Harry Clasper
Ref: St Mary's Whickham Parish Register 23 October 1812: Lowhand. Born 18 Oct 1812, Henry, 2nd son of Robert
Clasper, Keelman of this Parish Jane daughter of Henry Hawks of this Parish
Occupation: Boatbuilder, veteran oarsman (famous rower)
Buried Father: Robert Clasper (born 1783). Mother: Jane Hawks (born 1785). [1st] marriage in/on 19 Sep 1836 in/at
All Saints, Newcastle to his cousin Susanna Hawks (born 4 Oct 1817).
They shared the same grandparents: Henry Hawks Jane Pattison. Buried. Source Ian Polkinghorne gives his
birthdate as October 23, 1811. Source Vivien Pearson says that Henry bought a house, turning it into a pub which
was situated on Scotswood Road.
Whickham County Durham
Harry, who was born in Whickham, County Durham in 1812 learned the trade of ship's carpenter in his early years,
a skill which he would later use to design and build world-class racing boats Harry would spend a lot of his time
rowing on the river and eventually he and his brothers William and Robert got together about 1837 with John
Thompson and Robert Dinning to form a crew and took on a celebrated local crew over which they were victorious.
Harry then built a boat named 'The Young Hawk' and he used this to win the Durham Regatta in 1842. The Corporation
of Newcastle started up an Annual regatta in which all the local boat crews took part. The banks of the Tyne would
be crowded with spectators. Harry and his crew were usually the winners and became the undisputed Champions of the
Tyne. New opposition was sought outside the area and the Thames watermen were challenged.
The Thames men were the national champions and they travelled to the Tyne to take part in the race on 16 July
1842. The race was to be from Newcastle Bridge to Lemington. Harry lost the race but he knew that the problem was
in the design of his boat so he continued the construction of a new boat naming it the' The Five Brothers' which he
knew would revolutionise the sport of rowing. He and his brothers continued to race locally and they won the
four-oared race in the Tyne Regatta in August 1843.
The Royal Thames Regatta was in June the following year and Harry and his crew trained long and hard for this.
They wanted to prove to the London watermen that the Tynesiders were a crew to be reckoned with. Harry used his
revolutionary boat 'The Five Brothers' which was the first boat with outriggers to be used on the Thames. Harry and
his crew won the 50 prize at the Regatta which was held on 22 June 1844. Throughout the following year Harry and
his crew practised with their eyes set on gaining the 'Championship of the World' prize at the Thames Regatta to be
held on 26 June 1845. For this event Harry had built a new boat the 'Lord Ravensworth'. Unfortunately Harry's
brother Edward died on 1 April 1845 aged only 25. His place in the boat was taken by Harry's Uncle Ned Hawks.
Despite having a wooden leg Ned was a good rower. On the day, the banks of the Thames were thronged with
thousands of spectators. Two London crews made their way through the heats to the final to do battle with the
Claspers. A tremendous race followed but the Clasper boat won by about one and a half boat lengths. They had won
the 100 prize and the Championship of the World. Sir Lancelot Shadwell, Vice Chancellor of England, made the
presentation and in a witty aside, remarked that Although the winners were Tyne men, the London watermen had not
found then 'tiny' competitors.
Tyneside boat crew arrived back in Newcastle
The Tyneside boat crew arrived back in Newcastle to a tremendous welcome. Huge crowds turned out to welcome
them. The bells at All Saints' rang out and also those at Gateshead and the guns at Hawks Crawshays' works were
fired in salute. Many challenges followed that year including a race against Thomas Carrol, the Champion of the
Mersey, on the 29 September for a prize of 200.
Harry won this race easily. On 19 November 1845 Harry was presented with a testimonial by his close friends and
public figures of the area in Newcastle. Several gold and silver gifts were presented to him 'as a token of respect
for his ingenuity, perseverance, and upright conduct', on all occasions. Presentations were also made to each of
the crew. They won the pairs at the Durham Regatta on 26 June 1848 which got them in good heart for the Thames
Regatta. Huge crowds gathered on the banks of the Thames on the day. With shouts of 'Had away Harry lad' from their
Tyneside followers Harry and his crew once again carried away the 100 prize and the championship. The following
year, 1849 the Claspers took on and beat all comers.
Claspers at the Henley on Thames Regatta
They rarely lost a race. In 1850 Harry completed a four-oared outrigger racing boat beautifully made from cedar
wood and measuring 42 feet in length and 21 inches in breadth. This boat was to be used by the Claspers at the
Henley on Thames Regatta where they beat the Thames men. In June 1862 Harry was honoured with a testimonial. A
concert took place at the Tyne Concert Hall where all the trophies were displayed along with models of the boats.
