The 31st Boat Race took place on the 28 March 1874.

The Boat Race The Boat Race is an annual set of rowing races between the Cambridge University Boat Club and the Oxford University Boat Club, traditionally rowed between open-weight eights on the River Thames in London, England. There are separate men's ...

is an annual side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of

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 ...

and

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

along the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, se ...

. In a race umpired by former Oxford rower

Joseph William Chitty Sir Joseph William Chitty (28 May 1828 – 15 February 1899) was an English cricketer, rower, judge and Liberal politician. Early life Chitty was born in London, the second son of Thomas Chitty (himself son and brother of well-known lawye ...

, Cambridge won by three and a half lengths in their fifth consecutive victory.

Background

is a side-by-side rowing competition between the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

(sometimes referred to as the "Dark Blues") and the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

(sometimes referred to as the "Light Blues"). The race was first held in 1829, and since 1845 has taken place on the

Championship Course The Championship Course is a stretch of the River Thames between Mortlake and Putney in London, England. It is a well-established course for rowing races, particularly the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. The course is on the tidal reaches of th ...

on the

in southwest London. Cambridge went into the race as reigning champions, having defeated Oxford by three lengths in the previous year's race, while Oxford led overall with sixteen wins to Cambridge's fourteen. Cambridge were coached by John Graham Chambers (who rowed for Cambridge in the

1862 Events January–March * January 1 – The United Kingdom annexes Lagos Island, in modern-day Nigeria. * January 6 – French intervention in Mexico: French, Spanish and British forces arrive in Veracruz, Mexico. * January ...

and 1863 races, and was non-rowing boat club president for the 1865 race),Burnell, p. 104 William Henry Lowe (who rowed for Cambridge in the

1868 Events January–March * January 2 – British Expedition to Abyssinia: Robert Napier leads an expedition to free captive British officials and missionaries. * January 3 – The 15-year-old Mutsuhito, Emperor Meiji of Jap ...

, 1870 and 1871 races) and John Goldie (the Cambridge boat club president and rower for the 1869, 1870 and 1871 races). Oxford's coach was S. D. Darbishire (who rowed for the Dark Blues in 1868, 1869 and 1870). Cambridge opted not to use the boat built for them by

Harry Clasper Harry Clasper (5 July 1812 – 12 July 1870) was a professional rower and boat builder from Tyneside in England. He was an innovative boat designer who pioneered the development of the racing shell and the use of outriggers. He is said to hav ...

specifically for the race, in favour of one constructed by Waites which had been used by 1st Trinity Boat Club.Drinkwater, p. 67 The race was umpired by

who had rowed for Oxford twice in 1849 (in the

March March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the second of seven months to have a length of 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of Marc ...

and December races) and the 1852 race, while the starter was Edward Searle.

Crews

The Cambridge crew weighed an average of 11 st 10.625 lb (74.5 kg), more than their opponents. Oxford saw the return of two former

Blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...

in William Edward Sherwood and A. W. Nicholson (who was rowing in his third Boat Race). Cambridge's crew included five Blues, with James Brooks Close and Charles Stokes Read returning for a third time. The Light Blue crew included Australian George Francis Armytage, the only non-British participant in the race, who had been educated at

Geelong Grammar School , motto_translation = 1 Corinthians 1:30: "For us, Christ was made wisdom"( 1 Corinthians 1:30: Christ, who has been made for us in wisdom) , city = Corio, Victoria , country = Australia , coordinates = , ...

. Author and former Oxford rower G. C. Drinkwater described the Oxford crew as "something of a disappointment" while declaring that Cambridge were "a very fine crew".

Race

Cambridge won the toss and elected to start from the Middlesex side of the river, handing the Surrey station to Oxford.Drinkwater, pp. 67–68 The race started at 11.14 a.m. and was "rowed on an exceptionally sluggish tide". Cambridge made a good start and held a half-length lead at

Hammersmith Bridge Hammersmith Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses the River Thames in west London. It links the southern part of Hammersmith in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, on the north side of the river, and Barnes in the London Borough ...

. As the bend of the river began to give advantage to the Surrey side, Oxford drew back into contention and the crews were level at the bottom of Chiswick Reach.Drinkwater, p. 68 The position of moored barges provided a good course and smooth water for the Dark Blues who took a half-length lead. Despite this, fatigue began to set in to the Oxford crew and Cambridge came back into contention. With a steady rhythm, the Light Blues were level at the Bathing Place of Athens and held a clear water advantage by The Bull's Head pub. A length ahead by

Barnes Bridge Barnes Bridge railway station, in Travelcard Zone 3, is on The Terrace, Barnes in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, in south west London. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South Western Railway. It is on the Houn ...

, Cambridge pulled further ahead to win by lengths in a time of 22 minutes 35 seconds. It was Cambridge's fifth consecutive victory and took the overall record to 16–15 in favour of Oxford.

References

Notes Bibliography * * *

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boat Race 1874 1874 in English sport The Boat Race March 1874 sports events