Foundation of Eastbourne Amateur Rowing Club

Originally The Eastbourne Boat Club was formed in 1865 the name was changed to The Eastbourne Amateur Rowing Club when regatta racing rules did not allow professional boatmen nor fishermen to compete against "gentlemen".



The Boathouse was next to the lifeboat at the Wish Tower (now the RNLI museum),and later moved to the Redoubt a further east-ward shift took the Club to an old Royal Naval Voluntary Reserve battery hut on the beach near the fish market.



In 1977 (the Queen's Silver Jubilee Year) the old RNVR "Hut" was demolished and disposed of on a jubilee bonfire at Beachy Head. Our existing building was opened earlier that year by the late Ian Gowe MP and it is shared with the Voluntry Lifeguard Corps. In the early 1900's George Morris won every senior sculls race and pictures show him surrounded by this winnings ,whole canteens of silver cultlery and dozens of cups.



About the same time paper clippings tell of the Rowing Club being greeted at the railway station by a Silver Band playing,"See the conquering heros come".One of the reasons why our coxed- fours are limited to a length of thirty feet,is so that they can be loaded on to the guards van, but today we travel to regattas by road and use boat trailers.



Before World War II the Club had a run of success in fours pairs and sculls and even after the War crews soon got into the winning habit. Further success came in the 60's, and in 1972 the club claimed its first South Coast Championship winning the Junior Senior Fours.