1922 1st IV (L-R): H.B. Beaman (bow) H.E. Hunter (2), Mr Sinclair-Smith, G.W. Barlow (3), T.P.I. Fowler (stroke), A.I. Fowler (cox)

Canon Morris loved rowing. From his first experience with rowing during his time at Melbourne Grammar School (1885-1896), he appreciated its physical demands and its essence of team sport. On moving to Brisbane at the beginning of 1912, he founded Churchie as the St Magnus Collegiate School at Ardencraig in Toowong and soon joined Toowong Rowing Club where he rowed for his own recreation. The first sports made available to the boys were rowing and swimming as both could be undertaken on the river which was immediately available and within walking distance, unlike sporting fields.

After nine years of recreational participation, Churchie first entered a crew into the GPS rowing competition in 1920. Two years later, on Saturday 13 May 1922, the 1st IV won the school’s first Head of the River with a convincing win over The Southport School and Brisbane Grammar School on the City Reach of the Brisbane River. Of even greater significance is that it was also the school’s first GPS competition title in any sport. In recognition of their achievement, the crew were presented with their oars at a school assembly. Two of these oars (pictured below) are prominently on display in the school archives.

Churchie has now won a total of 16 Head of the River titles, for which The O’Connor Cup is presented. Furthermore, the school has won The Old Boys Cup (aggregate points score across an agreed number of races) a total of 9 times since its inception in 1988, which includes consecutive wins over the past 3 years.

100 years on from that historic first win, the boys who competed in this year’s competition at Lake Wyaralong on Saturday 19 March performed strongly with the 1st VIII placing fourth behind BBC, TSS and Nudgee College. Furthermore, all crews contributed to an extremely well earned 2nd place in The Old Boys Cup, behind TSS.