Given his passionate opposition to discrimination, he wanted to break into the man's world of river sport, by building a club for women.

However until 1946 the captaincy was restricted to female members in honour of the founding premise.

After his death in 1910 the club honoured his memory by celebrating 'The Doctor's Birthday' for many years.

Furnivall underwent a major refurbishment in 2009 creating the club's ergometer facility, the John Robbins Room.

and 'Sons' form a cluster with a close rivalry and subtly different emphases on age, gender and abilities within their squads.