River Thames Watching a single sculler plough premises now serve as the base through the waters of central of the Oxford crew on race days. London can at times resemble a Clasper also coached, one of child in a pedal car who has strayed his charges being fellow Geordie onto a motorway. But like all professional Bob Chambers, winner entrants in the 2010 Doggett’s of five national sculling titles. Such Coat and Badge Race, Dean was Chambers’ repute that when Pettipher from Gravesend, seen he was struck down by tuberculosis here midway through the four miles at the age of 37 in 1868, an and seven furlong course between estimated 50-60,000 turned out London Bridge and Cadogan Pier, for his funeral in Newcastle. knows the score. He is, after all, a On the riverside frontage of the But then, two years later double waterman. Westminster School Boat Club on that number were reportedly on Today, as in 1715, entry to the Putney Embankment (see map 2, the streets to pay their respects to Coat and Badge race is restricted page 46), the name of John Hawks Harry Clasper. This was followed to a maximum of six watermen Clasper (1836-1908), known as only months later by the third whose apprenticeships have just Jack, is a reminder that one of the major funeral of a Tyneside rower, ended. By 1799 there were around great sporting rivalries of mid 19th James Renforth, who died after 2,000 apprentices, and none was century England lay between the a race in Canada, aged just 29. allowed more than one try. Today professional watermen of the All three are commemorated by the total is around 125, and each Thames and their counterparts on magnificent memorials (featured is allowed to enter the race three the River Tyne; a rivalry played out in Played in Tyne and Wear, see times (that is if they do not win not only between oarsmen but also Links). Renforth’s in particular, at the first or second attempt). between boatbuilders. in Gateshead, has a carving of As can be seen, they are also Jack Clasper’s father Harry was the rower expiring in the arms Assuredly Thomas Doggett did now allowed to race in purpose- a legend in the north east on both of his fellow English crewman, not die a pauper, as stated in the built, lightweight boats, whereas counts. Illiterate and sent down Harry Kelley, from Putney. churchyard of St John’s in Eltham before 1906 they had to compete the mines at the age of fifteen, by Lavishly sentimental in the best (top). The once renowned comic in standard wherries, clinker built, his mid 20s Harry Clasper was Victorian tradition, it is possible that actor made generous provision for wide-bottomed and seating four. running a pub, building boats the three memorials were inspired his family and his servants, plus Not only that but before 1873 and racing them to great effect, by an earlier one in London. £350, no less, to ensure that the Doggett’s races were contested often crewed by his brothers. Robert Coombes (1808-60), Coat and Badge race he had against the ebb tide, requiring In 1842, having been stung by whose tomb at Brompton Cemetery initiated in 1715 would continue to entrants to row for over two defeat on the Tyne at the hands of (top right) was unveiled in 1866, be staged after his death, in 1721. punishing hours to reach Chelsea. Thames watermen, Clasper and was born in a Vauxhall pest house, Organised ever since by the Yet despite the race now going his fellow Tynesiders set about a apprenticed as a waterman in Fishmongers’ Company, the with the flow, lasting barely 30 radical redesign of racing boats, his teens, and in 1842 was one expenditure, as set out in Doggett’s minutes and drawing the interest perfecting a new form of outrigger, of the London four who humbled will, allowed five pounds for the of only a handful of spectators combined with inboard keels and Harry Clasper’s crew on the Tyne. provision of a silver badge (above), and passing tourists – largely narrower, lightweight shells. Three Four years later he became the this to bear the word ‘Liberty’ over because it takes place midweek years later they gained revenge with first sculler to win the national a rampant horse (the symbol of in July – Doggett’s remains a victory at the Thames Regatta. championships on the Putney to the Hanoverian George I, whose genuine test of watermanship. This Young Jack, the eldest of thirteen Mortlake course. On the Thames accession to the throne Doggett is particularly so given that the Clasper children, notched