Henry Taylor“Britain’s

Greatest Amateur Swimmer”

Compiler: Liisi Tõnisson

Viljandi County Gymnasium

11bSupervisor: Margit

Kirss

2009

• A British freestyle swimmer. • He would look like a small boy if he stood alongside

today's swimmers. Taylor was 5ft 5in tall, weighed 66kg when he won three golds. Michael Phelps, the swimmer who has won eight golds at Beijing, is 6ft 4in tall and weighs around 89kg.

• Competed in the 1906 Summer Olympics, in the 1908 Summer Olympics, in the 1912 Summer Olympics, in the 1920 Summer Olympics.

• The first man who held world records in the 400-metre, 880-yard, and 1,500-metre freestyle events.

• His record of three gold medals at one Olympic Games – the most by any Briton – stood for 100 years when it was equalled by cyclist Chris Hoy in 2008.

Early Life

• Born in the Hollinwood area of Oldham, in Lancashire, on 17 March 1885.

• Came from humble beginnings.• Parents: James(a coalminer) and

Elizabeth Taylor. • An elder brother William(Bill) and a

sister Catherine.• Both parents died when Henry was

young, and an orphaned Henry was brought up by his brother, Bill.

...• Learned to swim in the

Hollinwood Canal, and practised in Alexandra Park's boating lake.

• At the age of seven -> his first victory, beating some older boys in a two length race.

• Brother Bill became his coach and Henry also trained in the Oldham Baths and, from 1894, in the Chadderton Baths.

• When he got a job at a cotton mill, he would spend his lunch times swimming in the Hollinwood Canal.

The canal side in Hollinwood in 1901

Career• He was the star of the Chadderton

Swimming Club and at the age of 21, he was selected for the Intercalated Games in Athens in 1906 (marking the 10th anniversary of the first Modern Olympics).

• He won a gold medal in the 1 mile freestyle, a silver in the 400 m freestyle, a bronze in the 4×250 m freestyle relay.

• Later in 1906, Taylor broke the world record for 800 m. He was an automatic selection for the 1908 Summer Olympics.

Henry Taylor (left) during the 1908 Olympic Games

...• During the 1908 Summer Olympics in London,

Taylor won gold medals in each of the three events in which he took part: the 400 m freestyle, the 4×200 m freestyle relay, and the 1500 m freestyle.

• He was the first man to hold the world record for the 1500 metres freestyle(on 25 July, 1908 in a time of 22:48.4 in London, United Kingdom).

• Four years later, Taylor was selected to go to Stockholm for the 1912 Summer Olympics. In the 4×200 m freestyle relay, he helped his team win bronze.

...• Henry served in the Royal Navy during the First World War. He

kept fit by swimming around the ships when his ship was anchored at Scapa Flow.

• He took part in the Battle of Jutland.• A popular story tells: suring the course of the battle, the ship he

was serving on, HMS St. Vincent, was sunk. The survivors waited for two hours to be rescued, Taylor swam around encouraging his crewmates.

• He was later transferred to HMS Ramillies where he remained until he was demobilised.

• After the war, he took part in the Morecambe Bay Race, winning 8 times over a period of 20 year and at one point held the record.

• Taylor attempted to emulate Matthew Webb in swimming across the English Channel but failed due to bad weather.

• Taylor's last appearance in the Olympic Games was at Antwerp, Belgium, in 1920 when he once again helped the 4×200 m freestyle relay team to bronze medal position.

Henry Taylor`s Biggest AchievementsA 1908

Olympicgold medal

Olympic Games

Gold 1908 London 400 m freestyle 5.36,8

Gold 1908 London 1500 m freestyle 22.48,4

Gold 1908 London 4×200 m freestyle 10.55,6

Bronze 1912 Stockholm 4×200 m freestyle 10.28,2

Bronze 1920 Antwerp 4×200 m freestyle 10.37,2

1906 Intercalated Games

Gold 1906 Athens 1 mile 28.28,0

Silver 1906 Athens 400 m freestyle 6.24,4

Bronze 1906 Athens 4×250 m freestyle

After Swimming

• Taylor continued swimming competitively into his 40s.

• He retired in 1926.• Sadly, his life was then dogged by

financial difficulties which forced him into selling many of his 35 trophies and more than 300 medals.

• He later bought the ‘Nudger’ Pub in Dobcross, but this didn’t work out and he took work as a senior attendant at Chadderton baths.

Chadderton Baths

...• Henry had never been married.• He was to die a penniless bachelor at lodgings in

Brierley Street, Chadderton, on February 28, 1951, at the age of 65.

• He was cremated and his ashes scattered, without great ceremony, at Rochdale Cemetery.

• The trophies Taylor won were collected and displayed at Chadderton Baths temporarily. • In 2002, a blue plaque was unveiled at Chadderton Baths commemorating Taylor's achievements.

Sources Used• <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Taylor_ (swimmer)>• <http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/articles/2008/08/20/200808_

henry_taylor_feature.shtml>• <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/584835/ Henry-Taylor>• <http://www.chadderton-hs.freeuk.com/page8- fav-pe.htm>• <http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/aug/20/olympicsaquatics.olympics

2008?gusrc=rss&feed=sport>• <http://www.oldhamadvertiser.co.uk/community/nostalgia/s/1021934_the

_golden_boy_town_forgot>• http://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/8/news/13029/henry%E

2%80%99s-still-our-top-olympian• Kask, Heino. “Olümpiaraamat”. Eesti Raamat, Tallinn 1968. • Kuningas, Tiit; T. Lääne.“Olümpiamängude ajalugu” I suvemängud.

1896- 1916. Tallinna Raamatutrükikoda, Maalehe Raamat, 2004.