History
In September 1991 15 Lower V1 girls from Headington School Oxford were offered a range of "after School" activities which they were recommended to consider during their A Level 2 -year period. The proposal was that "all work and no play" was not conducive to achieving their academic goals.
On the list of these activities was the sport of Rowing.
15 girls took the step to go down to the City of Oxford Rowing Club to be introduced to the sport by Hilary Davis the CORC junior co-ordinator.
After the first session Hilary asked the collecting parents if anyone knew anything about "Rowing" as she was looking for some help with this group of would-be oarswomen.
Two parents, Tom Collins & John Broadhurst put up their hands. Hilary looked at them and said that they should not worry, as "by Christmas there will only be 3 or 4 left". In fact the number did change - it rose to 17!
By March 1992 that group produced an V111 and 1V entered in the Schools Head of the River Race on the river at Putney. The girls although all from HSO raced as members of City of Oxford RC. Crossing Putney Bridge in the coach, the sight of the Thames - three times the width they were used to in Oxford caused a tangible intake of breath.
The crews performed amazingly by finishing 6th out of 10 in the 1V and 9th out of 12 in the V111
During the Summer term various Regattas were entered and by the end of that year the decision was made to form a "Headington School Oxford Boat Club". CORC kindly consented to act as the host Club and gave permission to construct some outside racking for boats HSOBC didn't have!!
Notwithstanding that messrs Collins & Broadhurst purchased 2 clinker 1V's circa 1956 from the Kings School Canterbury. These had sets of quad riggers that were brought into play. Some will remember these 2 quads at Wycliffe Small Boats head in the December of 1992 both crews "Square Blading" the full distance - nobody had told the athletes about feathering 'til then!
During the coming year or two numbers grew and the sport was offered lower down the school.
In 1994 at the National Schools Regatta in Nottingham a then parent, Michael Roberts, who was chairman of FBM Marine on the Isle of White, asked if he could help. I build boats ... he said. Although these boats were passenger carrying catamarans FBM Marine teamed up with the Government Sports Match scheme and George Harris Racing Boats of Iffley, ending up with the production of 8 single sculling boats constructed by GHRB and built down to the size of the average 11 year old girl at HSOBC at that time. Sports Match granting their award on the understanding that the grant found its way into the "Community" and was not solely used for a small minority made this possible.
These boats were, and still are, used on Hinksey Lake in Hinksey Park. This was made possible through the vacation of the Lake by the Oxford University sailboard Club who used the lake for their training prior to moving to Farmoor reservoir. They, highly conveniently left board racking in the South Oxford Community Centre, which housed the little sculling boats perfectly.
The first "Community" youngsters to use them were children of CORC coaches. Passers by enquired at the Lakeside and Hinksey First School hosted Matthew Pinsent, James Cracknell and others from the GB Olympic Squad as Hilary, Tom & John introduced local youngsters to the sport.
By now numbers of Headington Girls were such that their "home" at the CORC was fast becoming outgrown. A move was made possible to Godstow to the Boathouses of St Edwards School this took place in 1996 at which point, the name of "Hinksey Sculling School" was adopted by the group operating the training on Hinksey Lake. Development at the lake was steady and a flow of young athletes of all ages, from the Community, began to flow to the CORC. In February 1998 Hinksey Sculling School was formally constituted as a Club in its own right.
The result of the continued expansion of HSS was, as with HSOBC, that the young scullers were beginning to outgrow the facilities of the river Thames at the CORC. Again St Edwards School was approached with a request that they consider helping a young Community Club by allowing access to the river from their site. This was granted thus enabling HSS to operate their "nursery" at the lake and begin a development squad on the river at Godstow.
Constituted originally as a "Junior Club", HSS did not qualify for certain "Grant" opportunities provided by the ARA and began making approaches to Schools itself with a view to operating a scheme which would provide interested State Schools with rowing as an after school activity.
The first to take an interest was Wheatley Park School who now have 22 members on the books, Oxford, Peers, St Ebbe's and Matthew Arnold Schools followed shortly thereafter. Programmes are developing in all 4 of these schools. More are in the pipeline.
HSS athletes have been achieving success at regattas around the country. The youngest winner to date is Dan Stein who, at age 8, won the J9 event at Pangbourne. The oldest so far being Jenny Quested who is just setting off to university.
