The BLDSA President Amanda Bell, all Officers & members send their sincere condolences to Stephen & his family on the passing of his father John, President of the Association in 1993/4 on 15^th August 2020. 

John was a quiet, kind & generous man who was not a swimmer.  His son, Steve started competing as a Junior in 1972 & carried on swimming up to 1999.  John & his late wife Mary became stalwarts on the scene of BLDSA swims because he was immensely proud of Steve’s achievements.  He travelled the country watching over his son & was, inevitably, drawn into the organisation of the BLDSA. 

Joining the committee in 1980, he took on the organising role of championship secretary for the Llyn Tegid (Bala) Championships in 1981.  This was a challenging task with three events to run over the space of a weekend, but happy swimmers returned year after year under his wing.  Many completed their first challenge in the Lake & all were grateful for the careful planning & organisation by John & his sub-committee who nursed it along for 13 years.  Then John took on the running of the Association’s premier championship, Windermere.  He continued to ensure the event ran smoothly for a further 11 years.  Much laughter & giggling took place in John & Mary’s kitchen as the sub-committee vetted entries, checked submitted boat crew, planned various safety matters &, hardest of all, tried to organise presentations & the after swim ‘do’.  Gallons of coffee & tea were consumed, along with ‘delicacies’ organised by Mary.  He was great at delegating jobs around the sub-committee, both before & on the day so we were all kept very busy! 

In 1993/4, John was installed as President, a fitting mark of the affection & respect in which we all held him.  He had an amazing year, enjoyed by both John & Mary, culminating in the 37^th Annual dinner held in Kings Lynn which coincided, exactly, with his & Mary’s Ruby Wedding Anniversary.  Their whole family were there to support them & a great night was had by all, including a share in their magnificent Ruby Wedding cake. 

John had recently retired at that time & he & Mary planned to continue enjoying their involvement in the BLDSA, supporting son Stephen & family in their activities (as Steve reciprocated by commentating at Windermere for his Dad). 

John was born & raised in the Doncaster area, eventually settling in Balby. He had spent 11 years in the Rossington Colliery & then was a millwright in Engineering factories in the Doncaster area.  After his sad loss of Mary, he moved to live with Stephen in Penwortham where his interest in creating DVDs & films became legendary.  Many of us have valued his gifts of dvds about swimming activities (The DVD of the 37^th Annual Dinner of the BLDSA which coincided with his Ruby Wedding Anniversary is a treasured memory for me along with his ‘Memories of Johnnie O’Hara’ is another.  He also wanted others to enjoy the films he so enjoyed & often a little packet of dvds would drop through the letter box, bringing many hours of pleasure, a lasting gift from John. 

We’ll miss his friendship, his quiet commonsense & his dedication to ensuring the sport of long distance swimming continued to grow & develop.

Margaret J Smith

Barry Watson – Tribute

Born in 1938, Barry passed away at the age of 82 on the 11^th August 2020.  The President (Amanda Bell) Officers & members of the British Long Distance Swimming Association wish to offer their sincere condolences to Linda, all Barry’s family & to his huge adopted family of younger swimmers & athletes. 

Barry learned to swim in 1948 at the Bradford Lido, not aware that the open water was to a major feature in his future.  He swam at the Shipley Baths in his teens & met Keith Unwin (a BLDSA Founder member, along with Barry), who encouraged him to join the Otley SC where he met Fred & John Slater who were instrumental in the creation of the BLDSA. 

In 1958 Barry & John both swam Windermere on the same day.  Barry was so proud to be able to wear the BLDSA badge.  In 1959, he was a competitor in the Torbay Championship, which was pulled part way through due to conditions.  Barry reported wryly with a smile that he was awarded 3^rd place, which is where he lay at the turn but he was well in the lead when the event was cancelled, so he always felt that he had won. 

After his National Service (1960/62) demob on 6^th June 1962, he returned to train at the Bradford Lido, meeting many other open water swimming addicts who persuaded him to enter Windermere & he took 3^rd place behind Mike Jennings & Anthony Moorey.  The following year he won the Inaugural Fleetwood to Morecambe 23 mile swim which was swiftly followed by a two way Windermere Swim.  He swam the Fleetwood Morecambe course many times in the following years. 

Many of us remember 16^th August 1964 when Barry swam from France to England in a new world record time of 9 hours 35 minutes.  (Some BLDSA members tell me they were still at school then although I know I was training for my first attempt to cross Morecambe Bay having left school the year before).  Barry’s memories of that day are slightly different to most folks’ memories which recall a day when the Channel was flat. 

Quoting Barry’s from personal memories:- ‘On the same day, Harry Huffaker (USA) was taken from the water & then flown by helicopter to hospital.  My friend Arthur Ayres also retired that day with stomach cramp & sickness.  Some other swimmers failed also’. 

His association with Channel Swimming Association was strong as he went on to make three two way Channel attempts in 1968 (stopped after 23 hours by the Pilot, Val Noakes in appalling weather condition & jelly fish swarms having turned at Cap Griz Nez in 16 hours 19 minutes):- 1969 when a serious shoulder strain which he had carried for a time forced him from the water 8 hours after turning at Cap Griz Nez in 13 hours 56 minutes.  Another attempt in 1970 when again he turned on the French side in 15 hours 14 minutes but 3 hours into the return leg the wind had risen to Force 7 & sadly, Val Noakes had to order him from the water and a long struggle ensued to get him aboard and for the boat to battle its way back to Folkestone in Force 10 winds. 

