Joan Brunton with trainer Billy Kellingley, Mrs Huddlestone, and others

From left; Mrs Kellingley, Joan Brunton, Mrs Huddlestone, William Kellingley

Myrtle had one unsuccessful swim of the English Channel. It was England to France, 13th September 1929, time 21hrs 13 mins. During her swim she ate digestive biscuits, and fresh pineapple. She did this swim to raise money for her son’s education – he was 12 yrs. old. She was swimming for the Dover Gold Cup which, had she been successful, would have been given £1000 in prize money

She was the World Endurance swimmer; 61hrs 30mins in a pool, Sea swimming 55 miles in 32hrs 43mins 15secs. She held 6 World Records. She was the first person to swim the 20 mile Lake Tahoe in 1931, in 22hrs 53mins. She swam the Catalina Straits, 36 miles, in 20hrs 42mins. She was taught to swim in 1926, at the age of 30. She died at the age of 39 of heart disease. She was a widow.

William Kellingley was the Brighton one mile Champion, and the winner of the half mile Championship. He trained Millie Corson, Jabez Wolffe, etc. In 1924 he trained Miss  Lillian Harrison, an Argentine Distance Swimmer. Also, the Zittenfield twins, Frank Perks – who swam for ten hours in his France to England attempt, Mrs Myrtil Huddlestone – she swam for 21hrs 13mins England to France, she still had 7 miles to go to Cap-Gris-Nez. He also trained Edouard Bernat – swam for 15hrs from Shakespeare Beach, Captain George Morris, Miss Eva Morrison, and lastly George Brewster, who later swam in the 1950 Mail Race.

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