Tom Cottingham Edwards-Moss

Who was Tom Cottingham Edwards-Moss?

Tom Cottingham Edwards-Moss, was a British amateur oarsman who rowed in the Boat Race four times and twice won the Diamond Challenge Sculls, and a Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1892.

Edwards-Moss was the second son of Sir Thomas Edwards-Moss, Baronet of Otterspool, Aigburth, near Liverpool and Amy Charlotte Edwards. His grandfather was John Moss, founder of the North-Western Bank, and his father had assumed the surname Edwards-Moss on marriage. Edwards-Moss was educated at Eton College and Brasenose College, Oxford, graduating in 1878.

Edwards-Moss was an outstanding oarsman, rowing for the Oxford crew in the University Boat Races for four years. He was in the winning crew of 1875 and the losing crew of 1876. The 1877 race was the only dead-heat in the Boat Race's history. He won the Diamond Challenge Sculls at the Henley Royal Regatta beating A. V Frere in 1877, but came second in the Wingfield Sculls later in the year to Frank Lumley Playford. He was president of OUBC and in the winning crew again in 1878. In the last two years he shared the Oxford boat with Lord Desborough. Also in 1878 at Henley, he beat Jefferson Lowndes in the Diamond Challenge cup and also won Silver Goblets partnering W Ellison. He was President of Vincent's Club in 1877.