Newcastle Sculling Challenge Cup

The Newcastle Sculling Challenge Cup was held in March 1877

Bells Life 24th March 1877 reported:
The trial heats for the Newcastle Sculling Challenge Cup, a magnificent trophy valued at £100, offered for competition by the proprietors of the Newcastle Daily Chronicle, were brought off on Saturday afternoon upon the Tyne, from the Mansion House to Scotswood Suspension Bridge; but the races were neither so interesting nor exciting as may have been expected, considering the talent engaged. The challenging and counter-challenging which went on between Boyd and Higgins after the former had won the scullers race at the Thames International Regatta, in which each stood out for a match upon his own river, may have been said to have induced the promoters of this event to step in and settle the difficulty. In addition to the cup, they offered £100 in prizes; £50 to the winner, £30 for the second and £20 for the third and in addition the winner takes £10 deposited by each man, but even this liberality on the part of our northern contemporary failed to draw the Thames men to this scene of action. True, Thomas Blackman of Dulwich was amongst the six original entries, but he and Robert Chambers of Wallsend withdrew from the race; the first named on account of his race with Lumsden next month and the latter because he was in no form at all.

The other four, however, went into close training and they did quite as much work as if they were engaged in important matches. Boyd went to Mrs.Gibson's, The Ord Arms Inn at Scotswood, with James Talbot of Newcastle as trainer, Nicholson trained from the residence of James Percy and had that gentleman as mentor. Lumsden and Elliott trained together from a private house in Gateshead in company with John R. Hymes of Stockton.

From the first, Boyd was a warm favourite for the event. 5 to 4, 6 to 4, and in a few cases 7 to 4 being laid on him while Nicholson had a lot of friends at 3 to 1 and 5 to 2, but 4 to 1 and 20 to 1 were the nominal prices of Lumsden and Elliott respectively, neither of the latter being supported much. During the early part of the afternoon, the weather was fine but cold and a grand tide rolled swiftly upwards; but just about the time the men put off for the first heat a heavy gale of wind sprung up from the west and hail fell smartly. There was an enormous attendance of spectators and the bridges and the haughs right up to Scotswood were crowded with people, in similar style as they used to be in the days of Clasper, Chambers, Renforth and other famed northern scullers.