140 years ago today, Mercantile was founded by an energetic William Boyd as a break away from the Warehousmen's Rowing Club.

William S Boyd

I quote from our Club history.

The spring of 1880 was a busy period for the City of Melbourne. Ned Kelly, the bushranger, was to be tried and hanged. The great World Exhibition was to open in the newly constructed Exhibition buildings on October 1, and the Mercantile Rowing Club was formed.

A new rowing club in the biggest city in Australia could hardly be described as a momentous event. But it was an important moment for rowing as the club was to become one of the great rowing clubs of Australia.

The founder of the new club was William S. Boyd, who called a meeting of the interested oarsmen at Young and Jackson's Hotel on Sunday, September 19, 1880. He was the prime mover in the foundation and establishment of the new club, and he played an active role in the affairs of the various rowing associations and as a delegate to the Victorian Rowing Association. He was assisted by his vice-captain, F. Williams and secretary, J. Baldwin. The committeemen were Heale, Blade and W. Davis.

Young & Jacksons Hotel
The building was built in 1853, the hotel licensed in 1861 and then licensed to Henry Figshy Young and Thomas Joshua Jackson in 1875.

The group which formed the club had a common interest in their association with the various mercantile warehouses established in Melbourne around Flinders Street and Flinders Lane. Most of those involved had prior association with the Warehousemen's Rowing Club. Appropriately the new club which was to become the Mercantile Rowing Club was originally designated "Junior Warehousemen's Rowing Club". It was established at a time when there were a multitude of rowing clubs in and about the Melbourne area. It was a newcomer on a crowded scene.

We might wonder today what motivation there was for the formation of a new club when so many other organisations already existed. Obviously there was a need to be catered for, for a club that does not cater for a need would soon wither and die. Mercantile survived its birth pangs and grew and prospered to become, in time, the leading club in Victorian rowing, to have a profound influence on the future course of rowing in this State, and to be known and respected not only throughout Australia but throughout the rowing world.