Wateringbury favoured for cross-channel swim training (1903)

Post date: Jan 23, 2012 9:10:25 PM

The Burnley Express of 20th June 1903 was just one of a number of newspapers to report the training of Holbein in the Medway at Wateringbury

I see that Holbein, who last season had very hard luck, again means to have another try at swimming the Channel. For some seasons past Holbein has been taking lessons in style from Mr. C. Newman, the superintendent of the Westminster Baths, and that gentleman has effected considerable improvement. Holbein, who is a glutton for work, has had plenty of walking and cycling exercise, and is constantly having long soaks in the Medway, his favourite spot for training being Wateringbury. With ordinary good fortune Holbein ought to cross the Channel this time, now that he has elected to cross from the English side, as by starting from the Admiralty Pier, as did " Captain" Webb, he saves quite a mile of cross-sea swimming at the start.

Mathew Webb, the first person to swim the channel did so in 1875 on his second attempt. He started at Admiralty Pier in Dover.

Thomas Burgess was the second successful person, on his 16th attempt in 1911.

Holbein must have found conditions in the Channel somewhat different from the Medway at Wateringbury as he never succeeded. A cut he sustained at Wateringbury may have contributed to his problems, according to a later (29 August) report by the same newspaper:

Marenelli, the Italian long-distance swimmer has arrived at Calais in preparation for his attempt to swim across the Channel at the same time as Holbein. Both Montagu Holbein and Frank Holmes, who propose starting to swim from Dover to Calais on August 31 have arrived at Dover. Mr. Holbein has continued his training since he was last at Dover, when a succession of gales prevented him carrying out his projected cross-Channel swim. He has been taking some long swims in the Medway, and stated on Thursday that he always slackens down his training for the few days preceding the great effort requisite for the cross-Channel swim. He will only remain in the water about an hour between now and Monday, when he hopes the weather will be sufficiently settled to allow hrm to start. On Thursday the conditions were not propitious, there being a very strong southwesterly wind, and a high sea. Captain Brownfield, deputy harbour master, says that the tides in the Channel are now abnormally strong. Owing to the continued prevalence throughout this month of heavy gales, there is a faster run of tide, and the height of the tides is considerably above the normal, the varying gales bringing a great flow of sea from the North Sea and Atlantic. Holbein has quite recovered from the accident which befel him at Wateringbury, when he severely cut his foot on some broken glass. Mr. Chas. Newman, of the Westminster Baths, who is making all arrangements for the swim, said on Thursday night: " Holbein is as fit as can be, and with reasonable weather he predicts he will do it this time."

A postscript to this story comes in the Dover Express of 14 August 1936:

MONTAGUE HOLBEIN'S 18-MILE SWIM AT 74. Mr. Montague Holbein, the veteran long distance cyclist and Channel swimmer, who is now 74 years of age, last week swam the Thames, from Richmond Lock to London Bridge, a distance 18 miles, in 5 1/2 hours. The modern generation of athletes was unborn when Mr. Holbein first distinguished himself as runner, cyclist and swimmer. He was a pioneer of Channel swimming, although he never succeeded swimming across. He came nearest to success 1902, when he was compelled to give up little over a quarter of a mile from the English coast. For part of his training for his Channel attempts Mr. Holbein chose the Medway, doing his swimming at Wateringbury, where he became well known and very popular with swimmers from Maidstone, amongst others. Among his successes different fields of sport were the winning of the North Road 24 hours' cycle race for four successive years and the beating of 32 records on the cycle track. was owing to an accident, which made him lame, that Mr. Holbein took to the water for long distance swimming, which he found beneficial to his leg.

See also Wateringbury Hero for more about swimming and drowning in Medway at this time.