It was a great night and Harry was presented with a Pub bought and paid for with the money collected from friends
and the public who couldn't seem to do enough to honour their hero. The pub was situated at No 1 Armstrong Street,
Scotswood Road and was to be named the Clasper Arms and was considered the ideal place for Harry and his family to
live when he eventually retired.
Death of the Champion Harry continued to take some part in racing but was also training others and building
boats at his yard. It was on Thursday 8 July 1870 that Harry was seized by a mysterious illness. His condition
deteriorated and a few days later he passed away peacefully and quietly in the presence of his wife and family The
news of Harry's death quickly spread around town. Grown men were seen to be in tears when they heard the sad news.
When the day of the funeral arrived no one had anticipated such a display as was witnessed. The funeral procession
was due to set-off at 2.45pm but people started to assemble at least two hours earlier than this. The hearse was
pulled by four black-plumed horses.
At the front a band led the way and behind followed about two hundred local oarsmen and members of the Tyne
Rowing Club. Following these were four mourning coaches containing Harry's relatives and close friends, then more
friends walking three abreast behind this. These were followed by twenty private carriages with the general public
bringing up the rear on foot. The route was from Tyne Street via New Road (now City Road) Gibson Street, New Bridge
Street, Grey Street and Dean Street to the rivers' edge where the cortege was taken on board tug boats to
Derwenthaugh, and then on to Whickham, The route was lined with people all the way, everyone wanting to pay their
last respects to a very great man.
It was estimated that about 130,000 people had witnessed the proceedings. In his 20 years as a rower Harry's
contests bordered on 130, many of which he won. It had been a tremendous time for local boat racing and for the
people of Tyneside. More information can be found in the book 'Harry Clasper Hero of the North' by David Clasper
available from Gateshead Library. See details of their races and photos of the trophies won by Harry Clasper and
John Hawks Clasper on the Friends of Rowing History web-site: www.rowinghistory.net/clasper.htm Obituary: Harry
Clasper - His Final Journey Newspaper Announcement ,July 12th 1870 This morning, Henry Clasper, the veteran
oarsman, died at his residence, the Tunnel Inn, North Shore, Newcastle-on-Tyne, after a short but painful illness,
of congestion of the brain, at the age of 58 years. The deceased had been ailing for some few weeks, but had been
able to attend to business. He gradually, however, became much worse, and was compelled to take to his bedroom; but
the illness was not considered by his wife and family to be very serious, and Mrs. Clasper therefore thought it
unnecessary to call in the assistance of a medical man at that time. Convulsions having set in, Dr. May, the
deceased's regular medical adviser, was at once sent for; and, on his arrival, found his patient in a low, nervous
state; but the indisposition was not so serious, in the opinion of the doctor, as to cause alarm to the family and
friends of the once-famous oarsman.
He became considerably worse, and, gradually sinking, passed quietly and peaceably to his rest, in the presence
of his wife; Mrs. Eliza Kyle, Mrs. Strong, Mrs. Waterston, Miss Susannah Clasper, his daughters; Mr. Robert
Clasper, his son; and messrs. Davis and Morrow, two old and intimate friends. On the 17th, the interment took place
in the beautiful burying ground attached to Whickham Church, amid such a demonstration of popular respect and good
feeling as is seldom accorded to any man. No sooner was it known that the noble old veteran had passed from the
scene of his many triumphs, than a very laudable desire was expressed to do fitting honour to his obsequies; and as
Sunday was considerately selected for this purpose, in order more effectually to meet the convenience of the
numerous bodies of working men with whom he had for years been on terms of the greatest friendship, it was
naturally expected that vast numbers would be in attendance. Never for a moment, however, did the promoters of the
ceremonial anticipate such a display as was witnessed on the occasion. The invitations extended to watermen and
other supporters of aquatics were, as calculated upon, very generally accepted; but, in addition to these, the
townspeople themselves turned out en masse to show their regard for the hero of so many fights. Although the time
for moving the body was announced for a quarter to three o'clock, the spectators began to assemble in the
neighbourhood of the Tunnel Inn at least two hours previously, and established themselves on every eminence from
which a view of the funeral cortege could in any way be obtained.
A little before three o'clock the coffin was carried to the door, and conveyed on the shoulders of six stalwart
men to the hearse. The pall-bearers-Mr. James Renforth, Mr. James Taylor, Mr. Thomas Winship, Mr. John Martin, Mr.
Thomas Taylor, and Mr. Edward Winship - having ranged themselves on each side of the profusely-plumed hearse, the
vehicle advanced a little in order to allow the relatives an opportunity for taking possession of the four mourning
coaches provided for them. Everything being at length in readiness, the grand and impressive music of the Dead
March in Saul was commenced by Stephenson's band, and the procession then moved onward in the following order:-
Local oarsmen and members of rowing clubs; the hearse, containing the coffin; first mourning coach, containing Mr.
