Dominic Winter Auctions
Lot 33
* Rowing. A silver Doggett badge and medal belonging to William Giles East, King's Bargemaster and Winner of Doggett's Coat Badge, comprising a large Victorian silver arm badge by Mappin & Webb, Sheffield 1887, the oval badge with the White Horse of Hanover beneath a banner inscribed 'Liberty', inscribed beneath the horse is 'Won by William Giles East July 30th 1887', with four rings to the back, 20 x 17cm, together with a large Rowing medal with central oval plaque surrounded by laurel leaves on one side and oak leaves on the other, crossed sculls behind, two enamelled shields at the top surmounted by 'Champion', with a blue enamelled scroll at the bottom inscribed 'Tyne 1891', the centre engraved 'Presented to W.G. East Champion Sculler of England by the Proprietors of the Sportsman London, Nov 30th 1891' 9 x 6cm, in a fitted leather box, plus an extensive collection of research including an original monochrome photograph of the recipientQty: (2)NOTESProvenance: Collection of Jack Webb (1923-2019), London. The medal included in this lot was purchased by Jack Webb at DNW on 15 September 2004 (Pat Grierson's Medal Collection, lot 395). William Giles "Bill" East (1866-1932) was born in Lambeth, the son of William East who was a boat builder and in later years had a boathouse on the Thames in Putney. William "Bill" junior spent his whole life on or by the Thames, and became a waterman's apprentice in 1882, the year he won the Putney Badge. In 1887, Bill won the Doggett's Coat and Badge Race, and in 1891, the English Sculling Championship. However, he never defended this title. Seven years later, in 1898, he was appointed a waterman to the Queen. He retired from professional sculling around 1903/04 and in June 1906, he became the King's Bargemaster. He also stroked in the winning Champion Fours in the National Regattas of 1890 and 1891, and also the Champion Pairs.Bill was a very popular person on the Thames and was early on connected to Cambridge University Boat Club, to train and coach the crews. He published the 'how-to' book Rowing and Sculling in 1904. In later life, Bill became a publican and ran the Prince's Head hotel and the Pigeon Hotel at Richmond. The Doggett Coat and Badge The race is the oldest rowing race in the world. Up to six apprentice watermen of the Thames compete for this prestigious honour, which has been held annually since 1715. The 4 miles 5 furlongs (7.44km) race is rowed upstream from London Bridge to Cadogan Pier, Chelsea, passing under a total of 11 bridges.