up his and on the Tyne Coombes then Between them, the likes of at Greenwich in 2010, crews of wished the race to celebrate). race is observed closely by fellow first aquatic honour when, at the defended this title twice. In later life Coombes, the Claspers, Chambers, between four to eight lightermen To this was added 18s for watermen and by the entrants’ age of 13, he coxed his father’s four he also coached both Oxford and Renforth and Kelley laid the and/or watermen race unpowered ‘orange’ cloth, 21s for the coat to families (who are often one and the to victory at Henley in 1849. He Cambridge, winning the Boat Race foundations for modern rowing. barges, using 20 foot long be made up with buttons, and 30s same), following in a small flotilla then moved to London in 1854 to on two occasions, before the tide Yet as noted earlier, by the oars, or ‘sweeps’ for rowing. for the Watermen’s Company Clerk. of boats, watching every move. be apprenticed as a waterman and of opinion turned against the use 1880s their ilk found themselves Given that the winning time for With appropriate dramatic effect, In that sense, the Doggett’s to make his own name as a rower. of professionals in amateur races. ostracised by the Amateur Rowing completing the gruelling seven a further stipulation required that Coat and Badge may be London’s He did well, winning several Coombes’ final days were spent Association, who refused to mile course from Greenwich to the race be held annually, ‘forever’. oldest sporting event, but it remains titles. But it was as a boat builder in poverty, in a Maidstone lunatic compete against professionals, a Westminster is usually around 90 So far, so good. The odd break an essentially internal affair. that Jack Clasper really excelled. asylum. But as would later occur rift only finally settled in 1956. minutes, this is perhaps one river for wars apart, the run continues. Here are individuals who spend By 1864 he had established a on Tyneside his rowing pals and During the interim years sport best left to professionals. their working lives on the river, yard in Durham, to which he added admirers rallied and commissioned watermen continued to take part Flanked by his predecessors, the Wapping. Prentice joined Poplar, yet are so drawn to it, and to their a second on Putney Embankment in the memorial we see here. in competitions organised by the 2010 race winner, Daniel Arnold, Blackwall & District RC at the age heritage, that they choose to spend 1868 (possibly the building we see Listed Grade II, the tomb is Tradesmen’s Rowing Association, parades his new Doggett’s Coat of ten, worked as a lighterman their free time mastering an art here), followed by a third in Oxford. surmounted by an upturned plus the Doggett’s of course, and Badge at the Fishmongers’ delivering Ford motor components which has been all but redundant Like his father, Clasper was wherry, over which is draped a and the Christmas Handicap on Hall, London Bridge (above). A to various docks, and now skippers in their professional lives since forever experimenting; for example Doggett’s Coat and Badge. In Tyneside, last staged in 1938. member of the Tideway Scullers tourist boats. His winning time the advent of powered boats. perfecting a form of sliding seat that each corner stands an oarsman, More recently in 1975 in Chiswick, like many current of 23 minutes 22 seconds in the For a waterman to don the Coat had been invented in the USA and thought to have been modelled on another Thames race emerged, watermen Arnold works aboard 1973 race has yet to be beaten. and Badge is akin to an athlete first seen on the Tyne in 1871, and Coombes or his contemporaries, this to celebrate the traditional Thames cruise boats. Alongside Another Doggett’s record is that gaining a gold at the Olympics. creating longer, narrower shells. but alas now sadly headless. skills of lightermen. him in the darker uniform of a of the Phelps family. Boatbuilders Once a Coat and Badge Five times a Clasper-built boat The figure nearest the camera In the Thames Barge Driving Bargemaster is Bob Prentice, a of Putney, the Phelps provided winner, always a Coat and secured victory in the Boat Race, a wears the traditional buttoned Race, seen above passing Sir fourth generation waterman from ten winners from 1860–1938. Badge winner. Forever. link that lives on in that his Putney coat of a Thames waterman. Christopher Wren’s Royal Hospital 40 Played in London Played in London 41.