Now here is a pub quiz question and a half — what is England’s longest running sporting event?

Despite what many would have you believe, it has nothing to do with a couple of universities racing each other up the river.

While that contest started in 1829, there is another which goes back even further, and it has strong ties to Gravesend.

Doggett’s Coat and Badge, a race along the Thames from London Bridge to Chelsea, began in 1715 and has been held every year since.

Author Rob Cottrell has now documented the race’s history in a new book.

“Thomas Doggett was an Irishman, a staunch Whig party member and — in recognition of George I coming to the throne in 1714 — held the first race in 1715,” he explained.

“Gravesend has a lot of history and a lot of people either do not know or do not care. We are trying to open people’s eyes.” - Rob Cottrell.

“People had to row from London Bridge to Chelsea, completely against the tide.”

The race, which Doggett insisted in his will should continue after his death in 1721, is competed in by six apprentice watermen and its history owes a lot to Gravesend.

The town was where George I first landed in England.

“Gravesend was the front door to London and watermen were the taxi drivers,” said Mr Cottrell. “The town has a lot of history and a lot of people either do not know or do not care. We are trying to open people’s eyes.”

Another motivation for the author was that so many of the race’s winners had been lost to history.

Mr Cottrell said: “Originally there were lots of gaps because history was not really recorded that well.

“Going back through old newspaper reports we were able to trace all the winners.”

The first winner was a man called John Opie, while the first winner from Gravesend was one George Webb in 1892.

A total of 16 watermen from Gravesend have won the race in its 300-year history and last year’s race was won by Swanscombe’s Louis Pettipher.

The prize for a first place finish is a traditional watermen’s red coat with a silver badge added, displaying the horse of the House of Hanover in honour of George I’s accession to the throne.

A modern day equivalent would be the taxi drivers of London getting together and organising a street race.

Thomas Doggett: Coat and Badge can be ordered from the author by sending an email to rjcindex@aol.com.

Copies are also available to borrow from both Gravesend and Northfleet library.