Founded by James Stewart, a prominent sawmiller "the main reason for forming the new club was to enable ‘working men’ to take part in aquatic sports".

In this boat the crew of H Woods (stroke), J Walker (3), William Hearn (rower) (2), M Moore (bow) won the Interprovincial Championship of New Zealand in 1876, and H Woods (stroke), J Walker (3), J McGrath (2), William Hearn (rower) (bow) won in 1877.

Later in 1889, due to ongoing harbour reclamations, the clubhouse was moved "some little distance seaward"[3] to its site just north of Jervois Quay.

Built in 1894 to a design by Frederick de Jersey Clere, the building was built as a base for the Wellington Naval Artillery Volunteers, a response prompted by a Defence report in 1884 that recommended strengthening Wellington's harbour defences to help prevent a possible Russian invasion.

After a short stay, the Free Ambulance moved into its new purpose-built home (now St. John Heineken Hotel).

George Lauchlan was the manager of the famous 1925 New Zealand eight that travelled to Australia and won the New South Wales Championship.

Today the Sir Bernard Freyberg Cup is allocated to the champion single sculls at the New Zealand National Club Championships.

In 1967 the New Zealand "All Blacks" crew, including WRC members Pete Delaney (Bow), Graeme Shaw (2), Tom Just (3), John Hunter (5) and Alan Boykett (cox), won the first FISA North American Championships, St. Catharines, Canada, and the USRowing National Championships, Philadelphia.