This was an exciting year in Boat Race history. Oxford were in the ascendency for the first time having won in each of the years 1861 to 1864, but won by convincing margins on each occasion: 47 seconds; 30 seconds; 43 seconds and 27 seconds serially.

But worse than the dramatically bad losses, was the view, widely held in the rowing circles of the time, that the Cambridge watermanship and technique were very poor.

John Chambers, who had won Blues in 1862 and 1863, had been elected Cambridge President in June 1864 and he set about coaching the developing Cambridge crew, concentrating on technique. He had four old Blues and he put them in the middle of the crew.

He found a good stroke in Charles Lawes and put William Griffiths in the 7 seat. There is no doubt that Chambers improved the crew’s technique and by the time they reached Putney they were well together and could maintain a reasonable performance at higher rating. He achieved a strong leg drive, but the catch was not firm and little power was exerted until the blade passed the rigger, with the result that the effective stroke was still very short.

At Oxford Charles Carr, who was President in 1864, passed responsibility over to Allan Morrison (brother of the famous coach of that time George Morrison) in December 1864. Allan Morrison was scarcely better off than Chambers this year for he only had one Blue (Meredith Meredith Brown) available and had to build a new crew.

However with brother George’s help and with Merredith Brown at stroke, Oxford developed into a reasonably powerful crew though one which was never able to achieve cohesion at higher rating.

As usual the captains of the steamers behaved badly and it was only after both Presidents took their crews back to the boathouses that the captains saw reason. It is important to appreciate that though the Thames Conservancy had been established in 1857 to control the river from the source to the Nore it had no power to control the river traffic for sporting events until 1865. Even then they made no attempt to use their powers until 1870.

As a consequence of the behaviour of the steamers, the race was started so late that the flood tide was effectively over as in so many occasions during this period, and the water was almost slack.

Oxford won the toss and as was their practice at that time, when there was no problem with the wing they chose Middlesex. Cambridge dashed off the start at 44, 5 strokes higher than their rivals and the Light Blues moved into a clear lead, which by the time that they reached Craven Steps, was sufficient for them to take Oxford’s water. Instead of raising their rate and rushing after Cambridge, thereby probably destroying their cohesion, the Dark Blues continued their steady under-rating but with good firm strokes and Cambridge made no further advance.

Nevertheless, when they reached Hammersmith, Cambridge were still in the lead by two lengths. Cambridge now noticeably tired and by Chiswick Church they had gone completely to pieces such that Oxford came to Barnes Bridge 3 lengths ahead.

Just below Barnes Bridge Charles Tottenham accomplished one of the most dramatic feats of steering seen in the Boat Race.

The description goes “A barge was tacking across the river right on his course and a collision appeared to be inevitable, but he judged so exactly his own pace and that of the barge that he passed under its stern, with only an inch or two to spare, without altering his course by a hair’s breadth.”

Oxford went on to win the race by 4 lengths (16 seconds) in 21 minutes 24 seconds.