OLDEST LIVING BLUES

Southland Times, Issue 22215, 6 January 1934, Page 3

OLDEST LIVING BLUES

TWO VETERANS LOOK BACK. STORY OF GREAT BOAT RACE. Memories of a remarkable University Boat Race are revived by the fact that Mr Frederick Crowder, who is the oldest living Oxford Blue, recently celebrated his 88th birthday. The honour of being the father of all living Blues belongs, however, to Mr Tom Collins, of Cambridge University, who will be 93 years old next January. Mr Crowder, who was educated at Rugby and Brasenose College, is the sole survivor of those who rowed against Cambridge in the winning Oxford crews of 1866 and 1867. Rarely in the whole history of the Boat Race has there been a contest more thrilling to watch or more sensational in its result than the 1867 classic. Let Mr Crowder give his own version of that much-discussed race:— . “We held Cambridge most of the course,” states Mr Crowder, “but we were rowing a much slower stroke than the Light Blues. About a hundred yards before the finish Cambridge came up with a rush and led by a few feet “Knowing that our stroke, R. G.

Marsden, was not a strong man, and would be unable to quicken at a critical moment, I had arranged with J. C. Tinne, who was rowing behind me at ‘five,’ that if Marsden did not quicken up I would do so if Tinne would back me up. This I did, and for a few strokes Marsden and F. V/illan, who was rowing ‘seven,’ were left behind, as it were. However, finding the boat running away from them, they soon took up the stroke, and we won by a few yards in a terrific finish.” The tremendous efforts of the Cam--1 bridge crew, and the manner in which they rowed at the high rate of 40 for practically two-thirds of the distance against a splendid Oxford eight, will go down to posterity as one oi the pluckiest performances in the history of the Boat Race. Apart from his reputation as a University Blue, Mi Crowder, with W. C. Crofts, won the University Pairs in 1867, and was the most distinguished oar in his college boat when they were Head of the River in 1866 and 1867. Mr Crowder also earned distinction in many other fields of sport. A cricketer of no mean ability, he was a proud man when awarded the coveted Harlequin cap. Mr Collins, the G.O.M. of Blues—he was bom in 1841—played for Cambridge University in the inter-Univer-sity cricket match on four occasions—■ 1860-1863. He and the captain, H. M. Plowden, afterwards Sir H. M. Plowden, were at one time the mainstay of the Cambridge attack. Seventy-one years ago Mr Collins also played billiards for Cambridge against Oxford, the match extending over two days. Mr Collins, who was called to the Bar in 1868, but never practised, was a magistrate for 25 years, and an income tax and land tax commissioner for 50 years. He was also headmaster of Newport Grammar School for 32 years. An author of many poems and several books, Mr Collins claims to have caught more fish and killed more game, taking the two together, than any man in the county of Shropshire. And today Mr Collins, although his sight and hearing are failing, still takes a keen interest in the affairs of the world.