The club was founded in about 1837 and has since been successful both within Oxford college rowing and in external competitions such as Henley Royal Regatta.

The earliest surviving record of the boat club's existence are accounts for 1837, although evidence suggests it was founded during the early 1830s.

[1] It is said this victory led to Wadham's right to use Cambridge's blue-green for first VIII colours instead of its traditional light blue,[2] although this is debated.

After successful performances within Oxford and externally that year, the crew proceeded to win Head of the River in the first ever women's Summer VIIIs in 1976.

Frequent informal social events occur throughout the year including "Captains' Cocktails", "Presidents' Prosecco" and crewdates with other colleges.

The boat club has eight dynamic Concept2 ergometers in the Wadham College gym,[7] and eight static Concept2 ergs in its boathouse.