Rare to find athletic sports trophies from such an early date.

The tankard is silver plate and in generally good condition, although the plate around the inscription has worn.  It is 12.5 cm high, 10cm across the base, and weighs 370 grams.

The winner was Richard Forster (1845-90), whose entry in the Durham School Register says he was son of Alderman JH Forster of Durham. He was a mining engineer for the South Hetton and Murton Collieries. He was a member of Durham Amateur Rowing Club in the 1860s. 

There is a possible family connection to Charles W Alcock, the famous footballer and cricketer, whose mother was Elizabeth Forster.