Rowing as an organised inter-collegiate sport became increasingly popular in Oxford during the early decades of the nineteenth century; the first organised bumps races was held at around that time. A Trinity rower in 1831 by the name of James Pycroft detailed how the men in the crew would pay for a college boat themselves, and would levy a rate upon all members of the college to help pay for it, "it being considered that the boat and its anticipated victories were for the honour of the college generally".[2] Even at the outset of rowing at Trinity in the 1830s, Pycroft records in his memoirs an incident in which a scholar named Thomas Lewin "had thoughts of joining the boat, but received a hint that it would not do";[2] because members of the boat club were known to be uproarious, riotous and generally interested in having a good time while they studied.[citation needed]
In 1838 Trinity join the records, which can still be seen in the college's boathouse, and moved up three places over the week's rowing from eighth to fifth. Trinity's first rowing Blues are both depicted in the earliest known depiction of a Trinity crew, from 1842. John Cox and Edward Breedon both rowed in the sixth boat race on the Westminster to Putney course in 1842.[citation needed]
Another nineteen years passed with rowing at Trinity growing in its importance within the college, until finally during the Eights in 1861, Trinity bumped University College, Brasenose College, Exeter and finally Balliol College to go Head of the River. The run of great rowing continued until 1865, which marked the beginning of a disastrous few years of racing at Trinity. However, the period at the head was matched with a similar stretch of dominance at the top of Division One, just a few months before the start of World War II in 1939. Several of Trinity's former members rowed at that time and experienced being the best of the Oxford college crews on the Isis.[citation needed]
In addition to this, past Trinity crews were involved in many regattas outside of the college, including the Henley Royal Regatta and the Thames Regatta.[citation needed]
