Object Description
A Highly Unusual Silver Bowl Mounted with Medals Primarily Relating to the Rowing and Running Career of Frederick Archibald Hugo Pitman, a Member of the British Olympic Team in 1912 and an Old Etonian
The medals mounted on this bowl primarily date from 1912-1913 and include the silver Putney Medal, awarded to members of the losing Oxford crew, an Oxford University Boat Club Challenge Prize Medal, and mens’ and ladies’ Henley Regatta Stewards’ Club medals, Pitman winning his medal in 1912 as part of the New College Oxford crew. Also mounted in the bowl is a medal relating to Pitman’s running-his mile medal from 1912. and his Eton College Steeplechase medal from 1911. An article in Morning Post, 11th of March 1911, records the results of the Eton College Steeplechases of that year, stating that Pitman had avoided what had been expected to have been a close contest ‘winning very easily’. An article in The Tatler, 22nd of January 1913, discussed the upcoming boat race and the fact that Pitman was likely to be absent from the Oxford crew-he had rowed in the bow the previous year. The article states:
‘There is, however, some doubt as to F. A. H. Pitman. The New College man is a very fine runner at the half-mile and mile distances and is credited with a desire to devote his time this term to the track’.
The bowl in which these medals, both copper and silver, are mounted is hallmarked London, 1961 and engraved in the centre with the arms of the Cobbe family, an important landed family based in both Ireland and Hampshire. Their family seat in Hampshire was Steventon in Swarraton and their Irish estate was Newbridge, just outside of Dublin. Quite how this collection of medals came to be owned by the Cobbe family, which doesn’t seem to have any marital links with the Pitman family, is at present unclear but the combined item is an intriguing souvenir of sporting successes.
The exterior of the bowl is engraved with the names of various rowing crews, most including Pitman.
F. A. H. Pitman (1892-1971)
One of a long line of Pitmans who attended Eton and Oxford, Frederick (always known as Hugo) rose to fame as a rower as a member of the Oxford crew that won the re-run 1912 boat race after both crews sank, Pitman’s uncle being the umpire for the race. The same year he won a silver medal at the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm as part of the men’s eight. He also won a Blue as a runner in the 880 yards Varsity match in 1913 before returning to rowing in the 1914 boat race, this time finishing on the losing team.
He served with distinction in WWI, injuries sustained in the war leaving him deaf. He was a partner in the stockbroking firm of Rowe and Pitman, working alongside James Bond author Ian Fleming there. He was also a keen painter and a collector of art and antiques, counting the artist Augustus John as a close friend.