Crew of YWCA Four outside Gardener's boatshed, Sydney (7173895134)

This portrait depicts the crew of a Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) four standing outside Gardner's Boat Shed with their oars lined up behind them. Trixie Whaling is most likely to be the woman second from the right, while the central figure is possibly one of the two Riley sisters who regularly rowed on the same team as Trixie. Read about the Trixie Whaling collection in Signals vol 102.
The 1920s and 30s were big decades for women rowers as more women joined the workforce and women's team sports became popular. The 'lady rowers' of the early part of the century eventually emerged as popular women's teams in the 1920s and 30s. This period saw a boom in women's rowing through the formation of amateur associations, the successful staging of national sporting events and the increased coverage of women's sport in the national press.
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Object number: 00042417, ANMM Collection Gift from the Trixie Whaling Estate.