J.H.Clasper, Mr. Robert Clasper, Master Henry Thomas Clasper (sons of the deceased), Mr. Robert Clasper, Mr Richard
Clasper and Mr. Thomas Clasper; second mourning coach, containing Mr. George Strong, Mr. John Waterston, Mr. John
Waterston, jnr., Mr. William Sadler (sons-in-law of the deceased), Mr. Thomas Clasper, Mr. Robert Clasper, and Mr.
Edward Clasper (nephews of the deceased), third mourning coach, containing Mr. Joseph Clasper, Mr. Joseph Snowball,
Mr. Thomas Clasper, Mr. John Clasper, Mr. John Hawks (Walker), Mr. John Hawks, jnr., Mr. Edward Hawks (Newcastle),
and Mr. Ralph Grey; fourth mourning coach, containing Mr. Robert Snowball, Mr. Thomas Henry Ellis, Mr. John Clasper
(Gateshead), Mr. John Hawks Walton, Mr. George Middleton, Mr. George Henry Walton, and Mr. Roger Middleton.
Mourners three abreast. The following gentlemen, among others, joined the procession at Derwenthaugh:- Mr. John A
Cowen (Blaydon Burn), Mr. Richard Bennett, Mr. E. Martinson (Blaydon), Mr. James Wilkinson, Mr. George Parker, Mr.
Thomas Walker, Mr. Joseph Armstrong, Mr. Douglass, Mr. Win. Lawson, Mr. J. Wilson, Mr. T. Daglish, Mr. J. Taylor,
Mr. Isaac Johnson, Mr. James Duff, Mr. J. Bagnall, sen., Mr. J. H. Reed, Mr. Lance Jobling, Mr. Thos. Home, and Mr.
Henry Gascoigne. Private carriage, containing Mr. Joseph Cowen, jun., Mr. R. B. Reed, and Mr. R. S. Bagnall, jun.
Eighteen carriages, containing gentlemen of the neighbourhood, the general public bringing up the rear, walking
indiscriminately. The route taken by the procession was considerably changed from that which was first proposed. It
was originally intended to convey the body by the Quayside, Collingwood Street, and Scotswood Road, thence across
the Suspension Bridge to Swalwell, and so on to the church at Whickham; but as it was at the last moment deemed
more appropriate to convey it some part of the distance by water, arrangements for that purpose had rather hastily
to be made. The thoroughfares to be traversed were Tyne Street - on a sloping bank, on which was situated the inn
occupied by the deceased - New Road, Gibson Street, New Bridge Street, Grey Street, and Dean Street, and so on to
the river, where the company were taken on board tug-boats to Derwenthaugh. From this place the path was over
cinder heaps to Swalwell, and then by a long ascent leading to the west end of Whickham - a distance of seven or
eight miles. Notwithstanding the great extent of ground to be traversed, the route was lined with sorrowing
spectators throughout, most of whom, despite the almost private life which Clasper led prior to his death, retained
a warm remembrance of the virtues and achievements of the deceased. It was truly a grand and impressive sight to
witness, and such, in fact, as poor Clasper never dreamt of during his lifetime. Not fewer than 100,000 or 130,000
persons took part in or witnessed the proceedings. On the procession reaching the Sandhill, it was seen that the
people were so densely crowded as to render any further advance almost impossible. Strong detachments of police
being brought to the front, the obstacles were removed, and an opening made along the close to the Corporation
Quay, where the body had to be removed from the hearse for conveyance over that portion of the old Tyne course
which Clasper had formerly traversed so frequently to victory. The proceedings were closely watched by thousands of
people who had assembled on the high and low bridges - both of which revealed unbroken lines of faces from end to
end - and also by many others who had congregated on the hillside, beneath the tower of St Mary's Church in
Gateshead, and upon the quays and wharves bordering both sides of the river. Many hundreds having been taken on
board the steamtugs Louise Crawshay, Mary Jane, Joseph Cowen, Margaret, and the Prince of Wales, they proceeded, in
the order named, towards their destination. Passing the end of the Mansion House, a hymn was wafted across the
waters from a party of choristers who had stationed themselves on some timber at the river's brink. In due course
the boats ran up to the quays at Derwenthaugh, were Clasper spent many years of his life as a coke burner, and the
body, being taken on shore, was carried over, the dusty cinder heaps behind the ovens to the hearse in waiting on
the road, the path being admirably kept by a party of Durham County police. The procession, on being re-formed was
here joined by the keelmen belonging to the Stella Coal Company, Messrs. Cowen and Co's works, and others generally
employed at Stella, Blaydon, and Derwenthaugh, and was accompanied by them for the remainder of the distance. The
procession reached the gates of Whickham Church precisely three hours after its departure from the Ouseburn. The
pretilly situated churchyard was thronged wherever a view of the vast procession could be secured; the church
tower, from which, perhaps, along the whole route, the most extended and complete survey of the sight could be had,
