In this talk John Lamb will explore the history of Lewes Rowing Club. 150 years after its foundation, the club is still going strong, with members taking to the water in canoes, traditional rowing boats, up-to-date motor boats and sailing yachts, venturing up and down the river and out to sea. In recent years rowing races between Lewes and Newhaven, a big feature of the early days, have been re-instated.

1874 saw Disraeli’s Conservatives win  thumping victory over Gladstone’s Liberals in the general election. It was also the year that Levi Strauss patented his jeans with copper rivets and the year that Lewes Rowing Club was born, at a meeting in the former Lamb Inn.

John Lamb, current Chair and former mayor of Lewes, traces the development of one of the oldest sporting clubs in the town. Founded at a time of increasing leisure and a quest for new ways of filling it, Lewes Rowing Club gave the citizens of the town access to one of its greatest assets, the Ouse.

LHG Members can attend our talks for free.

Non-members can buy a ticket (£4) from TicketSource.co.uk/lhg

See the Talks page for a list of forthcoming monthly events organised by Lewes History Group.