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 Henley Royal Regatta.

It is regarded as one of the most successful rowing clubs in Britain and its patron was Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

History The club was founded in 1856 at the instigation of Herbert Playford, A. A. Casamajor and Josias Nottidge for the purpose of promoting rowing on the river Thames and winning medals at Henley Royal Regatta. These three formed part of the crew that won the Grand Challenge Cup at Henley in 1857. LRC is the second-oldest of the non-academic type in London; the oldest is Poplar Blackwall and District Rowing Club having taken that status from Leander Club which gradually migrated from 1897 to 1961 to Henley on Thames in Oxfordshire.Wilkes Spirit of the Times September 7, 1861

The club and its members were fundamental in the setting up and evolution of the Metropolitan Regatta

It is one of the seven founding clubs of the Remenham Club at Henley and was one of five clubs which retained the right to appoint representatives directly to the Council of British Rowing. This right was removed from those five clubs in September 2012.

Modern day Phelan Hill was the cox of the Rio Olympic Games in 2016 Gold Medal Open eight. Jess Eddie was in the Women's eight that won the silver medal at Rio Olympic Games in 2016

Sophie Hosking the Gold Medal winner and Rob Williams competed for Great Britain at the London Olympic Games in 2012 in the women's lightweight double sculls and men's lightweight coxless four.

The club won the Wyfolds in 2011 and also provided half of the oarsmen in the composite international lightweight crews that won the Club Quads in 2007. Most recently, they also won the Wyfold Challenge Cup again in 2023.

Two of its members, James Lindsay-Fynn and James Clarke, competed in the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008 as part of the Lightweight Men's Coxless Fours. Nick Strange and Ben Helm competed in the Lightweight double sculls and Lightweight four at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996. The London lightweight four of 1994; Butt, Watson, Strange and Helm set a Worlds best time for Open and Lightweight fours of 05:48:86 (Paris, May '94)

Facilities London Rowing Club began in rented rooms at Star & Garter Pub in Putney. Today, the club has a substantial boathouse (altered and extended in 1974, 2008 and 2018/19) by Putney Bridge. The new Peter Coni Gym was opened in 2019 by present and past club Presidents Mike Baldwin and Mike Williams. It occupies the space over the rowing tank that dated back to the 1920s, the old men's changing room and the old gym. The design specification required a low carbon footprint resulting in a modern passive ventilation system among other items.

Members Former members of the club include the British racing driver Graham Hill, the Formula One World Champion in 1962 and 1968 and only driver to win the Triple Crown of Motorsport. From 1952 to 1954, Hill rowed in twenty finals with London, usually as stroke of the crew, eight of which resulted in wins. He also stroked the London eight for the highly ranked clubs/composites cup at Henley Royal Regatta. He used the colours of the club as his motor racing helmet design, as have his descendants, Formula One World Champion racing driver son, Damon, and Formula Renault driver Josh.

Current club members include international rowers for Great Britain, Ireland and Germany, and include: James Clarke Jess Eddie Danny Harte Phelan Hill Stephen Feeney Sophie Hosking James Lindsay-Fynn Mathilde Pauls Rob Williams

The former chief coach was Australian silver medallist Paul Reedy.

Honours British Empire Games YearWinning crew/sRef1930 Gold medal, Eights: Arthur Harby, Edgar Howitt, Francis Fitzwilliams, Humphrey Boardman, Hugh Edwards, Justin Brown, Geoffrey Crawford, Roger Close-Brooks, Terence O'Brien 1930 Gold medal, Coxless four: Francis Fitzwilliams, Arthur Harby, Hugh Edwards, Humphrey Boardman

Recent British champions YearWinning crew/s 2009 Open 1x 2010 Open 4-, Open 4+, Open 8+, Open L2x, Open L2-, Open L4- 2011 Open L2x 2014 Women 4x, Women 4- 2024Women club 1x

