Charles MacIver

Sir Charles MacIver was the owner of Mouchette, which won the silver medal in the 12-metre class at the 1908 Olympics. His son Charles R. was a member of the 10-man crew, many of whom were members of the Royal Mersey Yacht Club.

MacIver was the son of David MacIver, Member of Parliament (MP) for Birkenhead, and Kirkdale, Liverpool, and one of the founders of the Cunard Shipping Line. Sir Charles was educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge, from where he graduated in 1887. Upon leaving Cambridge, MacIver joined the family firm of steamship owners.

MacIver started yacht racing at an early age and won prizes at many regattas around Britain. He went on to became a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron and many other leading yacht clubs, including the Royal Mersey Yacht Club and the Royal Clyde Yacht Club of which he was, at one time, the Commodore. It was also the home club of his rival Hera at the 1908 Olympics. MacIver acquired his 1908 Olympic entry Mouchette shortly before the Games, having enjoyed many successes with another 12-foot cutter, Eileen, in 1907.

MacIver had two opportunities to race in the America’s Cup. The first was with one of Sir Thomas Lipton’s Shamrock’s, and again in 1934 with Sir Thomas Sopwith’s Endeavour. On both occasions, however, he could not make the trip to America.

A former commanding office of the 9th Volunteer Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment, MacIver was knighted in 1920. Over the years he held some important posts and, apart from being a magistrate from 1909 up to the time of his death, he was High Sheriff of Anglesey, chairman of the Lancashire and Western Sea Fishery Joint Committee, on the council of the Yacht Racing Association, and the British representative on the International Yacht Racing Union. MacIver was awarded the Royal Humane Society silver medal in 1911 for rescuing a sailor knocked overboard during the Dartmouth Regatta.