John Meyrick

Who was John Meyrick?

Sir David John Charlton Meyrick, 4th Baronet was a British agriculturalist and rower who competed for Great Britain in the 1948 Summer Olympics.

Meyrick was born in Towcester, Northamptonshire, the eldest son of Colonel Sir Thomas Meyrick, 3rd Baronet, and his wife Ivy. He was educated at Eton, where he was an excellent rower, and at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He rowed for Trinity Hall in the Head of the River race. In 1947 and 1948, he was a member of the victorious Cambridge crews in the Boat Races. Most of the Cambridge crew of 1948 also rowed for Leander Club and Meyrick stroked the eight at Henley Royal Regatta. The Leander eight were selected to row for Great Britain in the 1948 Summer Olympics and won the silver medal.

After university, Meyrick became resident land agent on the Earl of Coventry's Croome Estate in Worcestershire. Seven years later he moved to Pembrokeshire and began farming. The family had lived in Pembrokeshire since the 16th century. He succeeded in the baronetcy on the death of his father in 1983 and inherited the family home at Gumfreston.