being also occupied by spectators. The people preserved the deepest silence as the funeral party entered the
building; and during the time occupied by the Rev. Mr. Taylor in reading the lesson, which he did with deep
earnestness, with a clear enunciation, and in a manner calculated in a high degree to impress upon the large body
of mourners a right and full appreciation pf the solemnity and the reality of the service in which they were taking
part, a mournful and devotional feeling appeared appeared to pervade the whole congregation. The grave was reached
with considerable difficulty, though, as far as possible, considering the density of the crowd, a path was made for
the relatives and more immediate friends of the deceased. But few beyond those at the graveside obtained a glimpse
of the coffin. Immediately the relatives departed, the grave was closed, and those who had hoped to have an
opportunity of reading the inscription passed on to the adjoining graves, there to read, as hundreds did, the
verses inscribed upon the skiff-shaped stone which marks the resting-place of his mother and his brothers:- Beneath
this unassuming stone Lies one, when living, loved by all; It's thus we dwindle, one by one, Obedient to our
Maker's call. His little skiff, his sole delight, Is now deserted-cast away; His sculls he plied with skilful might
Are all now hastening to decay. As friend, he was beloved by all; As brother, none had stronger ties; But now he's
fled this busy world- He's safely moored beyond the skies. His match with time was ended soon, The stakes were
banded o'er with tears; His death has caused a sudden gloom, Which nought can dissipate but years. It was a
gratifying fact that nothing transpired during the afternoon that in the slightest degree interfered with the
observance of due order and decorum. The utmost propriety of conduct was observed by everyone; few, if any, of the
assembled thousands exhibited other than symptoms of sorrow and dejection, or uttered anything but expressions of
regret at the loss of so well loved and respected a friend, and of sympathy with the relatives in their
bereavement.
The career of Clasper was an eventful one. He was born at Dunston-on-Tyne, in the year 1812. While young, his
parents removed to Jarrow, and there young Harry was sent to work in the pits. After a time, he returned to
Dunstan, and worked as a cinder burner at the Garsfield coke ovens; and later on, when about twenty years of age,
he became a wherryman for the same firm. From this period his aquatic career may be said to have commenced. At this
time racing boats were heavy and unshapely, and the mechanical genius of young Harry was at once directed to their
improvement; and such genius and perseverance did he bring to his favourite pursuit, that it is a question whether
his fame as an oarsman, or his renown as the inventor of the modern racing boat, is the greatest. One of his
earliest attempts at boat-building was the Five Brothers, which he built at nights, after his day's work was done.
To this boat, so appropriately named, the crew, consisting of Harry, William, Robert, Edward, and a younger brother
as coxswain, he, for years, was victorious at the annual gala on the Tyne, commonly known as Barge Thursday. On
December 18, 1844, his victorious career was interrupted, he being defeated by R. Coombes, in a skiff race on the
Tyne for 100; and in the year following, with his brothers, William and Robert, and his uncle, Edward Hawks, he won
the champion prize of 100; and, for the first time, the Championship of the World was wrested from the Thames: one
of the defeated crews being Robert Coombes, J. Phelps, T. Goodman, T. Coombes, and D. Coombes (coxswain). On the
29th September, he defeated Thomas Carroll on the Mersey; and, on November 25, defeated W. Pocock on the Tyne, each
match being for 200. Early in the following year, 1846, he was defeated on the Tyne by Robert Newall, in a match
for 200. In 1848, in the celebrated St. Agnes, he and his brothers, with J. Wilkinson, again won the champion prize
on the Thames. On the Tyne, in a match for 100, on the first day in 1853, he, with his brothers, were defeated by
the celebrated Elswick crew, viz.:-Oliver, Bruce, Winship and Spoor. On July 22, 1858, Harry won the Championship
of Scotland, defeating Robert Campbell, on the Clyde, in a match 200; and again defeated him, on October 6th, in
another match for 200, on Loch Lomond; but, on November 9th, 1858, he was beaten by Thomas White, on the Thames, in
a match for 200. The races mentioned are but a few of his principal ones. He was engaged in several afterwards, but
age began to tell upon him, and, meeting younger men, success did not crown his efforts, notwithstanding his great
abilities as stroke in four-oared craft, in which he was generally victorious. Thomas Fordyce - Local Records
volume 4 Memorial in Whickham Churchyard
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