Jefferson Lowndes
Jefferson Lowndes (1858–1893) was an English rower known for defending and breaking records at major regattas.
He was born in Oxford and had only one eye. He studied at Hertford College, Oxford (1878–1879) and won the University Sculls there.
Lowndes won the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley five times: 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882 and 1883. He also won the Wingfield Sculls in 1881 and 1883, and the London Cup at the Metropolitan Regatta in those same years, giving him the Triple Crown in 1881 and 1883.
In 1884 he won the Silver Goblets at Henley with D. E. Brown.
He worked as a schoolmaster at Derby School and rowed for the Derby School Rowing Club. In 1883 he rowed for the Twickenham Rowing Club and competed in Henley as “Derby” from the town.
Lowndes died in Liverpool in 1893 at the age of 35. His death was recorded as suicide while temporarily insane; he shot himself in the North Western Hotel.
Derby Town Rowing Club, founded in 1879, had no major wins until 1904. Derby School Rowing Club was linked to Derwent Rowing Club, and Lowndes appears in their ledgers. He is noted as rowing for Derby in regattas for Henley. Derby Town Rowing Club later became Derby Rowing Club.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 07:00 (CET).