ANZAC Heritage, a rowing champion
This story not only remembers and pays tribute to Captain Keith Heritage MC but to all row- ers, families and friends around the world who died or suffered from the Great War.
The Heritage family story reads like many others of the time. Keith’s grandfather, James Her- itage, stole a book in Somerset and later, after days without food, took a silver plate worth £5 [over $600 today]. For these crimes he was transported as a convict to Van Diemen’s Land [as Tasmania was called then]. He served his time, trained as a draper’s assistant, married and had three children.
One of James Heritage’s sons, George, became a teacher in 1871 and went on to be Tas- mania’s Inspector of Schools and helped revamp the island’s education system. George and Eleanora Heritage had five boys who ended up fighting for the Empire in World War I. Three were decorated for heroism under fire and four came home. One of the sons, who is the sub- ject of this story, was Keith Heritage.
100 Days of Heroes: Brave Keith Heritage was the first to join up for World War I. DAMIAN BESTER, Mercury. 21 September, 2018 8:36pm
Keith was born on September 16th, 1882. He was one of eight children. At the age of 9, Her- itage was at the Sacred Heart School, winning a prize for second in Arithmetic. At the age of 14, Heritage had won a music prize at the local Launceston Mechanics Institute, with his fa- ther giving out prizes.
Rowing
Keith Heritage was an accomplished rower who competed with winning crews in competi- tions across Australia and in the Henley Royal Regatta in England.
Heritage’s rowing experience was gained with the Tamar Rowing Club in Launceston. He was in a crew that was defeated by a second club crew for scratch Fours on 6th December, 1902. Later in early January of 1903 his crew won the Maiden Fours at the Mersey Regatta. Later in the year, Heritage was hotly contesting a number of Junior Pairs and Single Scull races. At the Tasmanian Rowing Association Championships in April 1904, Tamar RC won the Championship Fours with Heritage in 3 seat.
Heritage went on to win many races and he often represented the North in races against the South, almost invariably occupying the 7 seat in an Eight crew. The rivalry between the two regions of the smallest state of Australia was remarkable.
By 1905, Keith Heritage represented Tasmania in the 29th Men's Interstate Eight-Oared Cham- pionship [forerunner of the King’s Cup] in the 7 seat, with the crew coming second to Victo- ria.
AQUATIC NOTES (1905, May 10). Daily Telegraph (Launceston, Tas. : 1883 - 1928), p. 6
In 1906, Heritage was a member of the winning Tasmanian Eight in 1906, again in 7 seat.
Heritage was not in a crew for the next two years but in 1909 at the Interstate Eight-Oared Championships was back in his old spot, with another win for Tasmania.
Tasmanian 1909 crew