1910
The Ironmasters Cup is won. A press report on Tees Regatta (run jointly by Tees ABC and Middlesbrough ABC) comments on the “absence of any effective organisation” and makes a number of constructive suggestions. These include siting the enclosure at either the start or the finish rather than in the middle of the course. At Durham Regatta we win Jubilee Sculls, The Lady Anne Lambton Plate beating Bede College in the final and The Mayor’s Plate beating Durham (City) in the final. A club photograph which includes 21 members and the trophies is taken in George Thompson’s garden at 16 The Green, Norton. (This photo is in excellent condition and is in the TRC archives – Ed.).
1911
President: Coun. Walter Thompson. Captain: T R G Rowland. Hon Sec: Thomas Dent.
Hon Treas: Harold Walton
Membership: 69 Ordinary members, 36 Life Members. G Iredale the club’s senior sculler establishes an amateur record for the north by winning the Championships of the Wear (Durham Regatta), the Tyne (Tyne ARC Regatta), The Ouse (York Regatta), the Tees (Tees and Middlesbrough Joint Regatta). Wins are also recorded at Durham in the Lady Anne Lambton Plate and at Tyne in Senior Strakes. The club Autumn Fours are held at Yarm but racing has to be abandoned when a rigger on one of the club boats breaks. The club instigates meetings of all the amateur clubs in the north with a view to fixing regatta dates. In effect this is the founding of what we now know as the Northern Rowing Council. Chairman is John Wallace of Tyne ARC and Officers are T R G Rowland, T E Dent and H Walton of Tees ABC.
1912
President: Coun. Walter Thompson. Captain: T R G Rowland. Hon Sec and Treas: Thomas Dent.
G Iredale offers his skiff for sale. The club Captain buys it for £6 “to prevent it passing out of the club”. Club Vice President Frank Brown is knighted. An idea to raise funds for boat purchase by raffling a gold watch is abandoned when it is found to be illegal. At York we win The York Challenge Cup, at Tyne The Percy Challenge Cup and at Tynemouth The Open Sculling Race.
1913
President: T R G Rowland. Captain: Fred Thompson. Hon Sec and Treas: Thomas Dent.
Burglaries and wear and tear almost totally depletes the stock of towels at the boathouse. The matter is placed in the hands of the Captain and Vice Captain. Eight crews race at the Spring Fours on Opening Day. Thomas Dent resigns as Hon Sec/Treas to take up an appointment in New York, USA. The side of the boathouse is damaged by “cinder pickers who break of some of the lats. A letter is sent to the police Superintendant reporting the damage and asking them to “see that the place is looked after during the close season”. The club agrees to allow Messrs James and Bulmer to store a canoe in the boathouse but declines their request for a key as this “would establish a dangerous precedent”. They are told that they must follow existing practice of collecting it from The Alexandra. (A pub at in Bridge Road opposite the end of Boathouse Lane – Ed).
1914
President: Ald. B Stephenson, Captain: Fred Thompson. Hon Sec and Treas: Chas Atkin.
The Club’s 50th Anniversary of its founding. A history of the club is prepared by the Hon. Secretary and published in the Sports Gazette (a copy of this is in the TRC archives – Ed). At Tees Regattawe win The Ironmasters Challenge Cup beating Middlesbrough ABC for a record seventh successive year. The Tees crew is WL Kingdom, AFL Green, H Wintersgill, GH Rowland and JR Gillies (cox). The Middlesbrough crew includes Alf Tomlinson – later to become President of Tees ARC. We also win the Tees Cup. There is a good attendance of ladies and gentlemen and the Thornaby Scout Band is in attendance. Henry Wright retires after 33 years as Boatman. Members subscribe to and present him with a silver mounted pipe and case, the balance of the £7 raised was given in a purse. Henry Walker of 78 Buchanan Street is appointed as Boatman for a one year trial period at the rate of ten shillings (50p) per week. The Captain and Secretary are asked to draw up a list of duties for him. (So – Nothing new about Job Descriptions. Ed.) Heavy tides and fresh water damage the boathouse steps. W H Barry applies to join the club. Decision deferred pending advice from Amateur Rowing Association in respect of his “amateur status”. ARA replies that “if Barry lost his amateur status since serving his apprenticeship he could not compete at any ARA regatta”. TABC respond to the ARA by saying that Barry was called before the committee and assured them that he had not lost his amateur status. Accordingly he was elected to membership “providing the ARA do not advise to the contrary as he complies with our local rules the same as other members”. What is then termed “The European War” breaks out. (It was only many years later that it was referred to as “The First World War” – Ed). The Hon Sec is asked to write to the Mayor of Stockton-on-Tees and “offer the use of our premises for any purpose that it may be found useful for during the present crisis. The club decides to “join the Cricket Club in offering their help to the Authorities should it be found necessary to defend the town in case of withdrawal of the Territorial Force”. Soldiers guarding the Railway Bridge take up the offer to use the club’s Dressing Room and Bathroom. Regattas are cancelled owing to the outbreak of war.
1915
President: Ald. B Thompson (Mayor of Stockton-on-Tees). Captain: Fred Thompson. Hon Sec and Treas: Chas Atkin.
A significant entry in the minutes confirms that there were two rowing clubs on the Tees at Stockton. Two fours are offered for sale to the club by “The Stockton and Thornaby Rowing Club” – a professional club. The price is £17- 10s (£17.50) to include a set of oars. Sadly it would appear that the professional club has to sell up and close to “meet their accounts”. The Northern Amateur Rowing Council cancels all regattas for the season.
1916
President: Ald. B Stephenson. Captain: Fred Thompson. Hon Sec and Treas: Chas Atkin.
Members serving in the armed forces are elected to Honorary Membership. An approach is received from Mr B Wren, formerly Secretary of Stockton and Thornaby Rowing Club who wishes to know if he could join the club to store his skiff and use the landing so that he can continue his training as a professional rower. The Committee “would not entertain this proposition”. Reports are received of members being killed and wounded in action. The boathouse is only open at weekends.
1917
President: Ald. B Stephenson. Captain: Fred Thompson. Hon Sec and Treas: Chas Atkin.
The management of the club is left in the hands of the Captain and Vice Captain if they are unable to assemble a quorum of Committee Members. The boathouse is open for June and July. 29 members are “serving under the King’s Colours”. With so many members away an appeal for funds is made to the Vice Presidents (who presumably are non sub paying) to contribute in place of the absent members. This produced a good response.
1918
President: Ald. B Stephenson. Captain: Fred Thompson. Hon Sec and Treas: Chas Atkin.
The club bought the site on which the boathouse stands in 1875 with the aid of a mortgage of £180. In view of the shortage of members difficulty is encountered in making repayments on the now outstanding balance of £120. T R G Rowland generously not only takes over the mortgage but also declines any interest on repayments. An appeal is launched to raise funds to redeem the mortgage “before the boys come home”. The war ends on 11th November. Honours boards are created to recognise those members who had been killed in the war – sadly these no longer exist.
1919
President: Coun. Walter Thompson. Captain: G H Rowland. Hon Sec and Treas: Chas Atkin.
The club wins Maiden Fours (now known as Novice Fours – Ed) at York At Home Regatta. It is reported that the Railway Company damaged in transit a pair of sculling blades beyond repair.(For many years club boats and oars were carried by rail – Ed).). O Johnson is in the Cambridge 2nd Crew. He states that it was due to the good rowing he had had while a member of TABC. The boathouse and contents are insured for £1000. Rowing and sculling races are held as part of the Peace Celebrations. The mortgage is paid off in September. A Dinner at The Royal Hotel is proposed in celebration of this and the return of members from the war.