Opening of the Brisbane Rowing Club, by His Excellency Mr. W. W. Cairns, C.M.G.
July 24th, 1875
September 4th, 1875. Pages 85 and 86.
We give an illustration showing the opening ceremony of the newly formed Brisbane Rowing Club, which was performed by His Excellency the Governor of Queensland at 3:00 pm on July 24, 1875. From the Brisbane Courier we extract the following notice of the proceedings :-
“Patron: His Excellency W. W. Cairns, Esq, C.M.G.
President: Sir M. C. O’Connell, Knt.
Vice Presidents: Mr Justice Lilley, C. Coxen, Esq., A. H. Palmer, Esq, M.L.A., Captain H. O’Reilly, and E. B. Forrest Esq.
Committee: Messrs E. H. Webb, G.N.B.Geary, Brian Lynn, Gresley Lukin, and Robert Lawson.
Hon secretary: Irwin Little.
Hon treasurer Charles S. Mills.
Aquatic sports will always find favor in English communities, engendering as they do exercise of the healthiest description; and on occasions of any public demonstration such as boat-racing, the crowds that delight to witness them prove their popularity and their power of giving extensive pleasure of the right sort. Many requisites are necessary to the perfect success of aquatic sports, and amongst them may be mentioned a well adapted stretch of water, possessing good frontages, a genial climate, and one of the most important – a few thorough sportsmen, infusing their own spirit into those of the many congenial ones who only wait for such leadership to ensure the necessary banding together and the discipline which is essential to well-ordered clubs. Brisbane is fortunate in possessing all the requisites, and this was proved last Saturday, when His Excellency performed the inaugural ceremony of the above club.
Before we proceed to describe its attendant circumstances, it may be as well to show how the club was formed, and its present position the “Star Club” having waned away, Messrs G N Geary, Ernest H Webb, S G Briggs, B. Lynn, and others, determined to call into existence another club, having a wide base of operations and capable of any amount of extension. Preliminary difficulties in such well qualified hands were soon overcome; a public meeting is called and held and enlisted public sympathy, which eventuated in a wise concession on the part of the Corporation by their giving the club a suitable site, adjoining the Kangaroo Point Ferry, for the erection of a boatshed and approaches for such a purpose. The promoters soon gathered together a sufficient number of young men of the right sort. The nucleus of the club was formed, a committee appointed, committee meetings held constantly, and to good purpose. The then Acting Governor, Sir Maurice O’Connell, consented to become its president, and on the arrival of His Excellency the present Governor, that gentleman announced his desire to become its patron, and his intention to do all in his power to encourage the prosperity of the club A good substantial shed for present requirements was enacted Rules of various well conducted clubs, such as the Portsmouth, Sydney, &c., were overhauled, their best features called out, and appropriated to the formation of a book of rules for the guidance of the Brisbane Rowing Club. The book of rules is a neat production of printing, having a substantial covering, and from amongst its contents we notice that the subscription of active members £2 per annum, payable half yearly in alliance, with an entrance fee of £2. The subscription of honorary members, £1, payable in advance; honorary members being entitled to vote at meetings of the club, and have access to the club-house and the flagship at any club regatta. Honorary members may become life members on payment of £5. Club matches are to be held at least once in every quarter throughout the year, the winner or winners of the greatest number of races to receive a badge or medal, to be presented at the annual general meeting. All money prizes won by members at public regattas to go to the funds of the club, but the winners to be presented with a trophy by the club. The club consists of fifty-eight active members, and seven more are seeking election; fifteen honorary, and the life members. The financial position is good, taking into consideration the excellent installation possessed.
Queensland Government Steamer Kate 1869.
The official party and crew are pictured on the deck of the Kate on the arrival of the new Queensland Governor, Colonel Samuel Blackall. The Kate was built in Hebburn, County of Durham, England and launched on 14th January 1864. She was a two-masted, iron frame schooner, steam and paddle propelled, with 60 horsepower 45kw generated by two engines. Tonnage was 148 tons.
The Kate arrived in Brisbane on 10th March 1865. She was the official government yacht until the Lucinda was purchased in 1884. She sailed to northern ports during that time to take Governor Blackall and ministers on official visits. In February 1868, the Acting Governor and his entourage were on board to collect the Duke of Edinburgh from the Galatea anchored in Moreton Bay for his official visit to Queensland. Then in August 1881 she went downriver to the Bay to welcome the Duke of Clarence and Prince George, later King George V.
Various clubs and groups hired her for river trips and fishing trips, often departing from Queens Wharf near the Commissariat Store. After being sold in 1884 she was busy with harbour and river work and during 1890 was engaged in the Brisbane-Richmond River trade.
Captain Richardson was in command on 11th November 1890 when she was badly damaged in a collision with the SS Burmah owned by Howard Smith & Co. After the passengers and crew were safely transferred to the Burmah, the Kate sank northeast of the Moreton Bay Pile Light and was never refloated.
