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Johnson, John Baptist - 24/08/1872
Description
START 10 40 am. FINISH 11 45am. TIME; 1h 05m. umped from the Palmerston Steamer, at the end of Admiralty Pier. Breast stroke, Side stroke. Food; Beef tea
Swimmer(s)

Johnson, John Baptist
Date
24/08/1872
Duration of swim
01:05
Notes
On Board; Peter Johnson (Brother), Mr Collard
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Webb, Captain Matthew -12/08/1875
Description
Start 4:59 pm Aug 12th. Finish 12:00 midnight. Time 7.02. E-F. Admiralty Pier to 3 miles SSE of East Goodwin Lightship - about 10 miles. Food; Coffee. Ale. Beef Tea. Cod liver oil. Roast beef. Breast stroke 24 per min, with some side stroke.
Swimmer(s)

Webb, Captain Matthew
Date
12/08/1875
Duration of swim
06:59
Pilot
George Toms, Mate James Bowles
Pilot boat
Lugger Ann and and two rowing boats
Notes
Start at begining of flood tide. Rough conditions and many on board sick; some found difficulty taking niotes in the conditions with just the light of a tallow candle. At 10:05 the wind changed and rain came, during which they lost sight of Webb and his row boat. At 11:45 Webb called out 'it is no use going on, there is too much sea'. A few minutes later he sprang out of the water as if nothing had happened, as strong as ever. The wind was now whistling through the rigging. On board; James Bowles (mate), A.G. Payne and H.F. Wilkinson (referees from Ilex Swimming club), H. Ward (Webb's cousin), Charles 'Boy' Baker (swimmer/lifeguard) age 16
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Holmes, Frank - 08/09/1898
Description
START: 9:53 am. Sept 8th 1898. FINISH: 7:00pm. TIME: 9h 07m. E-F. Temp 66°f. Breast stroke, 30 spm. Admiralty Pier, from back of boat to 6 – 7miles from France, abandoned due to fog and wind
Swimmer(s)

Holmes, Frank (Francis)
Date
08/09/1898
Duration of swim
09:07
Pilot
W. Bingham with W. Burvill, W. Cole, Dover Boatmen.
Pilot boat
Princess, lugger
Notes
6-7 miles short. No Grease or goggles. A light Pugaree cap to protect his neck. Swam naked. Food; Hot Sterilized milk, Beef steak minced very fine, a little bread, mince meat, and a pear. He was a total abstainer. Used Pigeons for news dispatch. On board; Howard Holmes (brother) and a Dover Correspondent. Frank spent previous summer in Dover; he went home without making an attempt.
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Holmes, Frank - 18/08/1899
Description
Started Dover 6 am Friday morning. Strong north-westerly wind sprang up. Had posponed 3 am attempt on Thursday 17th whilst on shore due to Pilot's assessment of conditions
Swimmer(s)

Holmes, Frank (Francis)
Date
18/08/1899
Duration of swim
?
Pilot
W. Bingham
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Number of crossings

One Way Swim (644)
Holmes, Frank - 24/07/1900
Description
START: 4:15am. July 24th 1900. FINISH: 9:05am. TIME: 4h 50m.E-F. 60°f . Admiralty Pier, swam to 14 miles of France. Breast stroke
Swimmer(s)

Holmes, Frank (Francis)
Date
24/07/1900
Duration of swim
04:50
Pilot
W. Bingham with boatmen Cole, Saunders & Burvill.
Pilot boat
Princess, lugger
Notes
14 miles from France. He dove off the Lugger Princess at the end of Admiralty Pier. He wore no clothing of any kind. Food; Rice and Beef Tea. On board; Mr C. P. Barnett and Mr Evans (friends)
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Holmes, Frank - 28/08/1902
Description
START: 5:29am. Aug 28th 1902. FINISH: 10:59am.. TIME: 4h 30m. E-F. Temp 61°f. From end of Prince of Wales Pier, swam 6 miles. Breast stroke.
Swimmer(s)

