Historic race shell auctioned, and other Regatta facts
The Placentia was an historic boat of the 19th century Regatta, as well as being very much a part of Regatta mythology. What actually happened to it after it made history was forgotten for more than a century as myth replaced truth.
In 1877, a crew from Placentia built a boat and brought it to St. John’s to compete in that year’s Regatta. They had little time to practice after arriving in St. John’s but went on to win the Fishermen’s Race, the most important race on the program for decades. They were cheered and royally treated before setting off for home. But what happened to their boat? Did they carry it on their backs back to Placentia as legend claims? They did not! Records clearly show that the boat remained in St. John’s and on Monday, Aug. 13, John Foran, a Regatta activist and owner of the Atlantic Hotel, purchased it, renamed it the Contest and auctioned it off for $112 at the Market House in downtown St. John’s. The Contest made a poor showing in subsequent Regattas and lasted only several years.
The Placentia Crew of 1877 was inducted into the Regatta Hall of Fame.
The 1877 crew brought the boat to St. John’s by a horse-drawn sloven over the old Placentia Road, which was opened in 1875. After registering for the Regatta in St. John’s, they carried the boat on their shoulders to Quidi Vidi Lake, as was the Regatta tradition in the city for almost a
century.
First french fries at Regatta
On the eve of the 1930 Regatta, a home built wooden trailer was towed to a site at the head of the pond where its owner prepared to bring a new concession to the St. John’s Regatta.
The trailer had a large side win- dow over which was painted a sign stating “Stacey’s Chip Wagon.”
This concession marked the first time french fries were sold at the races. ‘Chips’ became one of the most popular foods at pondside, and Stacey carried on the tradition into the early 1950s by which time he was getting competition from others.
Joe O’Toole and Mike Cahill recalled buying chips at ‘Stacey’s Chip Wagon.’ They said chips sold at five, 10 and 15 cents and were served in brown paper bags. In the years leading up to and, for a while, after 1901 when the 9:13 record was made, the record to beat was the 9:20 made by Outer Cove rowing in the Dora in 1882.
However, it was a hotly-disputed record. In those days, the official timer had a seat before the committee tent on the north side of the pond. He timed each race from the moment the gun fired signaling the start until the first boat returned to the stakes.
The time seemed so incredible that many people argued that it could not have been made. Some even claimed the timekeeper may have been nipping at the National (drinking rum) and made a mistake in announcing the time.
These opponents argued that the time was actually 10 minutes, 20 seconds, and claimed the timekeeper misread his watch.
The 9:20 remained the time.
official
The year 1885 saw the passing of the old cannon, which was traditionally used to start the races.
The cannon was annually placed on a little neck of land at the head of the pond. It was loaded with powder and set off with a heated poker by a man named Brewin, who is buried near the front gate of Mount Carmel Cemetery on the Boulevard. He kept a fire burning all day until the last race ended.
Fire destroyed the Cadet
One of Bob Sexton’s legendary boats was the Cadet. Although it never achieved the fame of the Blue Peter, many oldtimers swear it was equal to the best of the Sexton boats.
Unfortunately, the Cadet, like the Blue Peter, was destroyed when fire consumed the Cadet boathouse where it was stored.
Regatta Coat of Arms
The Regatta, blue, white and gold shield Coat of Arms consists of a vertical rowing shell on an inverted chevron in a field of wavy blue and silver lines, representative of a regatta shell cutting to victory through the waters of Quidi Vidi Lake.
The crest consists of a paschal lamb from the crest of the City of St. John’s, but holding an oar rather than a pennant on a staff as in the city’s crest.
The lamb is standing on a rock, symbolic of Newfoundland. This is surrounded by a circle of crosses of Malta, representative of St. John’s, alternating with pitcher plants, the provincial floral emblem.
In heraldry when St. John’s is mentioned it is expressed by the corss of Malta from the insignia of the Order of St. John’s, which was given to the island of Malta by the Emperor Charles the Fifth.
Below this is a crest wreath in the same colors as the shield-blue and silver.
From this flows a cape-like mantling and then the helm or helmet. A Latin motto “Certamen Traditione Regatur” at the bottom of the coat of arms translates to “Let the contest be governed by tradition.”