HISTORY

The Blenheim Rowing Club was the second club to be formed in Blenheim (the first being the now long-defunct Post and Telegraph Club).

The first notice of an intention to form a second rowing club in Blenheim appeared in the columns of the Marlborough Express on July 25, 1884, and read as follows:

"A meeting of persons interested will probably be called in a few days, and meantime any persons wishing to join a club may communicate with Mr T. Hanna (manager N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Co., Limited)."

The second notice appeared in the issue of August 5, 1884, and stated:

"All persons willing to join the proposed Blenheim R.C. are requested to meet at the Club Hotel, Wednesday, 6th August at 8 p.m. -- Signed W. E. Clouston, T. H. Hanna, T. L. (Dr) Porter, A. P. Green."

A note by the editor said it was hoped that the new rowers "would feather their oars with skill and dexterity on the glassy bosom of the Opawa and Wairau rivers."

By the 20th of August the rules were adopted and the first committee was voted in; the club BRC had taken it's first steps. These early steps were obviously fairly rapid as by the 2nd of September a plan had been prepared for a new shed, two second hand fours had been purchased from the Star Boating Club, Wellington for 30 pounds and an order had been placed for two twenty foot pleasure boats.

The Black and White "Magpie" singlet had it's first competitive outing just a few months later at the New Year's Day Regatta of 1885.

ROWING SHEDS
The first shed was a single bay structure built on the banks of the Opawa river where a later shed is still owned by the Marlborough Repertory Society.

In 1890 this was doubled in size and the twin bay sheds stood on the site until 1926 when it was replaced with the boathouse that was used until it was sold in 1970 as the river was no longer fit for training.

It is noted in the club history that in 1959 the "branch shed at Watsons" was no longer suitable for training on the Wairau, so I can only assume that some training had been done on the wairau for several years prior to this date.

In 1960 the late Charlie Saunders donated a shed to the club and it was moved to Bluegums. By 1962 the records indicate that most of the clubs training was conducted from Bluegums.

A new site was negotiated in the early 1970's at the Clubs present location on Jones Road, Lower Wairau. The shed took five years to complete and was finished in 1976. The club continues to row out of the shed, which has survived two major floods and several major earthquakes.