George Quinlan Roberts

Who is George Quinlan Roberts?

George Quinlan Roberts CBE was an Tasmanian born rower who won events at Henley Royal Regatta in the 1880s.

Roberts was born in Tasmania, the eldest son of George Valentine Roberts of Hobart and his wife Elizabeth Benn Quinlan. His father was a member of the Board of Education. Roberts went to England where he entered Hertford College, Oxford in 1879 at the age of 19. At Oxford, he rowed for his college and was a member of the coxless four which won the Stewards' Challenge Cup at Henley in 1881 and 1882. In 1883 he was a member of the winning Oxford crew in the Boat Race. With several of his Hertford friends, Roberts then rowed for Twickenham Rowing Club. In 1883 for Twickenham he partnered D E Brown to win the Silver Goblets at Henley beating James Hastie and H B Tween in the final.

After Oxford, Roberts went into hospital administration. In 1892 he was appointed house-governor of London Hospital and over the years trained the rowing crews of the London Hospital. By 1910 he was secretary at St Thomas's Hospital and in 1920 published a brief history of St Thomas's Hospital. Roberts belonged to the Worshipful Company of Pattenmakers and was appointed master in 1926.