Holmes, Frank (Francis)
Date
28/08/1902
Duration of swim
04:30
Pilot
W. Bingham with Boatmen Burwill and Hook
Pilot boat
Unknown Lugger
Notes
Food; Boiled milk with whipped eggs, Cold rice. Swam naked. Sickness and cramp, sun stroke. On board; his Brother Howard Holmes and Professor Bibbero.
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Holbein, Montague 'Monty' - 02/09/1903
Description
START 6 43pm Sept 1. FINISH Sept 2 12 10pm. Langdon Bay - 8 miles from France (4 miles at 8 00pm). Temp 63’f . Side stroke, 22 Strokes per min and back stroke. Grease; Porpoise Oil and Beeswax. Food; Chicken sandwiches, Virol, Raw eggs, Bovril, brown sugar sandwiches, Chicken Sandwiches. Supplied by his wife and her sister Miss Farley. Hot milk given in a feeding bottle or small teapot. Skull cap of canvas, a canvas mask, glass goggles fixed on with Colloidal.
Swimmer(s)

Holbein, Montague 'Monty'
Date
02/09/1903
Duration of swim
17:27
Pilot
Capt. Sharp, Capt Lambert, Pilot Fred May
Pilot boat
Granville tug with Lady Vita plus two feeding rowboats Shamrock, and Earl of Zetland
Trainer
Charles Newman
Notes
On board; Mr Charles Newman (trainer and advisor on the swim), Dr Charles Murphy (Dover swimming club), Mr Walpole Hillier, Mr Fred May, Mr H D Faith (Otter swimming club), Mr Moeb (president of the Paris swimming club), Mr Frank Shortland, Mr Harry Hetherington, Mr George Nix, Mr George Gray (London Swimming Club), W. Broad (Dover S.C.) and others well known in the sporting world.
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Holbein, Montague 'Monty' - 21/08/1904
Description
START 4 32pm. Aug 20. FINISH. 2 35am Aug 21. Danger rock, Lydden Spout - 10.03 miles out. Side stroke 25 to 30 per min. Food; Cocoa. Bovril. Peppermint. Beef sandwich. Veal sandwich. Sugar sandwich. Chocolate. Temp 62’f. to 60’f. Grease; Beeswax, Porpoise oil, and Resin. Mask with celluloid eye pieces. Colloid linen skull cap. Seized by sickness and diarrhoea after 10 hours.
Swimmer(s)

Holbein, Montague 'Monty'
Date
21/08/1904
Duration of swim
10:03
Pilot
Pilot B. Foster. With Capt F. C. Groves Trinity Pilot, Capt Anning' Fred May.
Pilot boat
Scotia tug
Trainer
Charles Newman
Notes
Sponsored by Daily Mirror. On board; his wife and her sister Miss Fairley who organized the Feeding, Mr C Newman his trainer, Mr Fred May, Mr Shorland, Mr P Nix, J Warburton, Professor Bates, Mr Moebs (President of the Paris swimming club), Mr Black, Mr Walpole Hiller, Dr Rose, Dr Murphy, also a number of press men and seven or eight swimmers who were to take a spell with Holbein; G Grey, W Booth (London Cygnus S.C.), S Faith and S. L. Peters (London Otter S.C.), W Broad (ex captain Dover S.C.), F Record and E Duffy (Medway S.C.), W Holmes (Champion London Polytecnic S.C.), C Grinstead (Champion of Worthing and Zephyr S.C.), F H Naylor (Hornsey S.C), as well as several French sportsmen.
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Greasley, S. W. - 21/08/1904
Description
START 7 25am. FINISH. 8 55am TIME. End of Admiralty pier. Too cold and cramps. Temp 62. Grease; Beeswax, Porpoise oil, Resin.Wore no mask. Stroke; Overhand side stroke, 35 per min.
Swimmer(s)

Greasley, Samuel Wilson
Date
21/08/1904
Duration of swim
01:30
Pilot boat
Iona
Trainer
Walter Brickett
Notes
Sponsored by Evening News. On board; Dr Rose
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Weidman, Jack (John Albert) - 07/09/1904
Description
START 6 05pm. FINISH. 11 15pm. Lydden Spout - South Goodwins. Grease; Porpoise Oil, Tallow, Resin. Food; Hot Milk, Bovril, Chocolate and Raw eggs. Temp 62’f 58’f. Pulled out with severe cramp. Breast stroke, 37 strokes per min. 1 hour 40 mins before high tide. Sun hat. No goggles.
Swimmer(s)

Weidman, Jack (John Albert)
Date
06/09/1904
Duration of swim
05:10
Pilot
Capt Arthur Pearce and Capt. Pascall
Pilot boat
Gnat tug and two rowboats
Trainer
Professor Bibbero & Wauchope Watson
Notes
On board; Professor Bibbero and Mr Wauchope Watson, McKeen, Dr Murphy (Medical officer Dover swimming club), Mr Victor Mansell (Ex Secretary A. S. A.), Press representatives and friends.
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Heaton, Edward 'Ted' - 26/07/1905
Description
START 7 40am. FINISH. 1 37pm Admiralty Pier - swam 6 miles. Side stroke, 28 spm. Dense fog. Very sick. Temp 62 - 63'f
Swimmer(s)

