Doggett's Coat and Badge - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Doggett's Coat and Badge is the prize and name for the oldest rowing

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...

race in the world. Up to six apprentice Watermen

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...

of the River Thames

River Thames

The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...

in England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

compete for this prestigious honour, which has been held every year since 1715. The 4 miles 5 furlongs (7,400 m) race is held on the Thames

River Thames

between London Bridge

London Bridge

London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...

and Cadogan Pier, Chelsea

Chelsea, London

Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...

, passing under a total of 11 bridges en route. Originally, it was raced every 1 August against the outgoing (falling or ebb) tide, in the boats used by watermen

Watermen

to ferry

Ferry

A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...

passengers across the Thames. Today it is raced at a date and time in late July that coincides with the incoming (rising or flood) tide, in contemporary single sculling boats.

The winner's prize is a traditional Watermen's red coat with a silver badge added, displaying the horse of the House of Hanover

House of Hanover

The House of Hanover is a deposed German royal dynasty which has ruled the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , the Kingdom of Hanover, the Kingdom of Great Britain, the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...

and the word "Liberty", in honour of the accession of George I

George I of Great Britain

George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....

to the throne. In addition, each competitor to complete the course receives a miniature of a Doggett's Badge for their lapel in a ceremony at Watermen's Hall, in silver for the winner and in bronze for the others. Monetary prizes are also made by the Fishmongers' Company to the rowing clubs of those taking part, with £250 to the winner's club, £150 for second, £100 for third and £50 for fourth.

In addition to the prizes received, winning Doggett's Coat and Badge in the 18th and 19th centuries would help attract more trade to the talented Waterman. While this is no longer the case, winning the Doggett's Coat and Badge is still seen as very prestigious to this day.

History

Thomas Doggett

Thomas Doggett was an Irish actor.Doggett was born in Dublin, and made his first stage appearance in London in 1691 as Nincompoop in Thomas D'Urfey's Love for Money. In this part, and as Solon in the same author's Marriage-Hater Matched, he became popular...

was an Irish actor and comedian who became joint manager of Drury Lane Theatre

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane is a West End theatre in Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, a borough of London. The building faces Catherine Street and backs onto Drury Lane. The building standing today is the most recent in a line of four theatres at the same location dating back to 1663,...

. He relied heavily upon the Watermen

Watermen

of the Thames, who were then the equivalent of the modern taxi driver, to convey him between the various plying stairs near his workplaces in the City of London

City of London

The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...

and his residence in Chelsea

Chelsea, London

. There is a legend that in 1715, Doggett was rescued by a Watermen after falling overboard whilst crossing the Thames near Embankment

Thames Embankment

The Thames Embankment is a major feat of 19th century civil engineering designed to reclaim marshy land next to the River Thames in central London. It consists of the Victoria and Chelsea Embankment....

, although this has always been dismissed, along with other myths, by the Fishmongers' Company, the story continues that in gratitude for his rescue, he offered a rowing wager to the fastest of six young Waterman in their first year of freedom, over the course between "The Swan" pub at London Bridge and "The Swan" pub at Chelsea. Rowing wagers were common in those days, but this one was unique: Doggett set the wager to be a traditional red Watermens' coat, but, being a "great Whig

British Whig Party

The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...

in Politics", Doggett arranged the race for 1 August each year, and had the coat furnished with a silver badge "representing Liberty", to commemorate the 1 August 1714 accession of George I

George I of Great Britain

George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....

of the House of Hanover

House of Hanover

to the throne. The current badge prominently features both the word "Liberty" and an image of the horse of the House of Hanover

House of Hanover

.

The race was organised and financed by Doggett each year from 1715 until his death in 1721. In his will, Doggett left specific instructions for the continuation of the race, which is now undertaken by the Fishmongers' Company, a Livery Company

Livery Company

The Livery Companies are 108 trade associations in the City of London, almost all of which are known as the "Worshipful Company of" the relevant trade, craft or profession. The medieval Companies originally developed as guilds and were responsible for the regulation of their trades, controlling,...

of the City of London

City of London

. However, over the ages, several particulars have changed, for example:

Originally, the race was run against the tide, but since 1873 it has been run with the incoming tide.
It was intended to be held each "1st day of August forever", but now occurs on a Friday during July, with the precise date and time depending on the tides.
The intention was that competitors should race in the boats of their passenger-ferrying trade. At first these boats were four seater passenger wherries (which could take nearly two hours to row the distance), later "old fashion boats", then "best" boats, then clinker gigs, then modified best boats. Since 1769 the Fishmongers' Company has set regulations, including that all vessels must be "common Scullers Boats" and examined by the Company. Currently, contemporary single racing sculls are used, and take about 30 minutes to race the course.
Lots were originally drawn at Watermen's Hall but are now drawn at Fishmongers' Hall due to unfair practices.
As the population of Watermen has declined, since 1988 the event has been open to unsuccessful competitors to row again in their second and third years of freedom.

A more complete history is available through the references below.

Timeline

1 August 1714 - accession of George I
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....

of the House of Hanover
House of Hanover
The House of Hanover is a deposed German royal dynasty which has ruled the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , the Kingdom of Hanover, the Kingdom of Great Britain, the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...

to the throne
1715 - There is a myth that Doggett fell into the Thames, and was saved by Watermen
1 August 1715 - the first Doggett's Coat and Badge Race
1721 - Doggett dies, will leaves specific instructions for race to continue
1730 - race was won by Jack Broughton
Jack Broughton
John "Jack" Broughton was an English bare-knuckle fighter. He was the first person to ever codify a set of rules to be used in such contests; prior to this the "rules" that existed were very loosely defined and tended to vary from contest to contest...

, a champion pugilist
1769 - Fishmongers' Company established strict regulations to ensure fair competition
1873 - race run with the incoming tide from this year onwards
1880 - race was won by William J. Cobb who was so proud of his victory he became known as 'Doggett Cobb'
1887 - race was won by William Giles East who went on to win the Sculling Championship of England in 1891, became a Queen's Watermen in 1898, and Barge Master to the King in 1906.
1973 - The fastest race yet, won by Bobby Prentice in 23 minutes 22 seconds.
1988 - race opened to unsuccessful prior competitors to row in their 2nd and 3rd years of freedom
1992 - Claire Burran was the first woman to compete. Sister of 1988 winner Glen Hayes, she came third in rough conditions.
2005 - 291st race was the closest in recent memory, with first place winning by only a few lengths, and 2nd and 3rd places were given a dead heat.

Related information

The race has also given its name to two pubs

Public house

A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...

: "Doggett's" on the southern end of Blackfriars Bridge

Blackfriars Bridge

Blackfriars Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge over the River Thames in London, between Waterloo Bridge and Blackfriars Railway Bridge, carrying the A201 road. The north end is near the Inns of Court and Temple Church, along with Blackfriars station...

and "The Coat and Badge", Lacy Road, Putney

Putney

Putney is a district in south-west London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....

. There is a pub in Margate

Margate

-Demography:As of the 2001 UK census, Margate had a population of 40,386.The ethnicity of the town was 97.1% white, 1.0% mixed race, 0.5% black, 0.8% Asian, 0.6% Chinese or other ethnicity....

named "The Doggett Coat and Badge".

History

Timeline

Related information

See also

Race history

Current race information (date and time)