Online Exhibition - Swimming the Channel

Sam Rockett 1919 - 1989

Sam Rockett was one of nine finishers out of 24 competitors in the First Daily Mail International Channel Race of 1950, Cap Gris Nez to England, 22nd August 1950, and was the first Briton home. He was accompanied by the 'Rose Marie' piloted by Joe Mercer of Deal. Rockett was trained by Ted Temme who had swum the Channel in 1927 and 1934.

He wrote the still sought-after book 'It's Cold in the Channel' published in 1956. Appointed Technical Adviser and trainer to Daily Mail for the 1951 Race. At same time appointed Manager of Folkestone Swimming Pool, HQ of Channel Swimming Association. Also Technical Adviser and trainer for the Butlins races from 1952.

Born Walter Samuel Rockett in Milborne St. Andrew, Dorset 24/4/1919. Family moved to Poole in 1925. Died Folkestone 9/11/1989.

Sam was an ICI Plastics Division factory foreman, living at Mitcham, Surrey, at time of swim. He'd worked at ICI in Blackburn, Accrington and Darwen. He was a well-known water polo player , having played for counties of Dorset, Hants, Lancs, Herts & Middlesex. 2 children Gerald & Janet

He resigned from ICI Darwen (Lancs) to take up the position of Training Supervisor for the Daily Mail race of 1951 and Assistant Manager, Folkestone open-air swimming pool. The pool closed in 1959, but he continued as a trainer of Channel swimmers until about 1964. He had a number of successes including Godfrey Chapman and Antonio Abertondo, who, in 1961, the first man to swim both ways non-stop.

Dover Museum has been donated a superb collection of material relating to Sam Rockett. The collection includes hundreds of photographs and cuttings relating to channel swimming, including many with the signatures of swimmers. Also, it contains a massive amount of archive material relating to the Daily Mail and Butlins races, correspondence from some of the most famous swimmers of the day. Plus material relating to Rockett's various appearances and advice to BBC, press, and even Hollywood films.

A text catalogue of this picture collection is available online.

It is a remarkable collection of national importance relating to the Golden Age of Channel Swimming in the 1950's and 60's, when the swims were front page news in the papers, live on radio and TV, and shown on the Pathe newsreels in cinemas.

It has been donated to the museum by Sam's daughter, Janet Johnson of Sandgate, and her family. It will be held by the museum as 'The Sam Rockett Collection' as a memorial to the man who was so influential to Channel Swimming.

 These pages are based around the collection of Channel Swimming photographs held at Dover Museum. Many other swimmers have tried and succeeded at swimming the English Channel. This is not an exhaustive account of all attempts.