Oswald Denison

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Oswald William Denison (29 June 1905 – 15 November 1990) was a New Zealand rower who won a bronze medal at the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney as part of the New Zealand men’s eight.

Born in Ponsonby, Auckland, Denison was the son of Walter Denison, a jeweller, and Frances Denison (née Mitcham). He married Nellie Bristow on 5 October 1932, and they had five children. Denison rowed for the Waitemata Rowing Club and was the stroke of the Auckland eight that finished third at the interprovincial eights championship in March 1937. In May 1937 he was named as an emergency for New Zealand’s rowing squad for the 1938 British Empire Games, and was later confirmed as a member of the eight.

At the Games, he rowed in the two seat and helped New Zealand win bronze, finishing two lengths behind Australia. His father, Walter Denison, also won a gold medal for New Zealand at the same Games in lawn bowls men’s pairs. Denison died in Houhora, New Zealand, in 1990; his ashes were buried at North Shore Memorial Park in Auckland. His wife had died in 1987.