Dick Phelps

Biographical information

RolesNon-starter
SexMale
Full nameRichard William "Dick"•Phelps
Used nameDick•Phelps
Born3 November 1897 in Putney, England (GBR)
Died13 December 1989 in Putney, England (GBR)
AffiliationsThames Rowing Club, Putney (GBR)
NOC Great Britain

Biography

Dick Phelps came from probably the best known family of Thames Boatmen and no fewer than 10 members of the family won the famous Doggett’s Coat & Badge. Dick won it in 1923, his father was the 1884 winner, and Dick’s three brothers Harry, Tom, and Jack won it in 1919,1922, and 1928 respectively. Additionally, an uncle, great-uncle and three cousins also won it. The first victor from the family in 1860 was “Honest” John Phelps, who was the finishing judge on the only occasion the Boat Race ended in a dead-heat, in 1877, when he famously declared the result as: “A dead-heat for Oxford by five yards.”

Dick Phelps was employed as a boat builder by his uncle “Bossie” Phelps, and, apart from a brief spell in in the Royal Navy during World War I, he remained in that profession until 1931, when he became boatman at The Thames Rowing Club. He remained with them for 35 years until 1966. In his second year with TRC, 1932, he helped them win the Stewards’ Cup at Henley and was also a reserve for the gold medal-winning coxless fours at the Los Angeles Olympics that year. He was one of two reserves and when Tom Tyler pulled out at the last minute, Phelps lost out because the seat went to “Jumbo” Edwards. Phelps attended the 1936 and 1948 Olympics as boatman, and also went to the 1954 and 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, and the 1959 European Championships, in a similar capacity. He had the honour of being appointed by Royal Warrant, the Queen’s Waterman in 1953. When he retired from the Thames Rowing Club in 1966 he was made an honorary life member.

Dick’s brother Tom was boatman to the London Rowing Club for many years, and in 1969 was the lone figure standing on the barge that carried Sir Winston Churchill’s body up the Thames during his State Funeral. Tom and brother Harry coincidentally both collapsed and died whilst wearing their Doggett’s uniform, while attending official functions.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1932 Summer Olympics Rowing GBR Dick Phelps
Coxless Fours, Men (Olympic) Great Britain DNS

Olympic family relations