Baptista Pereira being presented by Mr. Long (duplicate)

Butlin’s International Channel Swim 1954. Mr. Long presenting Baptista Pereira with a certificate for his swim.

Photographs in the background include Ned Barnie on the left, Margaret Feather centre, and on the right Commander Gerald Forsberg, a famous long distance amateur who held the England to France channel record. The certificate was inscribed “Butlin’s International Cross Channel Swimming Race”.

Baptista Pereira won the Billy Butlin 1954 Cross Channel Swimming Race, winning in a time of 12hrs 26secs.

In the 1959 Butlin swim he was placed 3rd in a time of 13hrs 12mins. He also entered the 1955, 1956 and 1957 swims but was unable to start.

He set a new record for the Strait of Gibraltar in 5hrs 4mins in 1956 and he again set a new record of 4hrs 34mins.

From the Sam Rockett collection. Black and White Photograph.