Jennie Kammersgaard & Billy Butlin at the start of the race.

Butlin’s International Channel Swim, 1954. Jenny Kammersgaard & Sir Billy Butlin at the beginning of the race at Folkestone Beach.

Jenny Kammersgaard of Copenhagen; swims include Kattaget, Sealand to Jutland 1937. Baltic to Jutland 1937. Denmark to Germany 1938.

She was the first woman to swim the channel breast stroke. She made two successful swims, both Daily Mail, she was the last lady in both races – in 1950 she did 16hrs 27mins. She was the second women swimmer to finish and the last successful swmmer to finish. 15 swimmers failed. In 1951 she swam in 15hrs 38mins.

She swam two individuals in 1952, without success, and one in 1954, also a failure.

From the Sam Rockett Collection. A Black and White Photograph.