Mrs Clemington Corson on Cap-Gris-Nez Beach with Lily Cannon

Mrs. Clemington Corson on Cap-Gris-Nez beach, greased and ready to start on her great swim, recieving best wishes from Miss Lilly Cannon, a Channel Swimming aspirant. Also in the photograph is W. Kellingley, her trainer

Cannon had one unsuccessful attempt on 23 Aug 1926. She swam for 2hrs 40mins.

Clemington Corson was the second lady to swim the Channel. She was an American and a mother of two children.

In 1926 she swam from France to England in a time of 15hrs 23minutes.

Millie made two unsuccessful attempts on the Channel. The first unsuccessful, was England to France, and she swam for 14hrs 30mins – she was two miles off France, at Sangatte.

The second swim she was successful; she swam from France starting at Cap-Gris-Nez and finished at Shakespeare Beach, her time was 15 hrs and 28mins, on the 27th. August 1926.

She again attempted to swim from England to France. Starting from the South Foreland she swam for 9hrs 40mins. She was 4 miles from France.

William Kellingley was a leading figure in long distance swimming. He was the Brighton one mile Champion, and the winner of the half mile Championship. He trained Millie Corson and Jabez Wolffe, in 1924 he trained Miss Lillian Harrison, an Argentine Distance Swimmer, the Zittenfield twins, and Frank Perks who swam for ten hours in his France to England attempt.

He also trained 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, who swam for 15hrs from Shakespeare Beach, Captain George Morris, Miss Eva Morrison, and lastly George Brewster, who later swam in the 1950 Mail Race.