Tom Chessell

Thomas Edmund Malcolm Chessell (1 April 1914 – 9 May 1992) was an Australian Olympic-level rower.

Birth and education

Tom Chessell was born in Ashfield, New South Wales, and attended Newington College (1929–1931) where he started rowing. As a cox he represented Newington at the Head of the River in the 2nd IV in 1930 and the 1st VIII in the following year.

Building career

Forced by the Great Depression to leave school, Chessell worked for his family's building company and studied building at Sydney Technical College.

He worked in the building industry all his life and was Chief Building Inspector for Ku-ring-gai Council on his retirement in 1975.

War service

At the outbreak of World War II, Chessell joined the RAAF as a carpenter/rigger serving in the Middle East for two and a half years and was mentioned in despatches. He returned to Australia to complete officer training and attained the rank of Pilot Officer. In 1945, shortly before war's end, he married.

Rowing career

After leaving school, Chessell joined Sydney Rowing Club. In 1952 he won the bronze medal as coxswain of the Australian boat in the eights event at the Helsinki Olympics.

Death

Having retired to Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Chessell died on Chevron Island, survived by his wife and two sons, Ian and Bruce. He was cremated and his ashes were spread on the Parramatta River by the 1952 Olympic VIII with Ian Chessell as cox.