Heaton, Edmund Caunce Nowell 'Ted'
Date
26/07/1905
Duration of swim
05:57
Pilot
Capt Foster, Capt Simmons.
Pilot boat
Champion tug and two rowboats
Trainer
J. Harrison
Notes
Time given as 6h 30m in Across the Straits. He wore a mask and goggles and the racing colours of Colonel W. H. Walker M.P, vice president of the swimming committee. At 11am Burgess swam with him for 1hr. At about 1 45pm a French mail package Steamer hove in sight, the paddle wheel narrowly missed Heaton’s head by two feet. The tremendous wash of the Steamer caused Heaton to ship a great deal of sea water. 10 mins later he said to Mr W. H. Carter M.A., who was steersman on the feeding boat, “I feel very ill”. With this Mr Carter clutched his wrist so ending the swim. The crew used pigeon post to report progress. His father, Dr Long, Frank Sugg (Lancashire cricketer), Mr J Harrison (trainer), Mr Wauchope Watson, T. William Burgess, on board.
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Holbein, Montague 'Monty' - 24/08/1905
Description
START 3 54am. FINISH 11 15am. Lydden Spout - swam 16 miles. Grease; Beeswax, Porpoise oil. Food; Bovril, Chocolate, Beef lozenges. Backstroke 20 s p m. Temp. 64 air 62. Wore a shield fitted with goggles, which nearly covered his head. He was carried on to the Varne and had to retire. He had 6 French and English fishermen who new the force of the currents to advise him.
Swimmer(s)

Holbein, Montague 'Monty'
Date
24/08/1905
Duration of swim
07:21
Pilot
Fred May with Captain abbott
Pilot boat
Florida tug
Notes
On board; Mrs Holbein, her sister Miss Fairley, Mr Walpole Hiller (Sheffield swimming club), Mr Percy Nix and Mr Fred May (cyclist), W G Randall (Otter swimming club), Mr H D Faith, Mr Duffy (Medway swimming club) and others.
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Mew, Horace - 24/08/1905
Description
START 7 08am. FINISH 1 30pm. Price of Wales Pier - swam 11 miles, to Varne shoal. Grease; White Lard. Side stroke, 31 per min. He hit rough conditions over the Varne shoal. Temp 64'f. Celluloid reading shade. Rubber Cap. Food; Hot milk, Bovril, Chocolate, Sanatogen.
Swimmer(s)

Mew, Horace
Date
24/08/1905
Duration of swim
06:22
Pilot
Capt. John Burwill. William Burwill, John Bingham.
Pilot boat
Spartan lugger
Notes
On board; T Flux, W Russell of Shanklin, Mr Oliver Jones, son of Mr Bavington Jones who was with Webb when he made his successful swim, George Harding, Whorwell.
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Mew, Horace - 24/07/1906
Description
START 2 26am. FINISH. 10 30am. Shakespeare Beach - swam 10 ½ miles. Grease; Lard, Beeswax, Collodian. Food; Chocolate, Sterilized Milk, Preserved chicken breasts, Raw eggs. Temp varied between 53 and 59’f. Underarm side stroke, 32 to 34 per min. High water 1. 21am. Spring tide.
Swimmer(s)

Mew, Horace
Date
24/07/1906
Duration of swim
08:04
Pilot
Edward McKeen, Capt Mason
Pilot boat
Liberia tug
Trainer
Wauchope Watson
Notes
His father, Weidman, Burgess and 25 others on board. Attempt for the Alexander Challenge Cup.
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Mew, Horace - 28/08/1906
Description
START. 4 58am. FINISH. 11 34am. West Bay Beach - halfway across Food; Hot Chocolate, Chicken. Temp 62’f. Swallowed a lot of water. Left arm under, side stroke.
Swimmer(s)

Mew, Horace
Date
28/08/1906
Duration of swim
06:36
Pilot
W. Bingham & Jack Weidman
Pilot boat
Spartan lugger
Notes
West Bay
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Heaton, Edward 'Ted' - 05/08/1907
Description
START 8 55am. FINISH. 6 57pm. Lydden Spout - 4½ miles off C.G.Nez. 58’f to 59’f. Food; Bovril, Cocoa, Milk, Cream, Black Grapes, Sandwich. Grease; Lard. Left arm over, 26 per.min., some Breast stroke. Mrs Heaton swam with him at times. Thick Fog. Swim cap made of silk in Colonel Walkers colours, Blue and White Check.
Swimmer(s)

