Highlights

• CRC rebuilds its membership.
• CRC wins U20 4s, Junior 4s, Maiden 4s, Senior 8+s, the Championship 8+ of Brisbane, and has a world class sculler.
• CRC prepares for the 1927 Jubilee year.
• CRC mourns the death of significant members.

1920 – 65 new members join CRC.  However, it appears that most of them found the sport required more endeavour than they thought, for there were 49 resignations. The 1920 Annual Report states “a vague idea pervading a certain section of the members on entry to the sport that preparatory stages are not essential to accomplishment, and the resultant disappointment is followed by a severance of their connection with the club”.

1920 – Arthur Baynes is invited to attend the Olympic Games and declines!

1921 – Arthur Baynes is knocked out in the semi-final of Diamond Sculls Henley.

1922 – A river picnic is held at commencement of the season.

1925 – CRC has 112 members.

1927 – The 50-year Jubilee year is celebrated with a Jubilee Regatta attended by Toowong RC, Brisbane RC, and GPS. The next day, there is an upriver picnic followed the day after with a concert at the Theatre Royal. The Jubilee coincides with severe financial trouble for CRC. The overdraft has reached its limit of 500 pounds, and in the first time in the history of CRC, a public appeal for funds is made. In July 1927, the Brisbane Courier kindly provides its columns for this purpose.

1930 – A very successful Moonlight regatta is held with the whole course from Victoria Bridge to the CRC clubhouse lit up with a searchlight. Another similar regatta is held in 1933.

1932 – Legendary sculler Arthur Baynes dies at the age of 33 from lead poisoning. A memorial stone is erected (located at the Davies Park Rowing Precinct).

1937 – Denis O’Connor dies. Foundation member of CRC and life member since 1898. He was an unfailingly generous supporter of CRC and the clubhouse was named after him. He ascribed his vigorous good health to the benefits received from rowing.

1939 – World War II is declared. Membership is again gutted with 62 members volunteering to fight.

1941 – A service regatta is held for members of an R.A.A.F unit stationed in Brisbane. The service men are coached for 3 weeks, ready for racing against crews up from Lismore RC. The CRC clubhouse is kept open to extend hospitality to visiting service men. The top floor of the clubhouse is let 6 evenings a week to various patriotic bodies, and a caretaker resides on the property. The financial situation has never been better.

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