Excerpt from a book published about important events in Newcastle's history

July 12. This afternoon, the Tyne four-oared crew, consisting of James Percy, Robert Chambers, Harry Kelley, James Renforth, and John Bright (spare man), took their departure from Newcastle, to row a match on the Kennebecassis River, near St. John, N.B., against a celebrated four of St. John, called the Paris Crew. There was a large attendance of the friends and well-wishers at the station, to see the crew off.

August 23. Great excitement and regret were experienced in Newcastle and neighbourhood, when intelligence was received by telegram from Canada, that Renforth the Champion oarsman was dead (see

July 12.. We copy from the Newcastle Daily Chronicle of this date an account of the great race on Canadian waters: - "The Tyne crew won the toss for choice of sides, and took the inside berth. As previously agreed on, Mr. William Oldham acted as umpire for the English crew, and Mr. James Stackhouse filled the same office for the St. John crew. The Honourable Thomas R. Jones (stakeholder) was referee. Everything was in readiness, both crews dashed their oars into the water at the same moment, and, amidst the hushed suspense of the crowd, started on their journey, without either side having obtained the least advantage. At the third stroke the Tyne crew showed three feet ahead, and as they gradually settled down to their work, and pulling in their usual grand style, at less than two hundred yards they had increased their lead to fully half a boat’s length. A few strokes after, to the practised eye of any one familiar with boat-rowing there was manifestly something wrong with Renforth. He appeared to falter and to pull out of stroke. The other members of the crew held gallantly on, and for the next two hundred yards they, notwithstanding Renforth’s irregular rowing, maintained their lead of half a length. By the time this point was reached Renforth’s condition had told its tale, he was swaying from side to side of the boat. The St. John crew were soon level, and pulling their usual short, rapid stroke with great regularity and precision, they began to forge ahead, and by the time the boats had gone half a mile the Tyne men were nearly three lengths behind. At this point Kelly called on Renforth to make an effort, and the gallant fellow rowed on with great resolution, but evidently in a sinking condition, till one mile and a quarter of the course had been covered. The oar then dropped from his hand; turning to Kelly he said ‘Harry, I have had something,’ and then fell backward into the boat. Kelly held the poor champion, while Percy and Chambers rowed the boat to Appleby’s Wharf. Renforth (who was quite insensible when he was landed) was then carried from the boat on the arms of his mates, put into a conveyance, and driven a mile and a half to Claremont House, their training quarters. Here he was laid on his own bed. Kelley took him in his arms, while Percy and I rubbed his feet. We anxiously inquired for a medical man, and mounted messengers were despatched in every direction in search of one. It was quite half an hour before one was found-the most anxious half-hour I ever passed. Before the doctor arrived, our poor friend had recovered consciousness, and the first words he uttered were, ‘It is not a fit I have had-I will tell you all about it directly.’ He then became cold, and almost pulseless. He could scarcely bear to be touched, and his mouth every now and then filled with froth. Kelley, Percy, William Blakey, and I did the best we could to keep up the circulation on his limbs, but all our efforts were unavailing. Dr. Johnson, of St. John, who had now arrived, made a careful examination of our patient, and ordered him a little brandy and water, and directed that hot bottles should be put to his feet. Dr. MacLaren also shortly came to us, and, taking out his lancet, he opened a vein in each arm. But for a considerable time the blood would scarcely flow, and it became obvious that poor Renforth was sinking fast. After a brief consultation, the two doctors gave us all to understand that our countryman was dying. Kelly took Renforth’s head between his hands and cried bitterly. Percy, Chambers, and Bright, the remaining members of our crew, along with William Blakey, John Adams, Robert Liddell, and myself stood around the bed, and witnessed, with ill-suppressed emotion, the vigorous life of our poor friend gradually ebb away. At a quarter to nine o’clock, within two hours of the time when he had left the same house full of health and spirits, our dear comrade and England’s greatest oarsman passed quietly to rest, without a struggle, and apparently without pain, in the arms of the most skilful competitor he ever had and one of his truest friends-Harry Kelley." An inquest was held over the body in Canada, when a verdict of "Died from natural causes" was returned.-The career of Renforth, though short, was an eventful one in the annals of boat rowing. He was born at the Rabbit Banks, Gateshead, in 1842. When young, he was employed as a smiths’ striker at many of the manufactories in Tyne, but after attaining his majority he enlisted as a soldier, and served in India for some time, but was ultimately brought out of the service by his father. He first commenced his public career as a swimmer, and took great delight in the natatory art. Out of three matches in which he took part, he was successful in two. His first match in boat-rowing took place in 1867, and from that time up to the time of his decease he enjoyed an uninterrupted success, having become champion in less time than any previous oarsman. Deceased rowed in seventeen skiff races, winning fourteen of them. He also rowed in two canoe races, but suffered defeat in both, this style of propelling being out of his line. Out of eight pair-oared matches, he was victorious in four; in ten four-oared matches in which he took part, was successful in seven. He was a man of great muscular strength, and lively disposition, and his untimely end caused a gloom, not only in the circle in which he moved, but in the mind of the public generally."

September 10. The interment of the remains of James Renforth, (which had been brought from Canada where he died), the champion oarsman of the world, took place this afternoon, in the Cemetery, High Street, Gateshead, in the presence of a gathering estimated at from one hundred to one hundred and fifty thousand persons. The peculiarly sudden and melancholy manner in which the champion came to loosen the grasp of his oar, which he did only with his life, and that while apparently in full vigour and in the enjoyment of the most perfect health, caused far more than usual interest to attach to all that related to the home-bringing of the body and its deposit in the place of sepulture where his fathers lay. His fellow-townsmen, and particularly those who had been more intimately associated with him in his somewhat brief though glorious professional career, would not have been contented had not his remains been brought to his native land and buried on Tyneside, where he was best known and respected, and where most of his aquatic successes were achieved. The corpse was accordingly placed in a coffin suitable for preserving it fort at least the period of time that would have to elapse before it could reach England and the funeral take place. Provision had also been thoughtfully made for giving those relatives and friends who might have the desire an opportunity of once more looking upon the features of the departed oarsman, and a glass panel inserted in the lid of the coffin afforded the means by which that could be obtained. A handsome monument, erected by public subscription, was afterwards placed over his grave.