The Boat Club

They're under ! Up went the shout from those wind-blown spectators on the bank, and some were already beginning to mourn the loss of five 'dear' Templars, when the Manor crew also started to play submarines.

Now we began to get a little anxious, for we could ill afford to lose two of our boats. This was. the eventful spectacle the first round of Junior House Boat Races presented. The Manor crew managed to stay rather more on the surface than their Temple opponents, and the latter had to row a boat home with their 'seats' sliding up and down in river water ! The Manor won the race in a time of three and a half minutes, which, in view of the conditions, was not bad at all. Both crews pulled into York City landing stage to empty their boats before completing the return journey. The first round of the Senior Boat Race between the Grove and School House was rowed two days later under perfect conditions. At the start both crews were level, then down the reach Grove draw ahead by a foot or two, though still there was no appreciable change. Then at Scarborough Bridge, the Grove, who had been rowing the slightly slower stroke, gave her a `ten', and cleared the School House crew, who were making heavy work of it by now and could not reply to the challenge. Grove won by a length, in four minutes forty-eight seconds.

The remainder of the House races were rowed on Saturday, 10th March, as part of the York Spring Regatta Programme. This gave to some of the junior crews the novelty of using 'stake' boats at the start. The first race between School House and the Grove juniors again gave us a surprise, as here again the Grove triumphed against a muh more experienced House crew. The first senior race between the Rise and Temple saw both crews togther all the way to the diving boards; but by York Boat House Rise gave her a 'ten', and Temple soon faded out of the picture, suffering the unforunate accident also of one member of the crew coming off his seat in the final stages of the race. And so the Rise won comfortably by four and a half lengths in four minutes thirty eight seconds. A second junior race between Manor and the Rise then followed. There the 'Manor crew rowed with more steadiness than ever before and easily beat the Rise, who were rather apt to rush things.

The finals after tea saw the Manor crew take away the junior cup after being down at the start by over a length. They rowed magnificently to win the race by two lengths, Jackson, R. A., the stroke, deserving commendation for the fine way in which he held his crew together when all seemed lost.

The senior final saw the second Grove crew in action against the Rise. At the start both crews were level, but by the diving boards the Rise were comfortably a length up, and were rowing with a 59

• beautiful long stroke. Two 'tens' under Scarborough Bridge and the Grove were left behind, the race being practically won. Thus the Rise became champions for the second year, winning by three and a half lengths. The Grove captain, J. Whittaker, is to be congratulated on his splendid effort in getting two crews to the finals.

This term we managed to clean up some of our older boats, owing to the fact that now we are able to lay up one of our boats at a time without barring too many people from boating. The landing stage is almost complete now, and we can accommodate an 'eight' easily.

The Festival cleaning up has provided us with a new tow-path so now we are hoping the floods next year don't wash it away again.

The building which has stood next to the boat house for so long now, without anybody knowing what was really inside, belonged to the York City Swimming Club. During the last term enquiries were made about buying it, and we are glad to report that we were successful, and the building now belongs to the School.

At the end of term a chosen few stayed over to row in the newly

acquired 'eight'. Luckily it was one of the nicer days of the holidays ,

and the outing was enjoyed by all.

THE "EIGHT"

During the Christmas term a note was received from D. H. Tate, a former member of the Boat Club to say that King's College Boat Club, at Blaydon, Newcastle, was to sell one of its 'eights' and that we might have the first chance of buying it for the very moderate price of £45. The question of acquiring an 'eight' had long been in the thoughts of senior members of the Boat Club and the opportunity seemed too good to miss. Instead of asking the Governors to bear the expense it was decided to start a fund amongst the members of the School, and the Headmaster gave a generous start to this fund. The response to the appeal was so hearty—and here it must be recorded that, apart from one or two very kind donations from parents, the greater part of the total was subscribed in pence and sixpences—that the sum of £23 13s. 8d. was raised. Soon after this, word was received from another Old Peterite, Mr. J. L. Pattinson, of Middlesbrough, that he would like to give the balance of the cost of the 'eight' in memory of his brother, also an Old Peterite, who was killed in the 1914-18 war. This generous gift enabled the Boat Club to complete the purchase and, as a memorial to E. P. Pattinson, the 'eight' now carries his name.

The possession of an eight has value in two ways. First, it will enable the school to practise in its own boat in preparation for the eights race at Tyne Regatta in July in which the school has partici- 60