|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
| |
|
|
Online ExhibitionSwimming the Channel1950s heydayRaces and relaysThe fifties saw a growth in the popularity of swimming the channel and a number of races were organised. Relay swims were also popular. Started in 1950, it wasn't until 1954 that the first officially observed and timed relay swim was recorded by Folkestone Club. The rules for relay swimming include: only 6 members and no substitutions, swimmers swim in one hour legs; swimmers must rotate in the same order and enter the water behind the existing swimmer; and no pace-making is allowed. Races:1950: The Daily Mail First International Cross-Channel Race (24 contestants) 1951 Festival of Britain International Cross-Channel Race (sponsored by the Daily Mail) 1953 - 1959 Butlin International Cross-Channel race Since 1959 no race has since been sponsored. SummaryTom Blower 1937 - 1951A factory worker from Nottingham he made 3 successful swims. In 1937 he swam Cap Griz Nez to Abbots Cliff accompanied by the 'Lady Brassey' tug and piloted by Captain Pearson. In 1948 he swam from Archcliffe beach accompanied by Freddie Upton in his Walmer boat 'Sunbeam'. This made him the 2nd person to swim both ways. In 1951 he attempted to swim there-and-back leaving from St. Margaret's Bay but abandoned the return leg after 1 hour. In 1947 he became the first man to swim the Irish Channel. He died in Devon in 1955 aged 41. France to England: 4/8/1937 (success) England to France: 30/8/1948 (success), 11/9/1951(success) Elna Anderson 1946 - 1953Danish swimmer who made 5 failed attempts England to France: 2/8/1951 (failed), 14/8/1952 (failed) France to England: 17/9/1946 (failed), 27/7/1947 (failed), 6/8/1953 (failed) Daniel Carpio 1947 - 1951Peruvian who swam the Channel twice A solo swim in 1947, Cap Gris Nez to Abbots Cliff accompanied by Jack Burwill in 'June Rose'. His second success was in the 2nd Daily Mail Channel Race in 1951 (Festival of Britain Race). France to England: 4 and 5/9/1947 (success), 16/8/1951 (success) The Egyptians 1947 - 1955Each year Egypt sent a team of swimmers to live at Folkestone for the summer, training in the outdoor pool and making various attempts on the Channel. 1947: 1948 Hassan Abdel Rehim succeeds 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 Phillip Mickman 1948 - 1952RAF National Serviceman from Yorkshire. At age 18 he was then the youngest swimmer to swim the Channel and at age 21 was the youngest (and 4th ever) to have done the 'double', having swum both directions. He was trained by Temme. In 1949 he swam from Cap Gris Nez to Kingsdown and in 1952 from St. Margaret's Bay to Cap Blanc Nez. Both times accompanied by Jack Burwill. England to France: 23/8/1950 (failed), 28/7/1951 (failed), 14/8/1952 (failed), 21/9/1952 (success) France to England: 31/8/1948 (failed), 24/7/1949 (failed), 22+23/8/1949 (success) Shirley May France 1949 - 195017 year old American who made 3 failed attempts France to England: 6/9/1949 (failed), 8/8/1950 (failed), 22/8/1950 (failed) First Daily Mail Cross-Channel Race 22/8/195024 starters and 9 finished. The swimmers started at Cap Gris Nez. In order of finishing: Hassan Abdel Rehim, Egypt Failed:- Florence Chadwick 1950 - 1955Typist and swimming coach from California. 4 successes in 10 attempts. 32 years old when she became the first woman to swim from England to France in 1951, St. Margaret's Bay to Sangatte. This also made her the first woman to do the double as she had swum France to England in 1950 (Cap Gris Nez to South Foreland). Her 3 England to France swims each took the record for the fastest time, going from 16 hours 22 mins in 1951 to 13 hours 55 mins in 1955. On her last 3 successful swims she also attempted to swim there-and-back but gave up on the return legs. England to France: 10/9/1951 (success), 2/8/1953 (failed), 15/8/1953 (failed), 4/9/1953 (success) 15/8/1955 (failed), 23/9/1955 (failed), 26/9/1955 (failed), 12/10/1955 (success) France to England: 26/7/1950 (failed), 8/8/1950 (success) Sam Rockett 1950Was one of 9 finishers out of 24 competitors in the 1st Daily Mail International Channel Race of 1950, Cap Gris Nez to England, 22/8/1950 (and 1st Briton home). Accompanied by 'Rose Marie' piloted by Joe Mercer of Deal. Wrote book 'It's Cold in the Channel' published by Hutchinson 1956. Technical Adviser to Daily Mail for 1951 Race and swimmer trainer. At same time appointed Manager of Folkestone Swimming Pool, HQ of Channel Swimming Association Eileen Fenton 1950 - 1955A 21 year old English and Divinity Teacher when she swam Cap Gris Nez to England in 1950 in the 1st Daily Mail Channel Race. She was one of 9 to finish out of 24 competitors and won ,1000 as the first woman home, landing at Dover beach. Successful on her first attempt she had 2 more failures. France to England: 22/8/1950 (success), 16/8/1951 (failed), 15/8/1955 (failed) Antonio Abertondo 1950 - 1961Argentinean who made 5? attempts, only failing his first time. His 4 successes were in the 2 Daily Mail and the Butlins races of 1950, 51 & 54 and in 1961 when he became the fist man to swim both ways non-stop (4 minute break) . France to England: 7/8/1950 failed, 22/8/1950 success, 28/7/1951 success, 21/8/1954 success Two-Way Double: 1961 success 2nd Daily Mail Cross Channel Race 16/8/195120 entrants. Sam Rockett was the supervising trainer, based at the Folkestone open air pool. The Egyptians refused their prizes on the grounds that the Daily Mail had slandered the King of Egypt. In order of finishing; Failed: Kathleen Mayo (Mayoh) 1951 - 195220 year old Bolton factory girl when she swam Sangatte to East Wear Bay in 1952. She was 1 of 3 successful swimmers on the 15th August 1952. She won the first Butlin International Channel Race in 1953 despite not finishing for she was less than a mile short and no else finished. England to France: 26/8/1953 (failed) France to England: 27/7/1951 (failed), 15/8/1952 (success) Abdel Latif Abdu Heif 1951 - 1955A 22 year old student from Egypt in 1951 when he was the only one of a team 6 Egyptians to swim the Channel, Cap Gris Nez to Fan Bay. He joined the Egyptian Coastguard and made 2 more crossings. In 1953 he was first leg in a successful Egyptian Relay attempt, England to France, but when his leg was over Heif carried on to gain another personal success as well. In 1955 he was one of 4 out of 16 to finish the Butlins Cross Channel Race, Cap Gris Nez to England. England to France: 2/8/1953 (success) France to England: 28/7/1951 (success), 15/8/1955 (success) Marilyn Bell 1955
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Conditions of use The contents of this site, including all images and text, are for personal, educational, non-commercial use only. The contents of this site may not be reproduced in any form without the permission of Dover Museum.
Home | About | News | Events | Education Service | Friends
Market Square, Dover, Kent, CT16 1PB Tel: 01304 201066 Fax: 01304 241186 E-mail: museumenquiries@dover.gov.uk
Copyright Dover District Council |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
