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A Brief History of Chatham Rowing Club
In April 1869, a local educational establishment known as Chatham Mechanics Institute, called a meeting whose agenda was the formation of a rowing club. It agreed that the name of the club should be ‘Chatham Institute Rowing Club’ and its members are drawn only from the afore mentioned Institute. It was a true birth as the Club had no home, funds or equipment but its members were ambitious and the problems overcome. After a few years, the Club grew in strength and its members decided they should ‘go it alone.’ They broke away from the Institute and called themselves ‘Chatham Rowing Club.’ As it progressed it’s crews became strong enough to compete for trophies and honours. In the very early days, competition was largely a domestic affair and Medway R.C. provided formidable opposition. However, they each had to contend with the rowing section of the Royal Engineers Yacht Club that also functioned on the River Medway and whose home was in Chatham Reach, at Upnor.
Rowing was from a raft moored near the Sun Pier. Many problems were experienced with the rafts and after the Second World War, the Club emerged with a land based headquarters at the Gillingham Strand and thereafter became known as Chatham and Gillingham Rowing Club.
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Chatham & Gillingham Rowing Club |
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At the outbreak of the Second World War, Chatham Rowing Club's raft was in a frail and decaying state. For the duration of the War it laid up on a mud bank and when hostilities ended and Chatham's members returned, the raft was found to be unusable. It was then that the idea of amalgamation with Medway Rowing Club was first considered but common ground could not be found. The Chatham men then looked further afield and with the aid of Gillingham Corporation, were able to obtain premises at the Strand. The premises were in the form of a Nissen hut. Boats and other equipment were moved into the new home and in recognition of the assistance given by the Corporation the Club changed its name to Chatham and Gillingham Rowing Club.
Happy years were spent at the Strand but the water was not the best for rowing. At the end of the fifties the Nissen hut was beginning to show signs of decay and the Club had a shortage of members. Amalgamation was again seen as as a solution and on this occasion, agreement with Medway Rowing Club was forthcoming which resulted in the formation of Medway Towns Rowing Club.
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