Online Exhibition - Swimming the Channel
The Pioneers

Webb and before

Captain Matthew Webb is still remembered today as being the first person to swim unaided across the English Channel - a busy tidal channel between England and France - of around 22 miles width at its narrowest point between Dover (UK) and Cap Gris Nez (France).

But this was not the first attempt - and not even his first attempt.

J. B. Johnson

The first recorded attempt to swim the channel unaided was in 1872, by J. B. Johnson.
However it was abandoned after 1 hour 3 mins.

J. B. Johnson starting his channel swim attempt, 24 August 1872 (detail from line engraving, The Graphic, September 7, 1872).

Boyton's Channel Crossing.

The inventor Clark S. Merriman, in a bid to help sea-rescue, designed a life preserving suit, which was made from India rubber and was inflatable. This suit was tested by Captain Boyton of the New Jersey Life Saving Service, when he was dropped over the side of a steamer into the Irish sea, in a gale.

'The first single-handed crossing of the channel was picked as the next challenge to the suit. On 10th April 1875 he stepped into the water at Dover with only a double-bladed paddle and headed out to sea, followed by reporters in the steam tug 'Rambler'. For the crossing a 2foot square canvas was fitted as a sail into the left boot of the suit. On the way Boyton consumed a mixture of beaten eggs, a couple of cherry brandies and a cigar (but no solids). However, the crossing was eventually abandoned when the weather worsened and the pilot of the French boat became concerned for Boyton's safety, threatening to surrender all charge of his boat at darkness if Boyton failed to come aboard. Boyton did so only when he had made the reporters sign a declaration that the decision to quit was not his. Even so he made a doctor examine him to confirm he was still fit to go on. When he stepped aboard, Boyton had been in the water for 15 hours and had covered 50 miles. The stunt had achieved its aim, he had after all nearly completed the crossing and had proved the seaworthiness of the suit.

Engraving, Captain Boyton's successful demonstration of the Merriman life-preserving suit, 1875

Captain Matthew Webb

Captain Matthew Webb
Lithograph by Maclure and Macdonald, after a photograph by Lambert Weston and Son, 1875

Born at Dawley, Shrops. on 19th January 1848 he was killed attempting to swim Niagara Falls in 1883. On his swim he was accompanied by the Dover lugger 'Ann' piloted by George Toms and crewed by Dodd, Bowles, Jell, Gates, Decent and Stanley. Also on board were Webb's cousin G.H. Ward, Charles Baker the diver and pacemaker, and local journalists Bavington Jones, Warman, Payne and Wilkinson (also representing nationals) plus Bell, an artist for the Illustrated London News.

Webb was one of 12 children of Thomas(?) and Sarah Webb. His father was a Doctor and the family moved to Coalbrookdale after Matthews birth. He served a 3 year apprenticeship as a seaman with Rathbone Bros. of Liverpool and became a national hero after diving into the sea mid-Atlantic to rescue a man overboard whilst second mate on Cunard's 'Russia', travelling New York to Liverpool. Married at London 27/4/1880 to Madelaine Kate Chaddock. Two children, Matthew Jnr. and Helen.

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