Charles Burnell

Charles Burnell, who was educated at Eton and Magdalen College, Oxford, is one of the select group who have rowed in the winning crew in the Boat Race on four occasions (1895-98). As a member of the Leander crew he also won the Grand for four consecutive years (1898-1901) and was a three-time winner of the Stewards’ at Henley. Serving as a captain in the Rifle Brigade, Burnell won a DSO in 1918 and, after the war, rejoined the family firm of stockbrokers in the City. He was Chairman of the Wokingham Rural District Council for 35 years and was awarded the OBE in 1954 for Public Service in Berkshire. Both his son, Richard “Dickie” Burnell (1939) and his grandson, Peter (1962), rowed in the Boat Race, with the former also winning an Olympic gold medal in 1948.