Heaton, Edmund Caunce Nowell 'Ted'
Date
05/08/1907
Duration of swim
10:02
Pilot
Captain Foster and Sharp
Pilot boat
Lady Curzon tug
Notes
On Board; A. H. Whorwell and J. B. Whorwell. (Dover swimming club), Mr Gatehouse, Mrs Foster, Mrs Heaton
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Heaton, Edward 'Ted' - 31/08/1907
Description
START 5 30am. FINISH. 3 45pm. Lydden Spout - swam 8 miles. Temp 62’f. Side Stroke, some Breast stroke, 24 per min.
Swimmer(s)

Heaton, Edmund Caunce Nowell 'Ted'
Date
31/08/1907
Duration of swim
10:05
Pilot
Captain Sharp
Pilot boat
Lady Curzon tug
Trainer
Dr. Wauchope Watson
Notes
On board; Mr E Whitaker Heaton (his father), Mrs Heaton, Mr A. Ricketts, Dr Wauchope Watson in charge of the swim, Mr A Whorwell (Dover swimming club) and others. He was able to make this attempt through the kindness of Colonel Howard Walker M. P.
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Record, Fred - 11/08/1913
Description
Dover start - abandoned due to weather
Swimmer(s)

Record, Fred
Date
11/08/1913
Duration of swim
0:00
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Smith, Miss Lily - 21/08/1913
Description
Started St Margarets Bay 3.36 am. Pacemakers James Dean and Alfred Hudson. Swam 7.25 miles in 3.13 hours taken out 6.47 am exhausted and numb from cold south east of South Goodwin Lightship. Trudgeon stroke.
Swimmer(s)

Smith, Miss Lily
Date
21/08/1913
Duration of swim
03:13
Pilot
Harry Pearson of Walmer
Trainer
Walter Brickett
Notes
In rowboat were her fiance J.W. Dean of the Amateur Swimming Club, and Alfred Hudson of ASC. On motor launch pilot boat were her father J.G. Smith, sister Nellie, reporters and photographers
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Holbein, Montague 'Monty' - 22/08/1913
Description
START 12 37am. FINISH. 2 45am. West of St. Margaret’s - South Goodwin’s. Very Rough. Northerly wind. Temp 61’f. Leaking Goggles, causing severe pain.
Swimmer(s)

Holbein, Montague 'Monty'
Date
22/08/1913
Duration of swim
02:08
Pilot boat
Angus motor boat
Notes
Not in Across the Straights
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Holbein, Montague 'Monty' - 11/09/1913
Description
START 12 55am. FINISH 5 00am. South Foreland. Fresh South Westerly. Strong winds
Swimmer(s)

Holbein, Montague 'Monty'
Date
11/09/1913
Duration of swim
04:05
Pilot boat
Triton boat
Notes
Not in Across the Straights
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Hamilton, Mrs. Arthur - 01/09/1920
Swimmer(s)

Hamilton, Mrs. Arthur
Date
01/09/1920
Duration of swim
11:45
Pilot
Captain Porter of Ramsgate
Notes
Shakespeare Beach. Her pilot later stated she had only managed 1 hour
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Willing, Mrs. Hilda - 03/09/1920
Description
Start 12 noon. Finish 11.35pm. Shakespeare Cliff -8 miles off French coast (16 miles awum)
Swimmer(s)

Willing, Mrs. Hilda
Date
03/09/1920
Duration of swim
10:35
Pilot
Jack Weidman
Trainer
Jack Weidman
Notes
16 miles was the women's record for a Channel attempt. On board; father Mr Peckham and sister Mrs Ada Lewis
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)
Gleitze, Miss Mercedes - 19/09/1922
Description
START 7 40am. FINISH 8 35am. Shakespeare Cliff - very close to Admiralty Pier. Spring Tide. 20 miles per hour winds - she was being driven into the Pier. Breaststroke. Mercedes insisted on starting despite conditions.
Swimmer(s)

Gleitze, Miss Mercedes
Date
19/09/1922
Duration of swim
0:55
Pilot
H. Sharp
Pilot boat
Ocean King
Notes
On board; Mrs Sharp and Daily Sketch Reporter.
Success/failure

Failed (725)
Direction(s)

England-France (657)

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