Spencer Gollan facts for kids

Spencer Herbert Gollan was a super talented athlete born in New Zealand on January 22, 1860. He was amazing at two sports: rowing and golf. He also owned racehorses that competed in big events. Spencer Gollan lived an exciting life full of sports achievements until he passed away on January 27, 1934.

Early Life and Education

Spencer Gollan was born in Napier, which was then called the Colony of New Zealand. His dad, Donald Gollan, was an engineer and surveyor. His mom, Frederica, was the widow of Count Charles de Pelichet. Spencer went to school in New Zealand and Switzerland. He also studied at the famous University of Oxford in England.

Rowing Adventures

Spencer Gollan was a fantastic rower. In the spring of 1901, he teamed up with two professional oarsmen. Their names were Tom Sullivan and George Towns. Together, they broke a huge record! They rowed from Oxford to Putney along the River Thames. This distance is a little over 104 miles (about 167 kilometers). They finished in an incredible 13 hours and 57 minutes. The old record from 1889 was much longer, at 22 hours and 28 minutes. They had a bit of luck too, with a good river flow and all the river locks helping them along.

Spencer Gollan was also an important person in the rowing world. He was the umpire for a huge race in 1910. This was the World Sculling Championship. It was between Richard Arnst from New Zealand and Ernest Barry from England. The race happened on the Zambezi River near the amazing Victoria Falls. Richard Arnst won that exciting race.

Spencer was a member of the Thames Rowing Club. He even became a vice president of the club in 1914. He was a great coach too! He coached his own son, Donald Gollan, who went on to row in the 1928 Summer Olympics.

Golfing Success

Spencer Gollan was also a champion golfer. He won the New Zealand Amateur championship twice! He first won it in 1902. In the final match, he beat Charles Gillies 3 and 1. This means Spencer was 3 holes ahead with only 1 hole left to play.

He won the championship again in 1906. This time, he beat William Harman 8 and 7 in the final. This was a big win, as Spencer was already 6 holes ahead after the first part of the game. Spencer was also a well-known golfer at St. Andrews, a very famous golf course.

Horse Racing Champion

Besides rowing and golf, Spencer Gollan loved horse racing. He owned many racehorses in Australia and New Zealand. His most famous horse was named Moifaa. In 1904, Moifaa won the famous Grand National race. This is one of the toughest and most exciting horse races in the world!

A Life of Sport

Spencer Herbert Gollan was a true all-around sportsman. He showed great skill and passion in everything he did, from rowing long distances to winning golf championships and owning a Grand National winner. He passed away in London on January 27, 1934, at the age of 74. He was hit by a bus.