In his youth, William Windham was educated at England’s prestigious Bedford School before attending Cambridge University’s Christ’s College. It was here that he first demonstrated his aptitude for rowing, winning the 1947 and 1951 Boat Race and representing England in the eights at the 1950 British Empire Games, where he took home a bronze medal. He also competed in the eights at the 1950 and 1951 European Championships, earning bronze and gold respectively. His next stop was the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, where Great Britain was just pushed off the podium by Australia and placed fourth. Windham earned a bachelor’s degree from Cambridge in 1947 and a master’s in 1951. By career, he spent over three and a half decades with Guinness Brewing, but was involved in the administration of the Henley Royal Regatta for even longer. Between 1996 and 1997 he served as the High Sheriff of Powys in Wales.