Another Wash-out by W. Heath RobinsonTraining at home for the cross Channel swim with a man swimming suspended from a window with watering cans. Please note: Credit must appear as Courtesy of the Estate of Mrs J.C.Robinson/Pollinger
A Swimming Stroke of GeniusA simple device by which a cross channel swim may be rendered both easy and pleasant- not to mention luxurious. Please note
Advert for The Rolex Oyster waterproof wrist watch 1930Jabez Wolffe timing Miss Micky West for forth-coming attempt on Channel records. The most accurate wrist watch in the World made waterproof. Date: 1930
A cunning stroke by William Heath RobinsonA clever but unsportsmanlike contrivance to increase buoyance and prevent fatigue among Channel swimmers. A useful inflatable idea to help long-distance swimmers by the gadget king
Poster advertising Port Elizabeth, South AfricaPoster advertising Port Elizabeth, a holiday resort on the coast of South Africa. Two young women in swimsuits dip their toes in the sea
Cocktail Girls 1950S 3 / 4Two smiling, leggy young models enjoy a drink together at a cocktail bar. A towels is slunged nonchalantly over a bar stool. I hope they don t intend to drink & swim!
Front cover of The Bystander by BarribalTwo young ladies playing in the sea
Ladies Swim Contest 1905A ladies swimming contest on the river Thames, from Hampton Court to Richmond
Captain Webb 1875Captain Matthew WEBB is sustained with hot coffee during his first-ever Channel swim
Cartoon by George Studdy, part of his Fruity Fables series, showing a lady orange peeling off her skin down to a bikini. Credit should read
Boys Swimming, Training Ship Mercury, River Hamble, HantsBoys from the Training Ship Mercury swimming nude in the River Hamble. The Mercury, established in 1885 by the London philanthropist Charles Hoare
Alice in Wonderland, Alice in the Pool of TearsAlice in Wonderland -- Alice swims with various birds and animals in the Pool of Tears. Date: early 20th century
Major Metcalfe, Mrs F. Cripps, and Lady Alexandra MetcalfeEdward Dudley Metcalfe, MVO, MC, (16 January 1887 18 November 1957), known as Fruity Metcalfe, officer in the British Indian Army, a close friend and equerry of Edward VIII
British soldiers bathing in flooded shell hole by MataniaThe only advantage of the wet weather on the Western Front - a novel swimming bath used by British soldiers to bathe in. A scene captured at the front by The Sphere special artist, Fortunino Matania
Holidaymakers in the sea at Margate, Kent Date: circa 1910s
Endell Street Open Air Swimming PoolA view of the open air swimming pool in Endell Street, Holborn, London, on the site of Holborn Borough Councils Public Swimming bath which was pulled down in 1938 in preparation for the building of a
Nautilus Swim Club 1Fixture card of the Nautilus Swimming Club, a London club based at Camberwell Baths in south-east London. (see two subsequent items for their 1891 river picnic)
Advert for Beechams Pills 1887What are the Wild Waves saying ? Try BREECHAMs PILLS! 1887
Christmas morning swim in the SerpentinePage from the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News featuring various sketches of the Christmas morning swimming handicap in the Serpentine in Hyde Park
Advert for Beetham Larola suntan lotion 1940Sun tan without sun burn. To suntan becomingly yet without painful sunburn, the skin should always be bathed with larola. Exposure to sun
Sturgeon and CaviarSturgeon swim in the ocean, and their eggs are canned for the enjoyment of wealthy humans
Advert for the Macintosh Swimming Ring, 1926 Date: 1926
Advert for Gorringes womens bathing dresses & capes 1924Selection of womens exclusive bathing dresses with separate knickers and capes. Date: 1924
MYTTON / SHORT CUT HOMEJOHN MYTTON To win a bet that he could outride a friend this eccentric squire took a short cut through a lake despite the fact he couldnt swim. Date: 1796 - 1834
Advert for Gorringes womens bathing costumes 1927One piece swimsuits and separate tunics with knickers in a variety of styles in different colours and patterns and also rubber caps with flowers, available at Gorringes, Buckingham Palace Road
Woman drying herself after a dip in the sea outside her hutWoman drying herself with a beach towel after a dip in the sea In her trendy striped bathing costume) outside her hut which is named Burleigh after a village in Berkshire, England. Date: circa 1920s
Venetian Pools, Coral Gables, Florida, USASwimmers enjoying the Venetian Pools at Coral Gables, just south of Miami, Florida, USA. Date: 1952
Bathing Beach of the Royal Muskoka Hotel, CanadaChildren playing at the Bathing Beach of the Royal Muskoka Hotel, Canada, in and around the water and a canoe at the waters edge
Advert for Kleinerts Roxy watertight bathing caps 1948Wonderful to know that dive, swim under water, do-what-you-will, weraing a Roxy cap your hair just womn t get wet. Tucked away above a patent inner flange - a simple but perfect device that forms an
Bournemouth Sea FrontA crowded beach scene at Bournemouth. People sunbathe in deckchairs and swim in the sea
Webb in Mid-ChannelCaptain Webb nears the French coast in the first successful attempt to swim the English Channel
Seaside Bathing Machines early 1900s Date: circa 1900s
Kensington Public Baths London probably 1920s
Cover design, Do it yourself, July 1966 - a swimpool in your garden Date: 1966
Wolseley Workers in solariumWolseley Workers, women being treated with sun rays in the works ultraviolet solarium, wearing swim suits and goggles. The solarium was installed to counteract the lack of daylight for wartime shift
Photographs of bathers in costume, Venice LidoPhotographs of bathers in costume, and a bathing scene, Venice Lido, Italy. Captioned, Lead, oh lead me to the Lido. Venice-Super-Mare'. Date: 1911
Brass band playing to bathers Wannsee, Berlin, GermanyBrass band playing to bathers, in a lake at Wannsee, Berlin, Germany, outdoor scenic photograph. Captioned, Bathing to the band in Berlin
Advert for Bathing SuitsAn advert for the latest range of bathing suits available at Debenhams. Date: 1932
Summer fashion ideas for women: a plage suit with a lozenge-patterned jerkin, and two swimsuits. Date: 1954
Page of fashion adverts - June 1921Page of four fashion adverts for womenand children's clothing, from The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, June 1921
Prepare for the Holidays by William Heath RobinsonA man learning how to swim without water by correspondence from a college by letter. Date: 1919
Christmas Morning Swimming Handicap in Serpentine 1906Various scenes of the annual competition at Serpentine lake at Hyde Park, London on Christmas day morning. Date: 1906
Captain Matthew WEBB (1848 - 1883), who on 24 August 1875 was the first person to swim the English Channel Date: 1875
Two women taking their children for an early morning slash in the sea in Trouville. Date: August 1905
Comic postcard, Mother and daughter in the sea Date: 20th century
Mother of pearl divers attacked by a shark, Tahiti. Date: 1885
British Seaside Scene - Two woemn dry off after dip in seaTwo women (the one of the left would win a Princess Margaret lookalike Competition) dry off after a dip in the sea. Possible Daughter (left) and Mother (right)
The Aqua Theatre - Pier Approach Baths, BournemouthPerformers of the The BIG SPLASH of 1963 - The Aqua Theatre - Pier Approach Baths, Bournemouth - Synchronised Swimming Entertainment Show, starring Teddy Northcott and Johnny Carney. Date: 1963
