Sir James Angus Gillan (11 October 1885 – 23 April 1981) was a Scottish
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 di ...
and colonial service official. He competed in the
1908 Summer Olympics
The 1908 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the IV Olympiad and also known as London 1908) were an international multi-sport event held in London, England, United Kingdom, from 27 April to 31 October 1908. The 1908 Games were ori ...
and in the
1912 Summer Olympics
The 1912 Summer Olympics ( sv, Olympiska sommarspelen 1912), officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad ( sv, Den V olympiadens spel) and commonly known as Stockholm 1912, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, be ...
.
Biography
Gillan was born in
Aberdeen
Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...
, Scotland, and was educated at
Edinburgh Academy
The Edinburgh Academy is an Independent school (United Kingdom), independent day school in Edinburgh, Scotland, which was opened in 1824. The original building, on Henderson Row in the city's New Town, Edinburgh, New Town, is now part of the Se ...
and
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College (, ) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by William of Waynflete. Today, it is the fourth wealthiest college, with a financial endowment of £332.1 million as of 2019 and one of the s ...
. He rowed for
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
in the
Boat Race
Boat racing is a sport in which boats, or other types of watercraft, race on water. Boat racing powered by oars is recorded as having occurred in ancient Egypt, and it is likely that people have engaged in races involving boats and other wate ...
in 1907, but missed the 1908 race because of a severe attack of influenza. He also rowed for his college and the Magdalen College
coxless four
A coxless four is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for four persons who propel the boat with sweep oars, without a coxswain.
The crew consists of four rowers, each having one oar. There are two rowers on th ...
won the
Stewards' Challenge Cup
The Stewards' Challenge Cup is a rowing event for men's coxless fours 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 clubs. Two or more clubs may combine t ...
and the
Visitors' Challenge Cup
The Visitors Challenge Cup is a rowing event for men's coxless fours 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 clubs and has similar qualifying rules t ...
at
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta (or Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage) is a rowing event held annually on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. It was established on 26 March 1839. It differs from the thre ...
in 1907 and 1908.
The Magdalen crew was chosen to represent Great Britain
rowing at the 1908 Summer Olympics
At the 1908 Summer Olympics, four rowing events were contested, all for men only. Races were held at Henley-on-Thames. The competitions were held from 28 to 31 July. There was one fewer event in 1908 than 1904, after the double sculls was drop ...
, and Gillan was in the four with
Collier Cudmore
Sir Collier Robert Cudmore (13 June 1885 – 16 May 1971) was an Australian lawyer, politician and Olympic rower who won the gold medal in the 1908 Summer Olympics for Great Britain.
Early life and rowing career
Cudmore was born at Avoca, W ...
,
John Somers-Smith
John Robert Somers-Smith MC (15 December 1887 – 1 July 1916) was an English rower who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics. He was killed in action during the First World War.
Somers-Smith was born at Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, the so ...
and
Duncan Mackinnon
Duncan Mackinnon (29 September 1887 – 9 October 1917) was a British rower who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics. He was killed in action during the First World War.
Mackinnon was born in Paddington, London, and was educated at Rugby S ...
. The crew won the gold medal for Great Britain and defeated a Leander crew. Gillan rowed for Oxford again in the Boat Race in 1909.
In 1909 Gillan joined the Sudan Political Service, but returned on leave in 1911 and as a member of
Leander Club
Leander Club, founded in 1818, is one of the oldest rowing clubs in the world, and the oldest non-academic club. It is based in Remenham in Berkshire, England and adjoins Henley-on-Thames. Only three other surviving clubs were founded prior to ...
and was in the crew that won the
Grand Challenge Cup
The Grand Challenge Cup is a rowing competition for men's eights. It is the oldest and best-known event 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 cl ...
at Henley in 1911. He was home on leave again in 1912 and was member of the British
eight
8 is a number, numeral, and glyph.
8 or eight may also refer to:
Years
* AD 8, the eighth year of the AD era
* 8 BC, the eighth year before the AD era
Art
*The Eight (Ashcan School), a group of twentieth century painters associated with the As ...
which won the gold medal
rowing at the 1912 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 1912 Summer Olympics featured four events, for men only. All races were held in Djurgårdsbrunnsviken from Thursday to Saturday, 17 to 19 July.
Medal summary
Bronze medals
Bronze medals were not awarded to the losing semi fina ...
in Stockholm. He was in the UK again in 1917 when he married Margaret Douglas Ord Mackenzie at Holy Trinity Church, Brompton.
Gillan served in the Sudan for thirty years and became Civil Secretary in 1934. He was appointed a
CMG in 1935 and a
KBE in 1939.
Sir Angus Gillan, KBE, CMG ''The Sudan: Past, Present and Future'' African Affairs 43:123–128 (1944)
/ref> After World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Gillan headed the Empire Division of the British Council
The British Council is a British organisation specialising in international cultural and educational opportunities. It works in over 100 countries: promoting a wider knowledge of the United Kingdom and the English language (and the Welsh lan ...
and played a major part in the organization of the 1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XIV Olympiad and also known as London 1948) were an international multi-sport event held from 29 July to 14 August 1948 in London, England, United Kingdom. Following a twelve-year hiatus ca ...
in London. In 1949 he left the Colonial Service and became the British Council representative in Australia until 1951. Back in England, he was chairman of the Royal Overseas League
The Royal Over-Seas League (ROSL) is a not-for-profit members' organisation with international headquarters in its clubhouse in central London, England.
Founded by Sir Evelyn Wrench in 1910 as the Over-Seas Club, it was given a Royal Charter ...
from 1955 to 1962.
Gillan died at Leigh, Surrey
Leigh is a village and civil parish in Surrey, between Reigate, Dorking and Charlwood in the east of Mole Valley district. The village centre is suburban and its remainder is agricultural, interspersed by four satellite clustered localities: ...
, at the age of 95.
See also
*List of Oxford University Boat Race crews
This is a list of the Oxford University crews who have competed in The Boat Race since its inception in 1829. A coxswain or oarsman earns their rowing Blue by rowing in the Boat Race.
Rowers are listed left to right in boat position from bo ...
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gillan, James Angus
1885 births
1981 deaths
Alumni of Magdalen College, Oxford
Scottish male rowers
Olympic rowers for Great Britain
Rowers at the 1908 Summer Olympics
Rowers at the 1912 Summer Olympics
Olympic gold medallists for Great Britain
British colonial governors and administrators in Africa
Olympic medalists in rowing
Sportspeople from Aberdeen
People educated at Edinburgh Academy
Scottish Olympic medallists
Scottish colonial officials
Scottish knights
Members of Leander Club
Oxford University Boat Club rowers
Medalists at the 1908 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the 1912 Summer Olympics
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan people
Sudan Political Service officers