From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Ran Laurie
Ran Laurie
Ran Laurie Laurie rowed for Cambridge in the Boat Races in 1934,
1935 and 1936, all of which were won by Cambridge. He
Born William George Ranald Mundell Laurie was in the boat with Jack Wilson, who was to become
4 May 1915(1915-05-04)
Grantchester, Cambridgeshire, England his rowing partner later in their careers. At the 1936
Olympics, he rowed as Stroke in Great Britain’s eight, the
Died 19 September 1998(1998-09-19) (aged 83) team eventually finishing in fourth place. Together, Lau-
Hethersett, Norfolk, England
rie and Wilson, rowing for Leander Club won the Silver
Nationality British Goblets at Henley Royal Regatta in 1938.[3]
After war interrupted their rowing careers, Laurie
Occupation Physician
and Wilson returned to Henley in 1948, once again win-
Religion Presbyterian ning the Silver Goblets. This was followed a month later
Spouse Patricia Laidlaw (m. 1944–1989)
by a gold medal in the coxless pairs event at the 1948
«start: (1944)–end+1: (1990)»"Marriage: Olympics in London, rowing on their familiar Henley
Patricia Laidlaw to Ran Laurie" Location: course.[4] It was described by Laurie as "the best row we
(linkback://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ ever had". Laurie and Wilson were the best pair of their
Ran_Laurie) generation, and it was not until a young Steve Redgrave
Mary Arbuthnot (m. 1990–1998)
«start: (1990)–end+1: (1999)»"Marriage: Mary
and Andy Holmes won the Olympics in 1988 that Britons
Arbuthnot to Ran Laurie" Location: once more excelled in this class of boat. Laurie and Wil-
(linkback://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ son were known as the "Desert Rats" because of their so-
Ran_Laurie) journ in the Sudan. They were trained at Leander Club
Children 2 sons, 2 daughters by Alexander McCulloch who won a Silver medal at the
1908 Olympics. Their boat is now on show at the Riv-
er and Rowing Museum at Henley-on-Thames, hanging
Olympic medal record
above the boat that won the 1996 Summer Olympics with
Competitor for United Kingdom Redgrave and Pinsent.[5]
Laurie was elected a steward of Henley Royal Regatta
Men’s Rowing
in 1951, and also served as a Henley umpire. He sat on
Gold 1948 London Coxless Pairs Henley’s management committee between 1975 and
1986.[6]
William George Ranald Mundell Laurie (4 May 1915 – 19
Laurie,
September 1998), known as Ran Laurie was a British
physician, rowing champion and Olympic gold medallist.
Colonial and medical career
His younger son is the actor and writer Hugh Laurie. Laurie joined the Sudan Political Service in 1936. In 1954
he qualified as a medical doctor, working for thirty years
Rowing career as a General Practitioner in Blackbird Leys, Oxford. He al-
so chaired the Oxford Committee of The Duke of Edin-
Ran Laurie was born in Grantchester, Cambridgeshire in burgh’s Award between 1959 and 1969, and the Oxford
1915. A member of Leander rowing club, Laurie began his branch of Save the Children from 1986 to 1989.[5] In 2005,
rowing career at Monkton Combe School,[1] and contin- it was proposed that the newly-refurbished health centre
ued rowing when he attended Selwyn College, Cambridge in Blackbird Leys be named after Laurie in recognition
in 1933 where he was a member of the Hermes Club. of his service to the local community;[7] however, it was
A. P. McEldowney, the chronicler of Selwyn rowing subsequently named The Leys, after the local area, when
and founder of UL Boat Club said of Laurie: "This year it opened in February 2006.[8]
(1933) there arrived at Selwyn a Freshman who was not
only the most famous oarsman Selwyn ever had, but also
one of the most famous Great Britain ever had — WGRM
Personal life
Laurie. And we can truly claim him as a Selwyn oarsman. Ran Laurie was married to Patricia Laidlaw from 1944 un-
He had always told me he learnt all his rowing from Taffy til her death from motor neurone disease in 1989; both
Jones at Monkton Combe School. And where but Selwyn were members of their local Presbyterian church. They
did Taffy learn his rowing?"[2] had two daughters and two sons, the younger of whom
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Ran Laurie
is the actor and writer Hugh Laurie. Both sons followed http://www.regatta.rowing.org.uk/
in their father’s footsteps, rowing for Selwyn College and 113-laurie.html. Retrieved 1 April 2009.
Cambridge University.[1] Ran Laurie married Mrs Douglas [7] "Minutes of Oxford City Council South East Area
Ernest Arbuthnot, (Evaline) Mary Arbuthnot, née Morgan Committee meeting". 10 October 2005. pp. Page 7).
in 1990 in Norfolk.[9][10] He died from Parkinson’s in 1998 http://www.oxford.gov.uk/files/meetingdocs/
at the age of 83.[5] 30791/item%2024.pdf.
[8] "Health centre opens its doors".
See also Archive.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk. 1 February 2006.
http://archive.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk/2006/2/1/
• List of Cambridge University Boat Race crews 90885.html. Retrieved 1 April 2009.
[9] Marriages and Deaths England and Wales
References 1984-2006
[10] http://www.kittybrewster.com/members/k_2.htm
[1] ^ "Old Alliances: Selwyn and Monkton". The descendants of Sir William Arbuthnot, 1st Bt
Bluefriars.org.uk. http://bluefriars.org.uk/news/ Persondata
2002/selwyn.htm. Retrieved 1 April 2009.
[2] "Old Alliances". Bluefriars.org.uk. Name Laurie, Ran
http://bluefriars.org.uk/news/2002/selwyn.htm. Alternative
Retrieved 1 April 2009. names
[3] Henley Royal Regatta Results of Final Races Short descrip-
1839-1939 tion
[4] Olympic profile Ran Laurie
Date of birth 4 May 1915
[5] ^ Christopher Dodd (10 October 1998). "Obituary:
Dr Ran Laurie". The Independent. Findarticles.com. Place of birth Grantchester, Cambridgeshire, Eng-
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/ land
mi_qn4158/is_19981010/ai_n14193767. Retrieved 1 Date of death 19 September 1998
April 2009. Place of death Hethersett, Norfolk, England
[6] Christopher Dodd (November 1998). "Obituary: Last
of the Desert Rats". Regatta.rowing.org.uk.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ran_Laurie&oldid=444350421"
Categories:
• 1915 births
• 1998 deaths
• Alumni of Selwyn College, Cambridge
• British medical doctors
• British Presbyterians
• English rowers
• Members of Leander Club
• Old Monktonians
• Olympic gold medalists for Great Britain
• Olympic rowers of Great Britain
• People from Cambridgeshire
• People from Oxford
• Rowers at the 1936 Summer Olympics
• Rowers at the 1948 Summer Olympics
• Stewards of Henley Royal Regatta
• Deaths from Parkinson's disease
• Sudan Political Service officers
• Olympic medalists in rowing
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