William Fletcher

Who was William Fletcher?

William Alfred Littledale Fletcher, DSO was both a successful English oarsman and coach, and soldier.

William Fletcher was born at Holly Bank, Green Lane, Wavertree, near Liverpool, the eldest son of Alfred Fletcher, a Director of the London and North-Western Railway. He was educated at Cheam School and Eton. He went up to Christ Church, Oxford where he rowed to win the Ladies' Challenge Plate and the Thames Cup at Henley Royal Regatta in 1889. In 1890 he stroked the Oxford Eight in the Boat Race to end a Cambridge run of four victories. He rowed in the 1891, 1892 and 1893 Boat Races. With Vivian Nickalls he won the Silver Goblets at Henley in 1892 and 1893 and both the Pairs and the Fours at Oxford. He rowed in winning Leander Club crews at Henley. He was a member of the Oxford Varsity Water Polo team and was on the Committee of Vincent's Club.

Having access to considerable private wealth, Fletcher became a rowing coach. He had learned a technique at Oxford comprising a combination of swing and slide, together with a lightning entry, and he taught it to the Cambridge crews in 1898 and 1899, which led to the creation of a magnificent Cambridge crew in 1900. He missed coaching for the 1901 Boat Race as he was serving in the South African War. On return from South Africa he coached both the Oxford varsity crew and that of his old college, Christ Church, to great success and acclaim, reaching the peak of his fame as a coach. He afterwards coached many Oxford and House crews.