St Edward's School Oxford and the Great War 1914-1918

S CHOOL ROWING DURING THE WAR YEARS Rowing was still very much a minor sport at the School, lagging behind the traditional Cricket and Rugby seasons. This was despite the best efforts of such dignitaries as Warden John Millington Sing promoting its cause. There had however been a steady stream of competent oarsmen, including Howard Chesshire who won an Oxford Blue for Sculling in 1880/1 and Percy Underhill who gained Oxford Rowing Blues in 1904-5. During the war years a combination of the departure of most of the remaining rowing enthusiasts, appalling weather, rivers choked by weeds with no one to clear them, the heavy expense of leasing boats and with the thought that ‘consumption of food increases in rowing weeks, it is perhaps just as well that there is none in these days of National Rationing (Chronicle 1917)’ brought rowing almost to a halt. Bumping Races continued until 1916 (shown above) then disappeared until 1920.