Charles A. Messenger
Encyclopedia
Charles A. Messenger, a professional sculler
, was born ca. 1855 in London
where his family was well known in aquatic circles. His father James
was a noted sculler and boat builder who in 1854 won the World Sculling Championship from Tom Cole (rower). James held the title for four years until beaten by the well known sculler Harry Kelley
.
, Australia
where he frequently competed in regattas and matches. In July 1878 he rowed for the Sculling Championship of Victoria. His opponent was Christie, and the race was held on the lower Yarra River. Messenger won easily.
His principal performances in Sydney were in a waterman's skiff race
at the national regatta where he rowed third to Power (15 lbs) and Pearce (55 lbs). In the third division of the Walker Whiskey race, he finished third to Michael Rush (rower)
and R. Edwards. At the Grafton 1881 regatta, he started in the outrigger race against Rush and Elias C. Laycock
, and was badly beaten.
In 1882 Messenger travelled to Auckland
in New Zealand
where he competed under the assumed name of ‘Carter.’ His trainer was Harry Floyd who was associated with many of the Sydney scullers. At the Mercury Bay
regatta on 26 January 1882, Messenger beat A White in an outrigger race. A later match race between them for £100 a side had the same result as did another race at the Auckland Regatta. Later it was revealed who ‘Carter’ was. In March 1882 Messenger and William Hearn
raced in Wellington
for the Single Sculls Championship of New Zealand. See New Zealand Sculling Championship
. The stake was £100 a side and Hearn won without any trouble. Messenger’s rowing weight was 11 stone (70 kg)
in March 1883 in the Anniversary regatta held in Sydney. Largan, the English sculler, was also in the race, but had his boat cut in two by a 14-ft. open sailing boat shortly before the start. He, however, started in a borrowed outrigger, but retired after going 200 yards. The weather was very rough, and, after changing places repeatedly, Messenger, who was leading, had his boat burst open and swamped forward by a sea, the after part sticking up in the air about three feet. Beach who had broken his slide and was pulling on a fixed seat, then shot up to him and yelled out, "I've beaten you now." Messenger was, of course, inclined to give in, but the people on the steamer yelled at him to go on in hopes something would happen to Beach also. Sure enough they were right, for in a few minutes the stern of his boat sank and the bow cocked up at an angle of 45 degrees. Then, Messenger seeing hope once more, removed his feet from the straps, took off his roller slides and held the m in his mouth, and then standing up in his boat, half of which was completely buried under water, he turned round and sat straddle legs across the boat, his legs dangling in the water, a tempting bait for any shark in the vicinity. He faced the nose of the boat, and after an hour's hard rowing, during which the water was breaking over him, he rowed his boat stern first the last quarter of a mile, and passing the flagship a winner of one of the most singularly contested races ever recorded. After swamping, Beach gave up the contest.
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
, was born ca. 1855 in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
where his family was well known in aquatic circles. His father James
James Messenger
James MessengerJames Messenger was the Professional Single Sculls World Champion from 1854 to 1857. He resided in Teddington. At the time, he became the Champion of the Thames which was effectively the English Sculling Championship...
was a noted sculler and boat builder who in 1854 won the World Sculling Championship from Tom Cole (rower). James held the title for four years until beaten by the well known sculler Harry Kelley
Harry Kelley
Harry Kelley was a famous professional oarsman on the Thames. He became the Tyne, Thames, English and World Sculling Champion, a title he won four times.-Sculling career:...
.
Sculling
Charles Messenger went to VictoriaVictoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
where he frequently competed in regattas and matches. In July 1878 he rowed for the Sculling Championship of Victoria. His opponent was Christie, and the race was held on the lower Yarra River. Messenger won easily.
His principal performances in Sydney were in a waterman's skiff race
Watermen
Watermen are river workers who transfer passengers across and along city centre rivers and estuaries in Britain and its colonies. Most notable are those on the River Thames and River Medway, but other rivers such as the River Tyne and River Dee, Wales also had their watermen who formed guilds in...
at the national regatta where he rowed third to Power (15 lbs) and Pearce (55 lbs). In the third division of the Walker Whiskey race, he finished third to Michael Rush (rower)
Michael Rush (rower)
Michael Rush was an Irish Australian sculler noted for his one-on-one competitions against champion opponents, which drew vast crowds of spectators.-Youth and Early Times:...
and R. Edwards. At the Grafton 1881 regatta, he started in the outrigger race against Rush and Elias C. Laycock
Elias C. Laycock
Elias Connell Laycock was an Australian competitive rower who three times tried to become the World Sculling Champion..-Early life:...
, and was badly beaten.
In 1882 Messenger travelled to Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
where he competed under the assumed name of ‘Carter.’ His trainer was Harry Floyd who was associated with many of the Sydney scullers. At the Mercury Bay
Mercury Bay
Mercury Bay is a large V-shaped bay on the eastern coast of the Coromandel Peninsula on the North Island of New Zealand. This bay was named by the English navigator Captain James Cook during his exploratory expeditions. By the Māori it was named Te-Whanganui-o-Hei, the great bay of Hei.On November...
regatta on 26 January 1882, Messenger beat A White in an outrigger race. A later match race between them for £100 a side had the same result as did another race at the Auckland Regatta. Later it was revealed who ‘Carter’ was. In March 1882 Messenger and William Hearn
William Hearn (rower)
William Hearn was a champion professional sculler of New Zealand, who emigrated to Victoria when a little boy. He came to New Zealand in 1862, and had been a resident in Wellington since January, 1876, nearly all the time having been in the employ of Messrs Greenfield and Stewart, timber merchants...
raced in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
for the Single Sculls Championship of New Zealand. See New Zealand Sculling Championship
New Zealand Sculling Championship
The Professional Single Sculls Championship of New Zealand - Record of Racing March 1881Albert White of Mercury Bay offered to scull any person in New Zealand for the professional Championship of the country. He wanted to row for either £100 or £200...
. The stake was £100 a side and Hearn won without any trouble. Messenger’s rowing weight was 11 stone (70 kg)
Strange Race
One of the strangest races ever recorded was that between Messenger and Bill BeachBill Beach
William Beach was a professional Australian sculler. He was unbeaten as World Sculling Champion from 1884 to 1887.Born on 6 September 1850 at Chertsey, Surrey, England, to Alexander Beach, blacksmith, and his wife Mary, née Gibbons...
in March 1883 in the Anniversary regatta held in Sydney. Largan, the English sculler, was also in the race, but had his boat cut in two by a 14-ft. open sailing boat shortly before the start. He, however, started in a borrowed outrigger, but retired after going 200 yards. The weather was very rough, and, after changing places repeatedly, Messenger, who was leading, had his boat burst open and swamped forward by a sea, the after part sticking up in the air about three feet. Beach who had broken his slide and was pulling on a fixed seat, then shot up to him and yelled out, "I've beaten you now." Messenger was, of course, inclined to give in, but the people on the steamer yelled at him to go on in hopes something would happen to Beach also. Sure enough they were right, for in a few minutes the stern of his boat sank and the bow cocked up at an angle of 45 degrees. Then, Messenger seeing hope once more, removed his feet from the straps, took off his roller slides and held the m in his mouth, and then standing up in his boat, half of which was completely buried under water, he turned round and sat straddle legs across the boat, his legs dangling in the water, a tempting bait for any shark in the vicinity. He faced the nose of the boat, and after an hour's hard rowing, during which the water was breaking over him, he rowed his boat stern first the last quarter of a mile, and passing the flagship a winner of one of the most singularly contested races ever recorded. After swamping, Beach gave up the contest.