Poplar Blackwall and District Rowing Club


Poplar Blackwall and District Rowing Club is a rowing club in Millwall, on the River Thames in England, on the northern bank of the Thames opposite Greenwich on the Isle of Dogs, London.

Club history

Poplar Blackwall and District Rowing Club was founded in 1854 and is one of the oldest rowing clubs in Great Britain. It was established by a group of young lightermen as "The Blackwall Rowing and Athletic Club". Boats were carried to the river from a local pub.
After World War I there was an increase in membership from shipwrights, boilermakers and stevedores from the nearby shipyards and docks, although the depression in the 1930s led to reduced activity again.
The club reformed with its present name in 1935 and established a club and boat house on the present site in 1937: "the boys themselves constructed a launching ramp at Calder's Wharf", using North Greenwich railway station as a shelter for the boats.
In 1966 an appealed was launched to raise £55.000 "to build a completely new boathouse and gymnasium" that "should be an attractive addition to that part of the Thames."

Activities

The club provides rowing and sculling for adult, adult beginner, junior, masters. It has events for recreational and competitive sides of the sport.
The club house marks the finish of the annual Great River Race.

Taking the period since 2000 alone, PBDRC has seen members win more than 10 regattas and winter head races. The club has, at the top level, produced and enhanced international oarsmen and oarswomen: a few members of the club have represented Great Britain in the Olympic Games and World Championships in this period.

Competition history

In 1995 and 1996, juniors from the club won the Fawley Challenge Cup at Henley Regatta.
In 2011, Ralph Humphrey and Bob Milligan's double won the World Masters in Poznan, Poland, the Britain Masters and the Henley Masters Veterans.
YearCompetitionDivisionWinners
1966Henley Royal RegattaSilver Goblets & Nickalls' Challenge Cup, II-R Easterling and J T McCarthy
1968Henley Royal RegattaDiamond Challenge Cup, M1xKenny Dwan
1968Wingfield ScullsM1xKenny Dwan
1968Summer Olympics, MexicoM1xKenny Dwan
1969Wingfield ScullsM1xKenny Dwan
1970Wingfield ScullsM1xKenny Dwan
1971Wingfield ScullsM1xKenny Dwan
1972Wingfield ScullsM1xKenny Dwan
1972Summer Olympics, MunichM1xKenny Dwan
1974Henley Royal RegattaDiamond Challenge Cup, M1xKenny Dwan
1975Wingfield ScullsM1xKenny Dwan
1978Henley Royal RegattaDouble Sculls Challenge Cup, M2xMS Spencer and R Prentice
1979Henley Royal RegattaDouble Sculls Challenge Cup, M2xIan Gold
1995Henley Royal RegattaFawley Challenge Cup, JM4xin a composite quad with the Windsor Boys' School
1996Henley Royal RegattaFawley Challenge Cup, JM4xin a composite quad with the Windsor Boys' School
1997Henley Royal RegattaQueen Mother Challenge Cup, B4x
2016Marlow RegattaMasters B/CAndrea Stock
2016Novice JW1xPhoebe O'Hene
2016Peterborough Spring RegattaIM3W1xBeverley Reid
2016WJ16 1xLaura Stewart
2016Masters F 1xRobert Milligan
2016Henley Masters RegattaMasters B 1xAndrea Stock
2016Masters C 2xRalph Humphrey
2016Euro Masters Regatta, MunichMasters C mixed 4xAndrea Stock, Beverley Reid and Ralph Humphrey
2016Masters A 1xAndrea Stock
2016Masters B 1xAndrea Stock
2016Masters B 2xRalph Humphrey
2016World Masters Championships, CopenhagenMasters F 1xRobert Milligan
2016Masters G VIII+Robert Milligan
2016Masters G IV-Robert Milligan
2016Masters A 2xRalph Humphrey
2016Henley Sculls HeadIM3W 1xPhoebe O'Herne
2016IM1W 1xAndrea Stock