Reference: The Royal Historical Society of Queensland. Lost Brisbane and Surrounding Areas. 1860 to 1960.
The influence, as regards public pleasuring, which the formation of this rowing club is likely to exert in the future was apparent from Saturday afternoons proceedings.
The weather was serene, a quiet balmy air only just enough to ripple the surface of the splendid reach of water on that part of the Brisbane River chosen for the occasion. The view at this part from the river is picturesque in the extreme, the high banks in parts, the green knolls reaching to the water’s edge occasionally on either side, the beautiful Botanic gardens on the bank; the Houses of Parliament as a background, whilst the city itself, with the houses forming a succession of terraces on the one side, and the pretty villas on the high land opposite, were all well brought out on this pleasant sunshiny afternoon.
The river itself presented a rather animated scene, a number of pleasure boats of different kinds being in waiting at various points along the course to be taken by the procession. His Excellency and suite and a crown of invited guests, amongst whom were Sir Maurice O’Connell, the Hon. W. Hemmant, Mr. T. McIlwraith, Mr. H. E. King, Mr. A. H. Palmer and other members of Parliament, proceeded on board the steamer Kate, at the Queen’s wharf, shortly before 3 o’clock, the band playing the National Anthem. Seats were provided in sufficient number to accommodate the ladies present, whose presence added no little éclat to the affair. Champagne was on board in profusion, which was partaken of with a superior relish when coupled with the toasts that were proposed in honour of the day’s event. The club’s procession followed the wake of the steamer, but at sufficient distance to prevent this disturbing water from her paddles being felt to any serious extent by the boats. The crews were, of course, in uniform, and presented as fine a lot of well-built young fellows as Queensland need wish to possess.
At half-past 2 o’clock the crews told off proceeded to the ‘shed’, and quickly got their boats afloat, taking up position opposite Kangaroo Point, awaiting the arrival of the Kate. This part of the proceeding was of much interest, and the pleasant discipline of ‘club law’ was seen in the orderly and quiet manner in which everything and everybody found their place. The club colours are conspicuous and pretty, being composed of black, yellow, and red stripes placed obliquely. The procession proceeded as far as the bridge, and returned opposite to the shed, where the Kate cast anchor, with the view to allowing His Excellency to visit that place. The four-oared gig, the Star, with a picked crew, took His Excellency from on board, but not before the various crews had in a very short time carried in and housed their boats, and then arranged themselves on either side of the landing-place, with raised oars, ‘at salute,’ to receive His Excellency in proper style. On disembarking, accompanied by Mr. Webb, he was received with three lusty cheers. When the inspection was made, His Excellency expressed himself much pleased with the boats belonging to the club and their accessories, and then declared the club formally opened; and on embarking for the steamer received another salute from the guard of honour formed by the crews. This part of the affair was really very effective, and to those who were entrusted with the various arrangements every praise is due, as well as to the members taking part on returning to the Kate.
After His Excellency’s return on board, Sir Maurice O’Connell (president), called upon the company to fill their glasses, and in suitable terms proposed the health of ” His Excellency the Governor,” whose efforts, he said, to assist in bringing about the satisfactory establishment of a rowing club that would no doubt raise up a race of young watermen in our midst, would be thoroughly appreciated by all who took an interest in such matters The toast was drunk enthusiastically.
His Excellency, in responding, thanked the company for drinking his health in such a warm manner, and said he was sure it gave him great pleasure to assist in inaugurating the new club. He had been given a hint though the Press that a short history of the club was to be given. It must be a very short one, because it only dated its commencement from the beginning of the present year. It had, however, made uncommonly good progress during that time, and would make a good deal more in a few friends who took an interest in such matters would join as honorary members. The club at present numbered fifty members, but when it had a hundred it would have something to boast of, and would be able to make a better show than had been witnessed that day. He was sure that one hundred persons would be found to assist in the successful establishment of such a good club. It only required a little coaxing on the part of some, and a little diplomacy on the part of others, to secure this object A more beautiful river they could not have; for the purposes of a rowing club it was unique; and he trusted they would take this as a friendly admonition to those who had not yet put their hands in their pockets for them to do so by the following Monday. His Excellency concluded by calling upon the company to drink “Long life and continuous prosperity to the Brisbane Rowing Club”.
The toast was drunk with due honors, and with three more cheers for His Excellency.
Mr. E. H. Webb, in replying, thanked His Excellency for the interest which he had taken in, and the liberality he had displayed towards the new club, and read a short history of its formation and progress, the principal facts in connection with which we have given above.
The Kate then weighed anchor, and returned to her wharf, where the company, consisting of about 200 ladies and gentlemen, disembarked at about a quarter past 5 o’clock.”
