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Captain Webb aged 27 at the time of his Channel swim.
Captain Matthew Webb was born in Dawley in
Shropshire in 1848. He had first come to public attention
in April, 1873 by reason of his fearless act in jumping from
the deck of the fast moving Cunard Liner ‘Russia’ in response
to a cry of “man overboard.” It was midnight, the ship was
in mid Atlantic, running before a furious gale, and Webb’s
leap looked like a leap to certain death. A boat was lowered,
and after three-quarters of an hour’s search, Webb was picked
up. He had been unable to save the sailor’s life but in 1874
he was awarded the Stanhope Gold Medal for exceptional bravery,
and was the first recipient of this medal.
Webb’s link with Dover came in 1875 when
he became the first person to swim the English Channel. His
first attempt on 12 August ended in failure, due to his being
carried more than nine mile off his course by the strong current.
Webb made his next attempt on 24 August, diving from the Admiralty
Pier a few seconds before 1 p.m. and reaching Calais at
10:41 a.m. the next day. He had been in the water for nearly
22 hours and had swum 40 miles rather than 22, having been
carried off course by strong currents.
Covered with a protective layer of porpoise
grease, the 27 year old Webb was accompanied by a support
boat, which provided him with nourishment while he remained
in the water. During his 22 hours in the water he kept up
his strength with doses of cod-liver oil, beef tea, brandy,
coffee and strong old ale. He used the breast stroke almost
exclusively, averaging twenty strokes per minute.
Webb died less than eight years later, drowning
in an attempt to swim the Niagara Falls in July 1883. In July
1910 a memorial to Webb was unveiled on Dover Sea
Front.
The memorial to Captain Webb in its original position
on Clarence Lawn in front of the Burlington
Hotel.
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