Old Scholars' Rowing

As well as providing coaching support, many Friends’ Old Scholars have maintained an association with school rowing and participated in Old Scholars races over the years.

The Annual Weekend Reunion in December 1922 included two trips to South Arm organized by Capt. Rowe on behalf of the School Rowing Club.

In 1959 the Old Scholars’ Association charted the ferry steamer “Rosny” to follow the Head of the Rover races on the Derwent. The Friends’ crew won the 1959 race and Echoes records:

“’Rosny’ dressed with the school flags, followed all the races, and then put into Lindisfarne to allow those on board to watch the presentation of the trophy to the school crew. From there, a leisurely return was made to Hobart.”

Old Scholars were also active in rowing, as an old scholars’ competition was established which ran for many years.

The Head of the River programme for 1932 included for the first time an Old Boys’ Race in fours. Echoes records Friends’ Old Scholars participating in the annual event between 1932 and 1944 and after a lapse of some years, again in 1954. The crew won the race in 1934 and 1942, and as the only team to enter, won a scratch race against another Friends’ crew in 1940.

Echoes also records an Old Scholars’ crew winning the E K Morris trophy contested against the present scholars of 1957.