Competitive rowing began on Canada’s east coast during the early 1800s, emerging from the water-based industries that dominated the region’s economy, including fishing, shipbuilding, and shipping. As the century progressed, rowing evolved from a practical skill to a popular pastime, with rivalries and wagering becoming common among fishermen and other waterway workers. These informal competitions laid the foundation for what would become organized rowing events, pitting single rowers and crews against one another to determine who was the fastest and strongest on the water. This competitive environment gave rise to the Carleton Crew, better known as the “Paris Crew” – Canada’s first sporting heroes.
The Formation of a World-Class Team
As shown in Image 1, a photograph by William Notman (Scottish, 1826-1891) captured the Paris Crew in 1869. This albumen print, mounted on card and measuring 22 × 18 cm, is part of the New Brunswick Museum’s collection (X19501).
In Saint John, New Brunswick, competing crews from various neighborhoods and surrounding areas regularly raced for wagers. In 1866, the Carleton Crew, consisting of Samuel Hutton, Elijah Ross, and Robert Fulton, selected Robert Price as their fourth member. Little did they know that they had just formed a world-class crew that would go on to defeat several of the most established and prestigious teams in Europe and, later, North America.
All four men worked on the water – Ross as a lighthouse keeper and the other three as fishermen – which is significant because they would have spent countless hours on the Saint John River and harbor, navigating in all conditions. This intense physical work produced exceptionally strong and nautically experienced oarsmen.
International Glory at the Paris Exhibition
Having established their dominance over other crews in the area, the Carleton Crew traveled to Paris for an international exposition announced by Emperor Napoleon III in 1864. Only days after the official confederation of Canada in 1867, these young men from New Brunswick lined up for two races at the Paris Exhibition. With a strong start, high stroke rate, and the resilience they had gained from working on the water, the underdogs won both races and were famously dubbed the “Paris Crew.”
Image 2 shows a Climo & Finlay photograph titled “The Start, Paris Regatta, Championship Boat Race, Paris, France, 1867.” This albumen print carte-de-visite, measuring 6.1 x 10 cm, is part of the New Brunswick Museum’s collection (X12824) and captures this historic moment.
John O’Neill: Master Boat Builder and Vernacular Artist
The New Brunswick Museum’s sculpture, “The Start,” shown in Image 3, is a wooden and wire sculpture modeled after (or imagined to be) the start line of the Paris Exhibition Regatta. It is one of three models in the collection made by career boat-maker and amateur vernacular or “folk” artist John O’Neill (1855-1934). These three sculptures commemorate five of not only Saint John’s but New Brunswick’s most esteemed and celebrated rowers – the Paris Crew and Hilton Belyea, who set the world record (9:36 minutes) for the 1 1⁄2 mile, single scull event in 1921. Notably, Belyea himself donated this model of the Paris Crew to the museum in 1952.
John O’Neill was a remarkable craftsman. In 1874, at just nineteen years old, he purchased a plot of land in the north end of Saint John and built the first house on what would become Murray Street. He spent his career designing and crafting racing shells for many of the best Canadian rowers of his time, including Wallace Ross, Jim Reilly, and others. He was recognized in at least two articles in the Saint John Telegraph Journal as “one of the world’s greatest designers of racing shells.”
In an August 25, 1923 interview, O’Neill spoke admiringly about the Paris Crew and praised their athletic prowess, specifically Robert Fulton. O’Neill had witnessed Fulton race six miles on the Kennebecasis River with the Paris Crew and then almost immediately get into a single scull and race another three miles. Impressively, Fulton won both races.
The Craftsmanship of “The Start”
O’Neill’s expertise in boat building is evident in his sculpture “The Start.” Measuring 19.7 × 57.2 × 151.1 cm, this carved and painted wood with wire creation was gifted to the New Brunswick Museum by Hilton Arthur Belyea in 1952 (1952.17).
While the rower figures in “The Start” may lack some detail (understandable given that O’Neill was a professional builder, not a trained artist), the model rowing shell and oars showcase his exceptional skill. They are very finely crafted and incredibly accurate. Examining the inside of the hull reveals O’Neill’s true focus and expertise. Every component – from the seats, slide rails, and footplates to the ribs (U-shaped supports) – demonstrates consistent, fine construction. This level of detail required a knowledgeable and skilled hand to properly carve each of the intricate pieces that make up this model.
This remarkable artifact represents an important piece of New Brunswick’s and Canada’s heritage, highlighting both the sporting achievements of the Paris Crew and the story of John O’Neill and his significant contributions to racing shell design and construction.
