Marine History Collection - Cogswell Rowing Belt

World’s Fastest Oarsman

Competitive rowing has long been a popular sport in Nova Scotia. And there was no one faster than George Brown, a fisherman from Herring Cove, Nova Scotia. He dominated the sport during the 1860s and 70s. In fact, he won this beautiful silver trophy belt so many times that it became his to keep. The belt was commissioned by Halifax alderman Charles Cogswell in 1858. It was made in England with additional decorative work by Halifax silversmith Julius Cornelius. If you have ever spent a cold day on or near the coastal waters of Nova Scotia, you’ll appreciate the motto wreathed in mayflowers: “We bloom amid the snow.”