Neville Mellany (1950)

John was a member of the 1952 Eight that went Head of the River, and attended this year’s Summer Eights and watched the 2008 1st VIII in their triumph regaining the headship. John was also a member of Leander Rowing Club after competing in the 1950 University Boat Race. He came to Balliol in 1948 to study history and politics and went on to study for a PhD at LSE. John worked as a demographer throughout his life working finally as a free-lance consultant in demographic statistics after work in East Africa, several governmental departments and universities.

John was probably the oarsman who had the most impact on Balliol rowing in over a century. An exaggeration? Let us see.

John came up in 1948 having already won the Ladies at Henley with Eton. One day he was asked to sub in the Leander Grand crew – rowing so well, he was given the seat and duly won the Grand. He got his Blue in 1950, but was told not to do the Boat Race again on medical grounds. Oxford’s loss was Balliol’s gain.

Balliol had not been Head of the River since 1879 and John made up his mind to put that right. At London Rowing Club he asked the President, the legendary Jock Wise, multiple winner of the Wingfield Sculls, to be the head coach. He also recruited Tony Rowe, a fellow Etonian, past President of OUBC and Trinity man! He got enormous support from Hugh Stretton, a Fellow of Balliol, who also coached the 1951 VIII.

But this was not enough. John wanted more. In the Thirties Balliol had two eights in the First Division and John recruited Stephen Jones and Arthur Pyper. These two, with Jock Wise and Jim Lindars, the BCBC President, coached our Torpid to the Headship in 1954. The arrival of Don Cadle, another legend, to Balliol in 1950 was just what John needed. With Don we had more superb coaching, enhanced by its continuity. Balliol started winning everything!

But the real impact had come with what the 1st VIII achieved. Starting 10th in 1950 they went up to 7th and up to 3rd in 1951, activating the first Bump Supper in living memory. And then came 1952! On the Saturday, right in front of the OUBC, Balliol bumped Merton, with its 5 blues, to row Head of the River for the first time in 73 years ! Monday’s Times had a memorable first paragraph: “The totally unexpected but not altogether unforeseen occurred at Oxford on Saturday when Balliol bumped Merton to row Head of the River.”

John had put things right. With the exception of himself, Don and Ken Keniston, all the other five rowers and cox were homegrown. Our ’54 Head of the River Torpid had only one man who had ever rowed before. Very much the same with the Head of the River VIII of ’56. This continued through the Glorious Fifties – all due to the continuity and excellence of coaching.

The impact of his work was immediate. Some, like Jim Hugessen and myself, were quickly converted and started tubbing – the original Cadle Pair! The next term, Michaelmas 1952, Don put together a novice VIII. We won the Novice Pennant in the University Long Distance Race by half a minute. The following term, as the 2nd Torpid, we made 6 bumps in the 6 days of racing never rowing more than 25 strokes. The 1953 summer 2nd VIII will always maintain that they were faster than the 1st VIII, which was 2nd on the river, having destroyed all in their way. The Balliol VIII duly won the University Long Distance Race in 1953. The previous year’s 2nd Torpid became the 1954 1st Torpid, regaining the Headship lost in 1930. The 1959 Torpid won it back again. Balliol boats were always at the top – in Torpids and Eights. Success after success seemed to be the norm in the 50s! John – and Don – had done an incredible job.

John’s interest in BCBC never wavered. I shall always be grateful for the massive support he gave me with the BCBC Training Fund. We spoke frequently and met on Saturdays of Eights. This summer he borrowed my blazer and tie and attended the celebratory dinner, before getting on his bike and cycling back to the station for the train to London. He would have roared with laughter at seeing himself on the cover of the Balliol Record!

John’s timing was always impeccable. He lived long enough to see Balliol row Head of the River again. He died a couple of days before a BCBC Trustees meeting and a Balliol Society dinner to give us a chance to honour his memory. A legend. A great man, A lovely man. Thank you, John.

John With the 2008 Headship VIII