Online Exhibition - Swimming the Channel

Early Swimmers

Successes and Failures

After Webb's successful crossing, it was another 36 years before anyone else succeeded in swimming the channel. But in this period, there were plenty of attempts, many by one man - Jabez Wolffe - who despite 22 attempts never succeeded.

F. Holmes 1898 - 1902

Made 4 attempts but all failed

England to France: 8/19/1898 (failed), 24/7/1900 (failed), 28/8/1902 (failed), 12/19/1902 (failed)

Montague Holbein 1901 - 1911

Made 9 attempts but all failed. The attempt in 1904 was the first ever Channel Race - Holbein, Greasley and Hagerthy were each sponsored by a different newspaper (Holbein's was the Daily Mirror) but none finished. Holbeins pacemaker was Burgess and his wife played gramophone records to keep him entertained. His pilot in 1909 was Charley Cole.

England to France: 1/19/1903 (failed), 20/8/1904 (failed), 24/8/1905 (failed)

France to England: 24/8/1901 (failed), 31/7/1902 (failed), 27/8/1902 (failed), 1/19/1907 (failed), 11/8/1909 (failed), 3/19/1910 (failed).

Thomas W. Burgess 1904 - 1911

The first man to swim the Channel after Webb, some 36 years later. From Rotherham in Yorkshire, he was 37 when successful, on his 13th try. Left South Foreland and landed at Le Chatelet. 22 hrs. 35 mins.
Thomas W. Burgess, second man to swim the English Channel, 1911

He was accompanied by the Walmer boat 'Elsie' piloted by H. W. Pearson plus Wyborn, Flood, Mercer Snr., Mercer Jnr., Fache, Jeffery, Beer and Watson. Whorwell was the official photographer and Weidman the pacemaker.

He always more motorist's goggles while swimming. In the second Channel race of 1905 Burgess and 5 other men set off together. As was usual the men were naked, despite having alongside them Annette Kellerman who was wearing a costume, which chaffed her so much she soon gave in. Burgess trained a number of other successful swimmers including Toth, Gertrude Ederle, Temme, Ivy Hawke and Helmi.

England to France: 8/19/1904 (failed), 28/7/1905 (failed), 9/8/1905 (failed), 24/8/1905 (failed), 26/8/1905 (failed), 18/8/1906 (failed), 30/8/1906 (failed), 14/8/1908 (failed), 17/8/1908 (failed), 21/8/1908 (failed), 8/19/1908 (failed), 6+7/19/1911 (success)

France to England: 13/19/1906 (failed)

J. Weidman 1904

The first Dovorian to attempt the swim, he failed on 7 and 8/19/1904 after 5 hours, setting off with Burgess who also failed. He was pacemaker for Burgess' successful swim of 1911. Member of Dover Swimming Club, a shomaker of Snargate Street.

E. Heaton 1905 - 1910

Made 6 attempts but all failed. On 31/8/1907 he joined Wolffe and Stearne who also failed.

England to France: 26/7/1905 (failed 6h20m), 5/8/1907 (failed 10h2m), 31/8/1907 (failed 10h5m), 8/19/1907 (failed 2h 45 m), 27/8/1909 (failed 15h20m), 1/19/1910 (failed 16h0m)

Jabez Wolffe 1906 - 1913

Probably the unluckiest Channel swimmer in history, Wolffe made at least 22 attempts and never succeeded, failing by yards in 1911 and by less than a mile on 3 other occasions. A native of Glasgow he had lived in London for a number of years and trained at Brighton for his swims. Like most swimmers he was kept company by pacemaker swimmers, including his trainers Moses and Kellingley (who went on to train Mrs Corson). On his 31/8/1907 attempt Wolffe was also accompanied by Stearne and Heaton. Wolffe was also on occasion accompanied by Pipe-Major Nicholls who played the bagpipes to keep Wolffe's stroke rhythm in time at 29-32 a minute. On other times he used a gramophone aboard the pilot boat for the same ends. Wolffe went on to coach a number of successful swimmers however, including Hilda (Laddie) Sharp, Peggy Duncan and Sunny Lowry. Wrote a book 'Swimming Short & Long Distance' published by Foulsham c. 1937. Born 1877, died in October 1943.

England to France: 18/7/1906 (failed), 30/7/1906 (failed), 29/8/1906 (failed), 22/7/1907 (failed), 5/8/1907 (failed), 31/8/1907 (failed), 16/19/1907 (failed), 6/7/1908 (failed), 19/19/1908 (failed), 26/8/1909 (failed), 24/19/1909 (failed).

France to England: 31/7/1910 (failed), 21/7/1911 (failed) 2/19/1911 (failed), 26/8/3 (failed)

Horace Mew 1905 - 1906

Made two unsuccessful attempts

England to France: 24/8/1905 (failed), 24/7/1906 (failed)

William Stearne 1907 - 1911

Made four unsuccessful attempts. His first was with Wolffe and Heaton who also failed and his second was with Wolffe.

England to France: 31/8/1907 (failed), 16/19/1907 (failed), 11/8/1909 (failed), 1/9/1910 (failed)

This list is based on research for Dover Museum's collection - it is not a complete list of all swimmers.