Dearlove, Jack Gilroy
Date Born/Est
05 Jun 1911
Date Died/Ceased
11 Jul 1967
Biographical Display
Jack Gilroy Dearlove was an English rower who competed for Great Britain in the 1948 Summer Olympics.
Educated at Lynton House school in Holland Park, west London. Until the age of ten, Jack Dearlove was a gifted, sports mad youngster. However in 1922, aged 13, he was involved in an accident with a lorry which resulted in the amputation of his right leg. Determined not to stay in a wheelchair and unable to get on with an artificial limb, Jack taught himself to walk on crutches.
Jack coxed for Thames Rowing Club and in 1948, at the age of 37 and with 20 years of rowing behind him, he was chosen to cox the British Olympic eight, who went on to win a silver medal.
However he was informed that it would not be ‘right’ for a disabled man to take part in the parade of athletes at the official opening of the Games by the King at Wembley. He had to watch from the stands with the other 85,000 spectators so as not to cause ‘embarrassment’.
At the 1950 Empire Games he won the bronze medal as cox of the English boat in the eights competition.
He died in a car accident in 1963.
Educated at Lynton House school in Holland Park, west London. Until the age of ten, Jack Dearlove was a gifted, sports mad youngster. However in 1922, aged 13, he was involved in an accident with a lorry which resulted in the amputation of his right leg. Determined not to stay in a wheelchair and unable to get on with an artificial limb, Jack taught himself to walk on crutches.
Jack coxed for Thames Rowing Club and in 1948, at the age of 37 and with 20 years of rowing behind him, he was chosen to cox the British Olympic eight, who went on to win a silver medal.
However he was informed that it would not be ‘right’ for a disabled man to take part in the parade of athletes at the official opening of the Games by the King at Wembley. He had to watch from the stands with the other 85,000 spectators so as not to cause ‘embarrassment’.
At the 1950 Empire Games he won the bronze medal as cox of the English boat in the eights competition.
He died in a car accident in 1963.
