair of pioneer University crews produced men of more than usual celebrity in after life ; two embryo bishops, three deans, one prebendary, and divers others hereafter
In hamlet and hall
As well known to all
As the vane of the old church spire.
The full list of the crews engaged in this und in all other contests in which Universities were represented, will be found in ‘Tables’ towards the end of this volume. At this time there was no O.U.B.C., nor did such an organisation exist until 1839, when a ‘meeting of strokes’ of (he yarious colleges was convened, and a generally representative club was founded, At Cambridge a U.B.C, had existed since 1827. In that year
