James Crowden

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameJames Gee Pascoe•Crowden
Used nameJames•Crowden
Born14 November 1927 in Tilney All Saints, England (GBR)
Died24 September 2016 in Polebrook, England (GBR)
NOC Great Britain

Biography

The son of Lieutenant-Colonel Crowden, James Crowden was educated at Bedford School before being commissioned into his father’s old Regiment, the Royal Lincolnshire, in 1947. James then went to Pembroke College, Cambridge and later became a chartered surveyor. He was a two-time rowing Blue in 1951 and 1952 and was President of the Cambridge University Boat Club in the second of those years. He won a bronze medal in the Great Britain eight at the 1950 European Championships in Milan and captained the side to the gold medal at Macon, France, the following year. Also in 1951 he won the Silver Goblets at Henley in the double sculls with Charles Lloyd, a fellow member of the 1951 winning Boat Race crew. Between 1953-75 Crowden coached 20 Cambridge crews and served his sport in many different capacities; as a steward at the Henley Royal Regatta from 1959, a member of the Henley management committee 1964-92, a council member of the Amateur Rowing Association 1957-77, and in 1988 he was vice-president of the British Olympic Association. He served as a Justice of the Peace, and was also the High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely, Vice Lord-Lietutenant of Cambridgeshire and between 1992-2002 was the Lord-Lieutenant of the County. In his spare time he enjoyed shooting.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1952 Summer Olympics Rowing GBR James Crowden
Coxless Fours, Men (Olympic) Great Britain 4

Special Notes