Henley Royal Regatta YearRaces won 1857 Grand Challenge Cup, Stewards' Challenge Cup, Diamond Challenge Sculls 1858 Stewards' Challenge Cup, Silver Goblets, Diamond Challenge Sculls 1859 Grand Challenge Cup 1860 Silver Goblets, Diamond Challenge Sculls, Wyfold Challenge Cup 1861 Diamond Challenge Sculls 1862 Grand Challenge Cup, Diamond Challenge Sculls, Wyfold Challenge Cup 1864 Stewards' Challenge Cup 1865 Silver Goblets 1868 Grand Challenge Cup, Stewards' Challenge Cup, Diamond Challenge Sculls 1869 Stewards' Challenge Cup, Silver Goblets 1871 Stewards' Challenge Cup, Silver Goblets 1872 Grand Challenge Cup, Stewards' Challenge Cup, Presentation Cup 1873 Grand Challenge Cup, Stewards' Challenge Cup 1874 Grand Challenge Cup, Stewards' Challenge Cup, Silver Goblets 1875 Stewards' Challenge Cup, Thames Challenge Cup 1876 Stewards' Challenge Cup, Silver Goblets, Diamond Challenge Sculls 1877 Grand Challenge Cup, Stewards' Challenge Cup, Thames Challenge Cup 1878 Stewards' Challenge Cup, Thames Challenge Cup 1879 Silver Goblets, Wyfold Challenge Cup 1880 Thames Challenge Cup, Wyfold Challenge Cup 1881 Grand Challenge Cup 1883 Grand Challenge Cup, Thames Challenge Cup 1884 Grand Challenge Cup 1885 Thames Challenge Cup 1886 Thames Challenge Cup 1889 Wyfold Challenge Cup 1890 Grand Challenge Cup 1895 Stewards' Challenge Cup, Silver Goblets & Nickalls' Challenge Cup, Wyfold Challenge Cup 1896 Stewards' Challenge Cup, Silver Goblets & Nickalls' Challenge Cup 1905 Wyfold Challenge Cup 1906 Wyfold Challenge Cup 1914 Wyfold Challenge Cup 1923 Diamond Challenge Sculls 1926 Wyfold Challenge Cup 1927 Silver Goblets & Nickalls' Challenge Cup 1930 Grand Challenge Cup, Stewards' Challenge Cup, Wyfold Challenge Cup 1931 Grand Challenge Cup, Stewards' Challenge Cup, Thames Challenge Cup 1932 Thames Challenge Cup, Wyfold Challenge Cup 1933 Grand Challenge Cup, Wyfold Challenge Cup 1935 Thames Challenge Cup 1936 Wyfold Challenge Cup 1937 Wyfold Challenge Cup 1938 Grand Challenge Cup, Wyfold Challenge Cup 1947 Silver Goblets & Nickalls' Challenge Cup 1953 Diamond Challenge Sculls 1969 Wyfold Challenge Cup 1970 Britannia Challenge Cup 1971 Prince Philip Challenge Cup 1976 Double Sculls Challenge Cup, Wyfold Challenge Cup 1977 Stewards' Challenge Cup, Thames Challenge Cup 1978 Thames Challenge Cup 1979 Grand Challenge Cup, Stewards' Challenge Cup 1981 Stewards' Challenge Cup 1982 Grand Challenge Cup 1984 Grand Challenge Cup 1990 Wyfold Challenge Cup 1993 Double Sculls Challenge Cup, Wyfold Challenge Cup 1996 Stewards' Challenge Cup 1998 Thames Challenge Cup 2004 Thames Challenge Cup, Wyfold Challenge Cup 2005 Double Sculls Challenge Cup 2006 Thames Challenge Cup 2011 Wyfold Challenge Cup 2023 Wyfold Challenge Cup 2025 Thames Challenge Cup, Wyfold Challenge Cup

See also Rowing on the River Thames Head of the River Race Metropolitan Regatta Thames Rowing Club

References Water Boiling Aft: London Rowing Club, the First 150 Years 1856-2006 Author Christopher Dodd

External links Official website