A Point of View

In Search of the Missing Swimmers

By Margaret Ann Feather Dixon

Do other swimmers of my era realize that they have no accreditation in many lists for a mighty effort successfully completed? All because of the rules of a self-appointed association who insist that they are the guardians of the behaviour of marathon swimmers in one particular swim.

I learnt of this anomaly when my grandchildren were exploring the Internet and were quick to point out to me that my name was missing from the so-called lists of successful swims across the English Channel. It is apparent that any such information has originated from the Channel Swimming Association and they are blatantly incorrect. Concerned people are now endeavoring to compile a more complete record about this swim that is called the Blue Riband of marathon swimming.

When I knew of the existence of this misinformation I contacted the CSA and learnt that some of my swims in the Channel are on their records but my 1954 swim is not. So the swim in the 1950 Daily Mail race is probably recorded because the Race Marshall, Ted Temme, who swam the Channel in 1927/1934 and was also my trainer, must have been aware of 'rules' and had organized observers for the race. I later competed in the 1953 Butlin Race and have a CSA observer's log and at the time of the 1954 Butlin Race we were assured that everything was in order and had taken it for granted that the same conditions applied. It may be the case that the Race Marshall, Sam Rocket, considered that the race was under the banner of the ILDSF rules and this was sufficient recognition but one competitor took the added precaution of having a CSA official on board.

In Sam's book, It's Cold in the Channel, he lists eight successful swims in 1954, seven of which were in the Butlin Race, but according to the CSA only two swimmers were successful that year. Each of the seven swimmers received a certificate from the Borough of Folkestone stating Butlins Ltd had organized the International Cross-Channel Swimming Race, in conjunction with the International Long Distance Swimming Federation. One of the 'race' swimmers had ensured added authentication by having an official CSA observer and the others are now left out in the cold. Oh Sam, you were so right and it is cold in the Channel. Sam and Willy van Rysel as well as me were the swimmers in Temme's 'stable' in 1950 and although I swam for more than seventeen hours that year it was not a lucky swim.

A swimmer that I knew, Ishaq Helmi, was the first Egyptian to complete the crossing in 1928 and was nicknamed 'the first crocodile of Egypt' because of his prowess. However, the CSA had been formed in 1927 with very good intentions of keeping a check on people claiming to be successful across those turbulent waves and an official observer had not accompanied Helmi. When he understood that the association would not record his swim he argued for 3 weeks until they agreed to recognize it. Remembering this giant of a man I can imagine that he would have argued very forcibly.
This must surely have set a precedent for any future swimmer with genuine credentials and it should not be unreasonable to ask the CSA to at least include well-documented swims even if they add a note about which are the 'naughty' ones for not carrying a paid-up observer.

For anyone wanting to check up on unlisted swims I would suggest they contact the Dover Museum where an interested curator is endeavoring to put together all the relevant information to make a complete list. I know that the Channel Swimmers and Pilots Federation is working along similar lines. Their president Alison Streeter, O.B.E. who is better known as the Queen of the Channel for her many CSA recorded swims has also completed some swims without their observer. This will make interesting reading when comparing the lists of the two Channel organizations, the CSA and the CS&PF.

Channel Swim record of Margaret Ann Feather Dixon

1950 Unsuccessful swim of 15h 30 m in the Daily Mail race after a shambles at the start.
1951 Unsuccessful 11h 30m ended in a gale and badly bruised from encounters with floating timber.
1953 Unsuccessful 14h 30m ended lost in a fog even though my pilot was the experienced Burwell.
1954 Second place in Butlins Race with successful 16h 22m.

So many good tries and after the last swim I never even so much as paddled in Channel waters again!!