Lady Margaret Hall Boat Club

Lady Margaret Hall Boat House, right (shared with Trinity College) and rowing blade colours
Coordinates	51°44′34″N 1°14′55″W / 51.74266°N 1.24856°W / 51.74266; -1.24856
Home water	River Thames
Founded	1899 (1899)[1]
Membership	c. 60
Head of the River	Women: 1977
University	University of Oxford
Affiliations	British Rowing boat code - LMH Newnham College, Cambridge (Sister college)
Website	www.lmhboatclub.wordpress.com

Lady Margaret Hall Boat Club (LMHBC) is a rowing club for members and staff of Lady Margaret Hall (LMH), Oxford. The club was founded in 1885,^[2] but it was not until 1976 that it could race in Oxoford inter-colligate racing, when a women’s division was finally established. As the senior women’s college, LMH were placed at 1st on the river for the inaugural women’s bumps races and obtained Headship in 1977. The first men’s crew was established in 1980 following the admission of male students into the previously all-women’s college.^[3]

History

LMHBC first competed in inter-college OURCs racing events in 1977, when a women's division was finally established (LMH was a women-only college for the first 100 years of its foundation). As the senior women's college LMH was placed first on the river for the inaugural women's division.^[4] The club has provided rowers for the Boat Race,^[5] the Women's Boat Race,^[6][7] and the Isis Reserves Race.^[8]

A former president, Monica Fisher (née Pring-Mill) was responsible for instigating some of the biggest changes in Women's Boat Race history, which raised the regularity and status of that event.^[7]

For a period around 2010 three times World Lightweight Sculling Champion Peter Moir Haining coached LMHBC.^[9]

The club is affiliated to British Rowing.^[10]

Results

Men's crews

Men's crews began competing for LMHBC in 1979/1980 (the year after LMH first admitted men). As a new boat, they entered the table at the bottom as 90th on the river. Over the following years, the Men's 1st VIII have gradually risen up the rankings. After first rowing in Division 1 as sandwich boat in 2017, the Men's 1st VIII finally secured their place in Division 1 for the first time in Summer Eights 2019.^[11]

The men's second VIII are 57th on the river as of 2019.^[11] A men's third VIII is periodically fielded.^[12] The Men's 1st VIII have raced in the Temple Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta on several occasions.^[13][14]

Women's crews

The LMHBC women's first VIII had the Summer Eights headship in 1977, the inaugural year of women's inclusion in Summer Eights as recognised, distinct divisions.^[15] In 2017 it was 24th on the river. The LMH women's first VIII had the Torpids Headship in 1978 and was 25th on the river in 2019.^[11]

The LMHBC Women's second VIII first raced in 1986 and was 59th on the river in 2017.^[16] A women's third eight is periodically fielded.^[17]

Recent Blues

Recent members of LMHBC selected for Oxford men's crew for The Boat Race include:

• Zachary Thomas Johnson 2018^[18]
• Felix Drinkall in 2018^[18] 2019^[19] 2020^[20] and 2021^[21]
• Oliver Perry in 2020^[20]
• Annie Anezakis in 2022^[22]

Blazer

The boat club has an ivory blazer with blue and gold piping and cuff rings bearing the Beaufort portcullis device in blue on the left breast. This may be worn by men and women who have rowed in the first Summer VIII or first Torpid.^[23]