Times and ideas of rowing have changed much since the first regatta at
Henley opened and closed with contests for the Grand Challenge Cup, the
only prize at its foundation. The 'Town' Cup seems to have been the next
addition, under the name of the 'District Challenge' Cup, in 1840; but
it does not figure again until 1842, and in 1843 takes the name of the
Town Cup. There were first class fours 'for medals' in 1841, but the
Stewards' Cup was not founded till the following year. The 'Diamonds'
appeared in 1844. 'Pairs' came into existence in 1845, styled 'silver
wherries,' and the then winners, Arnold and Mann, of Caius, have ever
been handed down by tradition as something much above the average. The
prize became 'silver goblets' in 1850, and the first winners of them
were Justice Sir Joseph Chitty and Dr. Hornby, provost of Eton. The
Ladies' Plate was called the 'New' Cup when it appeared in 1845. At that
time it was open to the world, like the Grand. Clubs from the Thames won
it on sundry occasions. In 1857 it was restricted to schools and
colleges as now, copying the 'Visitors' Cup' for fours, founded upon
parallel principles in 1847. The Wyfold Cup dates from 1847, though it
does not figure in the local official calendar of the regatta as a
four-oar prize until 1856. In the latter year it became a four-oar
prize, open to all, and the Argonauts won it and the 'Stewards,' with
the same crew. Later on it obtained its present qualification. As to the
forgotten functions of the 'Wyfold' between 1847 and 1856, we venture to
record them. The cup originally was held by the winner of the trial
heats for the Grand. If the best challenger won the Grand also, or if
the 'holders' did not compete, then the same crew would take both Grand
and Wyfold for the season; but the Grand holders were ineligible to row
for the Wyfold. This latter anomaly in time induced the executive to
obtain leave from the donor to alter the destination of the cup and to
devote it to fours. Local races flourished in the forties and fifties.
Besides the Town Cup, there were local sculls, sometimes for a 'silver
wherry,' and sometimes for a presentation cup. Local pairs existed from
1858 to 1861 inclusive. The Thames Cup began life in 1868 as a sort of
junior race, but later on obtained its present qualification. There was
a presentation prize for fours without coxswains in 1869, but the
Stewards' Cup was not opened for fours of the modern style till 1873;
and the Visitors' and Wyfold were similarly emancipated a year later.
The advent and disappearance of the Public Schools' Cup need no comment.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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