Scrapbook of Colonel (Hubert) Bruce Logan
Bruce Logan (1886 - 1965) was born in Chesterton, Cambridgeshire, England and was a renowned sportman, primarily for rowing but also for boxing and rugby.
The Metropolitan Regatta, which ranks second only to Henley, was held on the reaches between Putney and Hammersmith Bridge yesterday, and a very good day's sport was witnessed by those who attended. Never much of social success, owing to its situation, the regatta is, however, one of the most serious of the year.
It is here that the Metropolitan clubs fight out their annual battles for supremacy on their own waters, where watermanship counts for as much, or more than, any other quality in the oarsman's science. No crew who does not live on the lively tidal waters would have any chance of success against the more experienced home crews. However, there are so many clubs situated between Putney and Mortlake, and rivalry between them is so keen, that sport is never lacking at the meeting. London beat Thames in the senior eights, but the all-conquering four of the latter club proved victorious in the four-oared race.
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In the most important race of the day, the Champion Cup for Eights, London scored a somewhat easy victory over Thames, thus avenging their defeat of last year. London rowed the same crew as they entered for the Grand at Henley — Ward at bow, Dewar, Harris, Sewell, Cocks, Ell, Higgins, the old Oxford oar, and Lumb, their captain, at stroke, with Tidmarsh coxswain. Thames had strengthened their Henley crew by the introduction of Beresford at stroke, and Bruce Logan at 6. Irwin was at 7, Douglas at 5, whilst Spielman, Hards, Thompson, and Messom completed the crew in the bows. Both crews started well, but after two or three strokes London went up so fast that at Harrods they were a length ahead, and soon after were well clear. In spite of Beresford's repeated spurts they kept their lead all the way, and, rowing comfortably and at a much slower stroke, won by a length and a half in 7.27.
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The last race of the day was between London and Thames for the four-oared trophy. London had altered their Stewards four by putting Dewar stroke and Higgins 2; but they did not seem to gain by the change, Thames leading from the first stroke and winning comfortably by two lengths.
The photograph is from the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News and the text is from The Daily Telegraph & Courier (London), Friday, July 14, 1911.
The above fixture was held last Thursday, between Hammersmith and Putney, in beautifully fine weather but with a strong northerly wind blowing, which made the water rough, especially off the upper end of the Fulham embankment to the mile on the flood tide. On this account the boats drawing the Middlesex station were greatly favoured during the first half of the meeting; later on the ebb tide the water was much smoother. The London Rowing Club avenged their defeat of last year in the eights by beating Thames fairly easily. London had the same crew which had rowed at Henley, the Thames crew, however, had been strengthened since then by the inclusion of Logan and Beresford, but had hardly had long enough together to find their best pace. In the senior fours the Henley Steward Cup winners minus Rought and with Cloutte installed at No. 3, had little difficulty in defeating the London four. The latter crew had changed their order since the Royal regatta, and put Higgins, who had stroked them there, at No. 2 — a change which was probably for the worse, as Dewar failed to give his men necessary length of stroke.
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The text and image is from the Field Newspaper, 15 July 1911.
