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James Angus Gillan

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Olympic medal record
Men'srowing
Gold medal – first place 1908 London Men's coxless four
Gold medal – first place 1912 Stockholm Men's eight

SirJames Angus Gillan(11 October 1885 – 23 April 1981) was a Scottishrowerand colonial service official. He competed in the1908 Summer Olympicsand in the1912 Summer Olympics.[1]

Biography

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Gillan was born inAberdeen,Scotland, and was educated atEdinburgh AcademyandMagdalen College, Oxford.He rowed forOxfordin theBoat Racein 1907, but missed the 1908 race because of a severe attack of influenza. He also rowed for his college and the Magdalen Collegecoxless fourwon theStewards' Challenge Cupand theVisitors' Challenge CupatHenley Royal Regattain 1907 and 1908.[2] The Magdalen crew was chosen to represent Great Britainrowing at the 1908 Summer Olympics,and Gillan was in the four withCollier Cudmore,John Somers-SmithandDuncan Mackinnon.The crew won the gold medal for Great Britain and defeated a Leander crew.[3]Gillan rowed for Oxford again in the Boat Race in 1909.

In 1909 Gillan joined the Sudan Political Service, but returned on leave in 1911 and as a member ofLeander Cluband was in the crew that won theGrand Challenge Cupat Henley in 1911. He was home on leave again in 1912 and was member of the Britisheightwhich won the gold medalrowing at the 1912 Summer Olympicsin Stockholm. He was in the UK again in 1917 when he married Margaret Douglas Ord Mackenzie at Holy Trinity Church, Brompton.[4]

Gillan served in the Sudan for thirty years and became Civil Secretary in 1934. He was appointed aCMGin 1935 and aKBEin 1939.[5]AfterWorld War II,Gillan headed the Empire Division of theBritish Counciland played a major part in the organization of the1948 Summer Olympicsin London. In 1949 he left the Colonial Service and became the British Council representative in Australia until 1951. Back in England, he was chairman of theRoyal Overseas Leaguefrom 1955 to 1962.

Gillan died atLeigh, Surrey,at the age of 95.

See also

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References

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  1. ^"James Angus Gillan".Olympedia.Retrieved6 April2021.
  2. ^Henley Royal Regatta Results of Final Races 1839–1939Archived9 March 2012 at theWayback Machine
  3. ^Sports Reference Olympic Sports – Angus GillanArchived21 August 2011 at theWayback Machine
  4. ^Gillan, James A and Mackenzie, Margaret D O, September Quarter 1917, Kensington 1a 253
  5. ^Sir Angus Gillan, KBE, CMGThe Sudan: Past, Present and FutureAfrican Affairs 43:123–128 (1944)
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