William Fawcus (born 10 October 1850) was a British

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 member of

Tynemouth Rowing Club Tynemouth Rowing Club (TRC) operates out of its clubhouse: the sandy cove of Priors Haven, Tynemouth, England. History Tynemouth Rowing Club was founded in 1867 after members left Northern Rowing Club and is situated in Priors Haven by the Nort ...

. He won the

Wingfield Sculls The Wingfield Sculls is a rowing race held annually on the River Thames in London, England, on the Championship Course from Putney to Mortlake. The race is between single scullers and is usually on the Saturday three to four weeks before the Sc ...

and the

Diamond Challenge Sculls The Diamond Challenge Sculls is a rowing event for men's single sculls at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. First run in 1844, it is open to male scullers from all eligible rowing clubs.

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 1871, being the first provincial competitor to do so. Fawcus was born in Dockwray Square,

North Shields North Shields () is a town in the Borough of North Tyneside in Tyne and Wear, England. It is north-east of Newcastle upon Tyne and borders nearby Wallsend and Tynemouth. Since 1974, it has been in the North Tyneside borough of Tyne and Wea ...

, the son of John Fawcus and his wife Wilhelmina. His father worked in the family firm of Pow & Fawcus which manufactured chains and anchors. The earliest record of Fawcus is rowing at the age of 17 for

2nd crew at the Wear Boat Club regatta on 7 July 1868. In the " Four Oared Outriggers, 1¼ mile, open to Gentleman Amateurs, Prize – Gold Medals" the Tynemouth crew, in pink, comprising W. Fawcus, R. Park, S. Morrison T. Pickering, (stroke) and J. Gallon (cox) lost to the Wear Boat Club 2nd crew by 3 lengths. On Saturday 1 August 1868 at Tynemouth, Fawcus and G A Dodds won the 1st heat of the coxed junior pairs but lost the final to Eltringham and Bushell. Fawcus became Champion of the

Wear Wear is the damaging, gradual removal or deformation of material at solid surfaces. Causes of wear can be mechanical (e.g., erosion) or chemical (e.g., corrosion). The study of wear and related processes is referred to as tribology. Wear in m ...

in 1870, winning the Oswald Plate. It is possible he was coached by James Renforth, who was engaged by Tynemouth RC at 30 shillings a week in May 1869. It is certain that he was coached by James Taylor who coached Tynemouth RC later in the summer of 1869 but also prepared members for the racing season of 1871. As well as being an outstanding sculler, Fawcus also stroked a successful Tynemouth Four. His younger brother R. F. Fawcus was a good oarsman too. In 1871, at the age 20, Fawcus won the three premier events for amateur single scullers in Britain, rowing for Tynemouth RC. In the

he beat John Goldie of

Lady Margaret Boat Club The Lady Margaret Boat Club (abbreviated to "LMBC" and known as "Maggie") is the rowing club for members of St John's College, Cambridge, England. The club is named after Lady Margaret Beaufort, founder of the College. History LMBC was found ...

. The local newspaper reported

"HENLEY ROYAL REGATTA – The concluding day's boat racing came off yesterday, in lovely weather and in the presence of a great number of spectators. For the Diamond Challenge Sculls, the result of the final heat was:- W.C. Fawcus, Tynemouth, 1; J.H.D. Goldie, Cambridge, 2; F. T. Ashby, Staines, 3. Considerable interest was felt in this race from the meeting of Mr. Goldie with an amateur sculler from the Tyne, this year being the first appearance of a representative of the northern men at Henley. Mr.Fawcus had the best station (on the Bucks side), Ashley was in the centre and Goldie on the Berks side. A beautifully level start was made, and for a few strokes the men were equal. Goldie and Fawcus then drew away from Ashley and took the race into their own hands. As soon as they had got fairly settled into their stroke Fawcus began to creep ahead inch-by-inch, every stroke telling, until at the end of the half mile he had placed fully a length to his credit. This lead was perceptibly and favourably increased on the voyage down to the finish, where Fawcus arrived a good three lengths before Goldie. Ashley caught his right hand scull in the reeds at Poplar Point and ceased sculling. Fawcus sculled in splendid style and won easily."

Fawcus was also in the Tynemouth RC crew comprising W Fawcus, G R Ramsay, J Morrison, J L Browne, cox J Greensit that lost to

London Rowing Club London Rowing Club (LRC, or colloquially, 'London') is the second-oldest of the non-academic active rowing clubs on the Thames in London, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1856 by members of the long-disbanded Argonauts Club wishing to compete at ...

in a heat of 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 ...

. At the

Metropolitan Regatta The Metropolitan Regatta is an international rowing (sport), rowing regatta. It takes place on Dorney Lake, Buckinghamshire near Eton, Berkshire, Eton next to the River Thames in southern England. It attracts crews from schools, clubs, and unive ...

on 20 July Fawcus won the London Cup, and two days later won the

beating A. de L. Long captain of

by 1½ lengths in 26.13.Wingfield Sculls Record of Races
/ref> However at the Durham Regatta Fawcus ended up in the reeds. "Hardly had the pair gone fifty yards when Mr. Sinclair (of Tyne) commenced to row over towards Mr. Fawcus, and the latter attempting to keep out of his way struck the river bank with his right hand scull, and smashed the blade clean off. Of course, Mr. Sinclair then went in alone. There was some talk of an objection to the winner for boring on to Mr. Fawcus, but no formal protest was entered." Tynemouth RC (including Fawcus) won the Grand Challenge Cup at Durham Regatta. In 1872 on 12 July Fawcus lost in the Wingfield Sculls to C.C. Knollys who won the Diamonds and OUBC sculls. At the Durham Regatta in 1872, Tynemouth RC won the Grand Challenge Cup once again. In 1873 Fawcus challenged for the Wingfield Sculls again but was defeated in the challengers' heat by WH 'Piggy' Eyre of

Thames Rowing Club The Thames Rowing Club (TRC) is a rowing club based on the tidal Thames as it flows through the western suburbs of London. The TRC clubhouse stands on Putney Embankment. The club was founded in 1860. As at July 2022, Thames had won events at He ...

. In 1874 Fawcus was defeated in the Diamond Sculls at Henley Royal Regatta by A. C. Dicker of Lady Margaret BC (who also won the Wingfields that year). The only known painting of William Fawcus had been hanging in the Gibraltar Rock public house in Tynemouth before being relocated to the clubhouse at Priors Haven, Tynemouth. Unfortunately it was removed by a Rowing Master of the 6th Form College for restoration and despite efforts to relocate it, was last heard of in Scarborough. It was reported that the damage was so great that the painting disintegrated

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fawcus, Wiliam 1850 births English male rowers British male rowers Year of death missing