Third Trinity Boat Club

The Third Trinity Boat Club, was a rowing club which was only open to certain members of Trinity College, Cambridge. Members of Third Trinity had to have been to school at either Eton College or Westminster School. Due to a lack of members around the time of World War II, Third Trinity combined with the First Trinity Boat Club, to make up the current First and Third Trinity Boat Club which survives to this day. There did exist a Second Trinity Boat Club, which was not very successful and hence closed down.

Third Trinity rowed with black blades.

Results

Third Trinity competed in the early bumps races at Cambridge University and also in the Lent and May Bumps when they became separate events in 1887.

Third Trinity nearly always did better in the May Bumps than the Lent Bumps, achieving the headship of the May Bumps on 9 occasions including holding it for 6 consecutive years between 1901 and 1906. When the club began rowing with First Trinity, the 1st VIII were in 9th position.

Third Trinity never went head of the Lent Bumps, but managed second place in 1902 and 1922 before plummeting into the mid 2nd division just before the merger.

Third Trinity still hold the record for the most wins in the "Visitors' Challenge Cup" at the Henley Royal Regatta, standing at 14, despite the fact that they've not entered for at least 60 years since the merger.

Merger with First Trinity

Third Trinity merged with First Trinity officially in 1946, but the two clubs had been rowing together in the bumps throughout the war period.

In 1946, the newly formed First and Third Trinity Boat Club entered the Henley Royal Regatta and won the "Visitors' Challenge Cup" with ease, and won the "Ladies' Challenge Plate" the following year.

Following the merger, the new club took the bumps positions of First Trinity's crews, since they were placed higher than those of Third Trinity, but the new club used Third Trinity's black blades for a number of years, before switching to the current blade colours.