John Sidney Offer (1908–1985) was an English

rower Rowing, sometimes called crew in the United States, is the sport of racing boats using oars. It differs from paddling sports in that rowing oars are attached to the boat using oarlocks, while paddles are not connected to the boat. Rowing is ...

who won

Silver Goblets The Silver Goblets & Nickalls' Challenge Cup is a rowing event for men's coxless pairs at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male crews from all eligible rowing club A rowing club ...

at Henley Royal Regatta and a silver medal at the

1938 British Empire Games The 1938 British Empire Games was the third British Empire Games, the event that evolved to become the Commonwealth Games. Held in Sydney, Australia from 5–12 February 1938, they were timed to coincide with Sydney's sesqui-centenary (150 yea ...

. Offer was born at

Hampton Wick Hampton Wick, formerly a village, is a Thames-side area of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, and is contiguous with Teddington and Kingston upon Thames. It is buffered by Bushy Park, one of the Royal Parks of London from Hampton an ...

, the son of Henry John Offer and his wife Vera Jennie Burgoine. His maternal grandfather, Alfred Burgoine, was a boat designer who built one of

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...

’s Royal Barges and a motor launch that held the world water speed record. He was educated at

Tiffin School Tiffin School is a boys' grammar school in Kingston upon Thames, England. It has specialist status in both the performing arts and languages. The school moved from voluntary aided status to become an Academy School on 1 July 2011. Founded in 1 ...

where he began rowing. He joined

Kingston Rowing Club Kingston Rowing Club (KRC) is a rowing club in England founded in 1858 and a member club of British Rowing. The club is located on the River Thames at Kingston upon Thames, downstream and north-east of Kingston Bridge and Kingston Railway Bri ...

where his brothers Tom and

Dick Offer Richard Frederick Offer (1909 – 6 February 2007) was an English rower who won Silver Goblets at Henley Royal Regatta and a silver medal at the 1938 British Empire Games. Offer was born at Hampton Wick, the son of Henry John Offer and hi ...

were also members.Old Tiffins Newsletter 232 June 2007
Offer excelled at sculling, in particular partnering his brother Dick in the

double scull A double scull is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for two persons who propel the boat by sculling with two oars each, one in each hand. Racing boats (often called "shells") are long, narrow, and broadly ...

s. They also took part in

skiffing Skiffing refers to the sporting and leisure activity of rowing (or more correctly sculling) a Thames skiff. The skiff is a traditional hand built clinker-built wooden craft of a design which has been seen on the River Thames and other waterways ...

, being members of

The Skiff Club The Skiff Club is the oldest skiff and punting club in existence, having been founded in 1895. It is based on the River Thames in London, on the Middlesex bank between Teddington Lock and Kingston upon Thames. The Club supports two traditional ...

. They won the Gentlemen's Double Sculls at the

Skiff Championships Regatta The Skiff Championships Regatta is the premier skiff racing regatta on the River Thames in England. It is held annually at Henley on the Sunday of August Bank Holiday weekend. Events and course The regatta is run under the rules of the Skiff ...

in 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933 and 1935. Offer also won the Singles Skiff Championship in 1932 and 1935 and the Mixed Doubles Skiff Championship in 1933. In 1936 the Offer brothers won

at Henley Royal Regatta. Two years later they were selected to compete in the

. In spite of the difficulties in maintaining training during the six-week sea voyage to Australia they won the silver medal in the double sculls event.Commonwealth Games

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Offer, John 1908 births 1985 deaths People educated at Tiffin School English male rowers Rowers at the 1938 British Empire Games Commonwealth Games gold medallists for England Commonwealth Games silver medallists for England Commonwealth Games medallists in rowing