Born in Ireland to a military family, Chris Barton was educated at St. Columba’s College, Dublin and Jesus College, Cambridge. Barton was a member of the Jesus College crew that won the Grand Challenge Cup at the 1947 Henley Royal Regatta and was a member of the Cambridge crew that won The Boat Race in 1948 against Oxford. The Cambridge crew that won The Boat Race in 1948 was also the runner-up behind the Thames Rowing Club crew at the 1948 Grand Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta but formed the backbone of the British 1948 Olympic eights crew that won the silver medal. After graduating from Jesus College with a B.A. degree, Barton got interested in agriculture and after a brief stint in Australia settled in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1966. His father Captain Derick Barton, represented Great Britain in modern pentathlon at the 1924 Olympics.
Great Britain