Gilhead, Miss Connie

Constance (Cornelia) Gilhead 1907 – 1985

Although always called Connie, she used both Constance and Cornelia as her first name in official records

Born London 12 July 1907

Connie Gilhead, was a member of the North London Polytechnic Swimming Club and was a well-known long distance swimmer in the 1920s

Trained by Jabez Wolffe, she made attempts at swimming both the English and Irish Channels

After two failures with Wolffe in 1929 she switched to Walter Brickett for the 1930 season. She trained at Southsea under Brickett along with another Channel aspirant, Miss E. Mitchell. Both were members of the Excelsior Swimming Club in London. They came to Dover in August but neither managed any attempts that year.

In 1929 she is described as a stenographer in London. In 1931 she got a position as swimming bath attendant and instructress on the liner SS Majestic and in 1938 was swimming instructress on the Cameronia sailing Glasgow to New York. In 1939 she is living St. Marylebone and is listed as a waitress.