Heroism, scandal and lost history
TA prisoner hero
The fixed race
he Royal St. John’s Regatta is a rich source of stories and anecdotes that span three centuries, from the 19th to the 21st century, and which add to its colourful history and longevity. Included among the volumes of such material are the following tales, which along with historical items, includes a story that whether true, partially true or myth, was told and retold down through the years.
It is a story taken from Regatta tradition and was first told in a newspaper in 1905 and again in an Evening Telegram Regatta feature in 1975. An inmate of Her Majesty's Penitentiary in St. John’s earned a pardon and early release from prison after a display of heroism at the 1855 Quidi Vidi Regatta.
James Briskett was serving a jail term for assaulting a police officer. He was working outside on Regatta Day performing work on the prison grounds.
A crew rowing up the pond ran into trouble near the boathouse (not current day boathouse) and sank. Briskett saw the boat going down and without hesitation went into the water in an attempt to perform a rescue.
Retelling the story in a July 22, 1905 column, The Evening Telegram described Briskett as, “a swimmer to the manor born, a man of great strength; he cleaves the water with great strokes but the rowers had pulled their last race.”
Although Briskett's efforts were unsuccessful, his display of heroism earned him the admiration of the people of St. John's.
A petition to release him, signed by thousands, was presented to the governor. A pardon was granted and crowds were on hand to applaud as the convict/hero stepped out through the prison gates.
Briskett left Newfoundland for Boston and fought with the Northern Troops in the American Civil war.
Following the war he engaged in business activities and returned to St. John's to attend later Regattas as a wealthy man.
However, as many traditional stories go, this may have been an event or events that took place at Quidi Vidi Lake apart from the Regatta.
For example, there were several accidental drownings during rowing on the pond.
Also, there was a prisoner at the Penitentiary serving time for a murder committed at Cape Broyle who had public sympathy on his side which influenced authorities to release him. He was an American sea captain. The Regatta of 1886 was marred by a rare scandal that involved a favored crew deliberately losing a race to win cash from gambling on the outcome of the race.
The Southside Tradesmen had won the six-oared race, but lost the four-oared competition while rowing in the Resolute.
Quietly, they picked up their winnings and by nightfall were in great spirits.
A rower, having consumed far more spirits than he could handle, was trying to impress friends with a claim that his crew could have eas- ily won both races but deliberately lost the four-oared race because they had bet on the winning crew.
“We got more money by deliberately losing than if we had won the race,” he boasted.
The story spread around town rapidly and reached a committee member.
An urgent meeting of the committee was held and when the members had satisfied themselves that the Southsiders had actually thrown the race, a unanimous motion was passed that prevented the Southside rowers from ever participating in the annual Regatta.
During the 1890s after two of the outlawed rowers registered for another crew, they were disqualified because of the 1886 rule.
Southside redeemed itself in Regatta history when they won seven Intermediate Races between the years 1927 to 1935, all in the Blue Peter II.
Another Regatta scandal
During the 1950s, a scandal developed relating to the Regatta Committee’s fundraising efforts.
The scandal was uncovered after cheques made payable to the Committee were found blowing around lakeside.
Some of the funds collected were finding their way into the pockets of those who spent much of the cash getting drunk. The Committee saw the need to review and tighten up its fundraising programs.
It was John Perlin, a former President of the Committee who devised the system of issuing receipts and land use permits.
Although the problem of theft was effectively dealt with, the tradition of Committee members bringing liquor into the Higgins Marquee and the boathouse continued until 1978.
In that year, Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh visited the Regatta, Perlin successfully appealed to committee members to discontinue the old custom in order present a show of competence to the royal visitors.
Recalling that eventful year, Perlin commented, “… it was not hard to sell and seemed to be an idea that won instant acceptance.”
The Bob Sexton boats that survived!
During the 1880s and 1890s, sailboat races were held at the St. John’s Regatta.
Some of the boat names included the Nettie, Wanda, Siren, Elsie, Lapwing, Ivy and Marie Louise. The course was five miles.
The 1888 sail-race Regatta was won by the Nettie, in the time of 54 minutes. The Nettie was sailed by Hon. A. W. Harvey, and owned by Governor McCowan of the Penitentiary. The Lapwing was owned and sailed by Dr. A.S. Rendell, designer of several of the Bob Sexton’s boats.
Because these races took up so much time, they were replaced with a special category of smaller sailboats designed by Bob Sexton and called the Bouncer Boat races.
One of these was preserved by the Regatta Committee and turned over to the Provincial Museum. Lack of funding prevented the restoration of the historic bouncer boat and it remains in storage.
Perhaps a corporate sponsor might be able to rescue this piece of Regatta history. It represents the only surviving boat built by Bob Sexton.
Searching for an annual day to hold the Regatta
By June 1935, the date for the annual St. John’s Regatta had still not been decided.
It had had been set for the last Wednesday in July, but that caused problems. In June 1935, The Evening Telegram reported on the decision made the previous night by the Regatta Committee.
It stated, “Last night it was felt that the change of date to July this year would cause great inconven- ience. Representations had been made to members of the committee that as the date for several years had been the first Wednesday in August, many had arranged holidays to coincide with that date. The Importers’ Association had arranged their schedule to make that date possible and many events had been arranged also. Besides, some of the fishermen’s crew are also busy with the fishery in July. It was decided not to alter the usual date this year but that provision is made to hold the Regatta on the last Wednesday in July in future years.”
The decision for 1935 was to hold the Regatta on Wednesday, Aug. 7. July Regattas followed but caused major problems so the Committee established the first Wednesday of August as the annual day for the St. John’s Regatta.