The son of a wealthy Durham iron founder, Harold Kitching was educated at Uppingham School, Rutland and then Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He rowed for his college and, after missing out on a place in the Boat Race crew in 1907, went on to become a double Blue in 1908 and 1909. He was also a member of the University eight that won a bronze medal at the 1908 London Olympics.
Away from rowing, Kitching was commissioned into the 5th Durham Light Infantry in 1914 and rose to the rank of colonel. He was twice mentioned in dispatches and was awarded the MBE. Kitching later became the High Sheriff of County Durham (1941) and deputy lieutenant for North Yorkshire and County Durham (1945). Kitching was involved with many organisations and, in between his time as a farmer and breeder of Friesian cows, he was chairman of the Cleveland Hunt, chairman of the Cleveland branch of the Council for the Preservation of Rural England, and was also a director of both the Cleveland Water and Cleveland Gas companies. His son Alfred was a glider pilot during World War II and lost his life during the hostilities in 1943.
Great Britain