Eton - The 4th of June, Procession of the Boats
Victorian Etching of 10-Man Sweep Rowing

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Eton - The 4th of June, Procession of the Boats
Eton - The 4th of June, Procession of the Boats Eton - The 4th of June, Procession of the Boats
Alexander Hamilton Wardlow (act. 1870-1899) (after)
Walter Alfred Cox (1862-c. 1908) (etcher)
Eton - The 4th of June, Procession of the Boats
Dickinson and Foster, London: c. 1889 [later restrike]
Hand-colored etching
13.25 x 20.25 inches, image
15.5 x 22.25 inches, platemark
18.75 x 25.25 inches, overall
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The Monarch, a ceremonial ten-oar boat belonging to Eton College, rows up the Thames River with Windsor Castle in the background during the Boat Procession, held annually during the school's 4th of June Celebrations.  In keeping with the tradition, the boys are dressed in special outfits, including straw hats, and the cox is dressed in a naval officer's uniform.  Spectators line the shores, and in the foreground, a group of ladies and gentlemen watch from boats.  The configuration of the rowers is sweep (sweep-oar) rowing, inasmuch as each rower has just one oar held with both hands, alternating between port and starboard.  This is different than sculling in which each rower has two oars (sculls), one in each hand.  Rowing remains popular today throughout the world, with numerous preparatory school and collegiate competitions, as well as the World Rowing Championships and the Olympics.

Eton College is a distinguished British boys' secondary school with a nearly six-century history.  Although many British monarchs have been associated with Eton, King George III (1760-1820) had such a close relationship with the school that the college made his birthday a holiday, with presentations by students called Speeches, cricket matches and the boat procession.  The Monarch is the largest of the boats participating in this event.  The boat shown in this print is probably the fourth Monarch, built for Eton between 1875 and 1890.  After over 100 years of service, it was retired in 1990 and is now on display at the National Maritime Museum in Cornwall.

References:

"Eton 10, Monarch."  National Maritime Museum Cornwall.  2010.    http://www.nmmc.co.uk/index.php?/collections/featured_boats/eton_10_monarch (17 February 2011).

"Eton and King George III."  Eton College.  2008.  http://www.etoncollege.com/userfiles/file/Eton%20history.pdf (17 February 2011).