From Marrins Bookshop, Folkestone, KENT, United Kingdom
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AbeBooks Seller since 14 August 2012
About this Item
8vo. 4.75 x 7 inches. 90 pp. + [6] pp. advertisements. Illustrated by numerous black and white photographs and other plates. Original pictorial stiff card with unlettered cloth spine. Extremities a little worn but otherwise fine condition. 'Probably the unluckiest Channel swimmer in history' (Dover Museum), Wolffe made over twenty attempts on the crossing from 1906-13, failing by only about 100 yards in 1911. Jabez Wolffe (1877-1943) held a number of marathon swimming records as well as being a walker, cyclist and rower, being able to complete a triathlon in these events. Unsuccessful himself, he coached other successful cross Channel swimmers, although he failed with Gertrude Eberle (1906-2003) in her 1925 attempt, after he ordered her to be pulled from the water when she was merely resting. The following year, using a different trainer, she became the first woman to achieve the swim. Chapter IX of this book describes Wolffe's preparations and his first seven attempts, using 'Wolffe's 'own' stroke.' His half-hourly feeds included chicken sandwiches and broth, biscuits and jam, Oxo, chocolate, weak tea and cocoa, which were either handed to him from the boat by his trainer, Brickett, or in the case of rougher seas, passed to him in a water-tight vessel attached using a fishing rod. One version of this book (1908) bears the title page imprint of the weekly Health and Strength (whose publications, owned by Ewart Seymour, are listed at the back of the volume). It was reprinted several more times, with a seventh (undated) edition appearing after 1923. Wolffe also published Swimming Short and Long Distance (editions 1926-38). A scarce source on cross Channel swimming; COPAC notes only three copies of the 1908 version and two of this 1910 edition (British Library and Liverpool). KENT SWIMMING KENT CHANNEL SPORT 20TH CENTURY KENT. Seller Inventory # 20856
Bibliographic Details
Title: THE TEXT-BOOK OF SWIMMING. By 'Jappy' Wolffe.
Publisher: Ewart, Seymour and Co. Ltd., 12, Burleigh Street, Strand, London, W.C. [1910]
Publication Date: 1910
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