John MacGregor (sportsman)
Encyclopedia
John MacGregor nicknamed Rob Roy after a renowned relative
, was a Scottish
explorer, travel writer and philanthropist
. He is generally credited with the development of the first sailing canoes
and with popularising canoeing
as a middle class
sport in Europe
and the United States
. He founded the English
Royal Canoe Club
(RCC) in 1866.
MacGregor worked as a barrister
in London
, and was an accomplished artist and drew all the art in his travel books.
and Canada
in 1858.
but turned to boating when a railroad accident left him unable to hold a rifle steady.
The boat he designed was 'double-ended', (modeled after Indian canoes), but built in Lambeth
of lapstrake oak planking, decked in cedar covered with rubberized canvas with an open cockpit in the center. It measured 15 feet long, 28 inches wide, nine inches deep and weighed 80 pounds (36 kg) and was designed to be used with a double-bladed paddle.
He named the boat Rob Roy after the celebrated Scottish outlaw of the same name, to whom he was related.
During the 1860s, he had at least seven similar boats built and he sailed and paddled them in Europe
, the Baltic
and the Middle East
.
The book was internationally successful; with subsequent books and public appearances, it earned MacGregor more than ten thousand pounds. Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson
's 1876 voyage by canoe through the canals and rivers of France and Belgium, published in 1878 as An Inland Voyage
, used "Rob Roy" canoes.
Robert Roy MacGregor
Robert Roy MacGregor , usually known simply as Rob Roy or alternately Red MacGregor, was a famous Scottish folk hero and outlaw of the early 18th century, who is sometimes known as the Scottish Robin Hood. Rob Roy is anglicised from the Scottish Gaelic Raibeart Ruadh, or Red Robert...
, was a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
explorer, travel writer and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
. He is generally credited with the development of the first sailing canoes
Canoe sailing
Canoe sailing refers to the practice of fitting a Polynesian outrigger or Western canoe with sails.See also log canoe, a type of sailboat used in the Chesapeake Bay region.-Polynesian sailing canoes:...
and with popularising canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
as a middle class
Middle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
sport in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He founded the English
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...
Royal Canoe Club
Royal Canoe Club
The Royal Canoe Club , founded in 1866, is the oldest canoe club in the world and received royal patronage in the 19th century. The clubhouse is based at Trowlock Island on the River Thames in Teddington near central London. The club promotes canoeing and kayaking, focusing on flatwater, sprint and...
(RCC) in 1866.
MacGregor worked as a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
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...
, and was an accomplished artist and drew all the art in his travel books.
Early life
The son of General Sir Duncan MacGregor, he was introduced to canoeing in the course of a trip to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1858.
Boat designer
MacGregor was a champion marksmanMarksman
A marksman is a person who is skilled in precision, or a sharpshooter shooting, using projectile weapons, such as with a rifle but most commonly with a sniper rifle, to shoot at long range targets...
but turned to boating when a railroad accident left him unable to hold a rifle steady.
The boat he designed was 'double-ended', (modeled after Indian canoes), but built in Lambeth
Lambeth
Lambeth is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated southeast of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
of lapstrake oak planking, decked in cedar covered with rubberized canvas with an open cockpit in the center. It measured 15 feet long, 28 inches wide, nine inches deep and weighed 80 pounds (36 kg) and was designed to be used with a double-bladed paddle.
He named the boat Rob Roy after the celebrated Scottish outlaw of the same name, to whom he was related.
During the 1860s, he had at least seven similar boats built and he sailed and paddled them in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the Baltic
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
.
Writings
In 1866, he published A Thousand Miles in the Rob Roy Canoe, which popularised the design and, more importantly, the concept: "in walking you are bounded by every sea and river, and in a common sailing-boat you are bounded by every shallow and shore; whereas, ...a canoe [can] be paddled or sailed, or hauled, or carried over land or water".The book was internationally successful; with subsequent books and public appearances, it earned MacGregor more than ten thousand pounds. Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
's 1876 voyage by canoe through the canals and rivers of France and Belgium, published in 1878 as An Inland Voyage
An Inland Voyage
An Inland Voyage is a travelogue by Robert Louis Stevenson about a canoeing trip through France and Belgium in 1876. It is Stevenson's earliest book and a pioneering work of outdoor literature....
, used "Rob Roy" canoes.
Published works
- Three Days in the East (1850)
- Our Brothers and Cousins: A Summer Tour in Canada and the States (1859)
- A Thousand Miles in the Rob Roy Canoe (1866)
- The Voyage Alone In The Yawl 'Rob Roy (1867)
- The Rob Roy on the Baltic (1867)
- The Rob Roy on the Jordan, Nile, Red sea, & Gennesareth, &c (1869)
External links
- Our Brothers and Cousins: A Summer Tour in Canada and the States. London, Seeley, Jackson, and Halliday, 1859. First edition, illustrated. From Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
. - A Thousand Miles in the Rob Roy Canoe on Rivers and Lakes of Europe. London: S. Low and Marston, 1866. First edition, illustrated. From Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
. - A Thousand Miles in the Rob Roy Canoe, text.
- The Rob Roy in the Baltic, from Harper's New Monthly Magazine, 1867.
- The Rob Roy on the Jordan, Nile, Red sea, & Gennesareth, &c. London: John Murray, Albemarle Street 1874. Fourth edition, illustrated. From Google Books.
- The Voyage Alone In The Yawl 'Rob Roy. London: S. Low and Marston, 1880. Fourth edition, illustrated. From Google Books.
- "Rob Roy", biography in Dictionary of National BiographyDictionary of National BiographyThe Dictionary of National Biography is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published from 1885...
, 1897. From Google Books. - Hodder, Edwin (1894). John MacGregor, a biography. London Hodder Bros. From Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
. - John MacGregor: A Victorian-era Paddler Sea Kayaker Magazine 1999 by Brian Kologe