Maurice Phelps
978-1-909075-00-9 / 292pp / hb
The Phelps Dynasty is the story of a riverside family – its pedigree, its rowing tradition and its close association with the Thames. For generations it has lived and played on the river’s shores and worked on its tides. But most importantly it has competed. Its rowing achievements are extraordinary. As professionals, ten of the family won the Doggett’s Coat and Badge; members won the World’s Professional Sculling championship and held the English and European Professional Sculling titles; when permitted they coached Diamond and Wingfield sculling winners and Olympic performers. As professional crews they were never known to be beaten by an amateur crew whenever or wherever they were allowed to perform. These champions came not from public school or university environments, but from a hard underprivileged working background.