About Coalies

Southampton Coalporters A.R.C. was founded in 1875 and as such is the oldest and most established rowing club within the city of Southampton. The club has been successfully competing every year since its foundation.

Coalporters itself takes its name from the rowers who transported coal to visiting ships on the River Itchen. These workers formed the club in which they could participate using their skills in competition against anyone else who would race against them.

In 1884 the club scratched together a crew of 18 to race and beat a previously undefeated racing crew of 14 from the visiting American Navy. The race was set over a five mile course for stakes of sixty dollars .

The crew imbalance was more than compensated for by the fact that the Americans could race their own specially designed racing boat, whilst Coalporters had to race in a disused service cutter from the condemned stores in Portsmouth Dockyard. 

The Americans asked for a rematch for higher stakes for which Coalporters took up the challenge and again went on to win.

Soon after Coalporters were challenged by the "Portsmouth Shovelers" which laid the foundations for the more conventional river and coastal rowing competitions of today.

The club has progressively grown in stature over the years to become a well renowned and respected club throughout the rowing circuit both locally and nationally. We have been on our present site beside Northam Bridge since 1960.

The latest changes to the club were completed in 2022  where a new boat  storage facility was opened under the Northam Bridge.  Also, a comprehensive club refurbishment covering the replacement of roofs, windows, doors, clubhouse floor and  toilet facilities to help make the club  more environmentally efficient and up-to-date. 

All of this recent work has helped the club set itself  up to serve our members and the community of Southampton and beyond, for years to come..