Wear Amateur Boating Club

2nd May 1867
The Newcastle Daily Chronicle reported:
Forthcoming Regatta - It is confidently anticipated that during the aquatic season of the present year the display of skill and muscle on the river Wear will far exceed anything the kind ever witnessed by the patrons of outdoor sports in Sunderland. Through the active and intelligent exertions of Mr. Hartley, P. Kayll, the present sec., and his colleagues on the committee, new life been infused into the Wear Amateur Boating Club, which, for many years past, has had but a feeble existence, in spite of the excellent boat house and array of craft at the service of the members. The revival of affairs has resulted in an increase of numbers to at least 60 members, for whose use there are about fifteen boats, and a well appointed boat-house, conveniently situated about halfway to Southwick, on the north tide of the river. A special fund has been raised for the purposes of a regatta, which is fixed to be held over the usual course, on the upper part of the river, Tuesday and Wednesday, July 2nd and 3rd next. The various classes of boat-races will be fully represented in the programme, liberal provision being made both for amateurs and professionals. It is expected to raise at least £250 for the regatta fund, and the committee will therefore be enabled to offer prizes of a sufficiently handsome character to induce such aquatic celebrities as Chambers and Cooper to enter themselves in the list of competitors. Next Wednesday, May 8, a concert will be given in the Atheneum, in aid of the regatta fund, and an attractive programme has been prepared for the occasion. The future progress of the fund, and the apportionment of prizes, we shall report hereafter.

14th April 1868:
The Shields Daily News reported:
The rowing season on the Wear was inaugurated yesterday by a splendid procession of all kinds of rowing craft, which started from the Wear Amateur Boating Club-house at two o'clock, headed by a brass band, which occupied a large sculler-boat. The weather was exceedingly fine; and, notwithstanding the Permissive Bill Demonstration, and Review of Volunteers in the town, a goodly number assembled on the bank sides to obtain a view of the sight. The procession_left the Club-house in the following order :—Brass band in large sculler-boat; four-oared gig containing the captain and friends: leading skiff, manned by Williamson, Woodifield, Atkinson, Davison (stroke), and J. Sayll (coxswain); five skiffs, manned by H. P. Kay, Fox, Graydon, Cowell, and Foster; two wherries, manned by Common and Thompson; pairs-1st pair, Messrs. Sharp and Common; 2nd pair, Messrs. Pattison and Scott; two wagerboats, manned respectively by Messrs. Turner and Powell. There were some fifteen professionals' skiffs for the most part manned by amateurs, and a large number of four-oared boats and smaller crafts, which fell in at the rear. They paddled down the river to the South Dock basin, stayed about twenty minutes, and then returned in the same order at about four o'clock.