In 1971 the weather thwarted him even getting into the water, so he dreamed up the idea to swim Coniston, Windermere & Ullswater in one 24 hour period, going from South to North in each Lake.  Bedevilled by fog & Lake District Sunday traffic so when we review his times, they are remarkable.  Coniston took 4 hours 2 minutes.  Windermere took (wait for it) 5 hours 35 minutes & Ullswater4 hours 33 minutes, an amazing achievement.

He was proud to tell me that in his career he had swum Coniston 47 times, Windermere 39 times & the Channel 4 times.

On a sad return journey to Folkestone in 2012 for Bet Noakes’s funeral (Val’s wife) Barry was surprised to be greeted by someone after the service as ‘ BW Bad Weather, its Barry Watson’.  John Gale worked at the Folkestone Harbour Fish Market & he hadn’t seen him for 40 years.  John told him the Channel Pilots based in Folkstone used to call him ‘Barry Bad Weather Watson’ as they often couldn’t fish when he was swimming due to the weather. 

He was deservedly inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 1973 & remained in touch with many of the great inductees. 

As the years progressed Barry’s interests diversified & he climbed all the Wainwrights in the Lake District & ticked off 77 Munros (Mountains over 3000 feet).  Then came an abiding passion for Triathlon, Fell Racing & Cyclo Cross & supporting Bingley Harriers with their Fell Relays but his deep passion became watching & supporting Alistair & Jonny Brownlee at their track in the local area, often accompanied by friend & former elite athlete Chris Cariss (first Briton home in the 2004 London Marathon as Barry proudly confided) who remained a very close friend. Barry & partner Linda loved to watch the International Triathlons featuring Alistair & Jonny. 

What more can we say about this very special man – fabulous swimmer, dedicated walker & supporter to so many folk, young & not so young, generously sharing his knowledge, skill & humour, making each & every one of us feel very special to know him & call him ‘friend’. 

Margaret J Smith

Channel Swimmer Barry Watson with Kendal Mellor, Geoff Oddie (his coach)

Geoff Oddie was a former BLDSA President & Kendall Mellor was one of great swimming legends, along with Barry.

WILLIAM (BILL) STEIN M.B.E.

The President Amanda Bell, all Officers & members wish to offer their condolences to all Bill’s family & friends.  Sadly, he passed away on the 14^th August in his nursing home. 

Bill was a Life member of the British Long Distance Swimming Association but did much of his swimming in Scotland, where he lived (often with Y.A.A.B.A. with their very often cool, tough & challenging events on the River Tay), venturing across the North Channel to Ireland on a number of occasions with the odd foray into England & Wales. 

Without a doubt, this strong & dedicated swimmer’s most fabulous swims were his crossing of the Channel in 1978 when the Channel Swimming Association (CSA) awarded him the Van Audenaerde Cup for the Greatest Feat of Endurance in the Year.  He followed it up by crossing again in 1979 when he represented Scotland in the 5^th Cross Channel Race organized in conjunction with Saudi Arabia in 16 hours 9 minutes.  This time the CSA awarded him a Special Award for a disabled Swimmer. 

Bill, in my experience, made light of his disability but was always very assertive in seeking acceptance of his particular needs.  I remember well the pre-race discussions with him before the Humberside Festival of Swimming in 1979 when he competed successfully in the 4 miles race for which I was the organiser. 

He was appointed a Member of the British Empire in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 1996 for his services to swimming.  This was a well-deserved recognition. 

Margaret J Smith

Charlie was a great character, much larger than life, who burst into our long distance swimming scene in 1972, with his great humour & attention to detail.  I first remember meetng him, I think, at Pickmere, along with other Services personnel who became part of the open water swimming scene.

Rather than his swimming (which was prolific), I remember his organisational skills, also spotted & harnessed by John Slater, Secretary of the BLDSA. As Charlie was based in Norfolk with the RAF (in which he spent 24 years), he was a ready-made volunteer (nominee) to organise the St Germans to Kings Lynn Championship.  As a swimmer, there was always lots to make us laugh as we fought the tide to get into the Quay at Kings Lynn, preferring that to ending up swept to the Hook of Holland.  The course was changed from the River Ouse to the flood relief channel after a short time but the fun remained at what became the end of season bash!

Charlie met & married Sally Minty from Jersey & moved there, where he became part of, what is know as ‘possibly the best little swimming club in the world’.  Never keen not to be doing things, Charlie was soon involved with his wife, in the Jersey Long Distance Swimming Club & the amazing development of swims around Jersey, including the Round Jersey swim.  He qualified as an escort pilot & ensured many achieved their dreams of that & swimming to France from the Island.  His enthusiasm supported many resident swimmers to achieve Channel crossings, including his wife, Sally Minty Gravett.  He was a Club Vice President for many years.

He was appointed an Honour Escort Pilot by the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 2016.

He had the distinction of being a member of a 6 -man relay team who swam Southern Turkey to Kyrenia in Cyprus – a distance of 115.86km in 1962.which was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.  Always generous with his time Charlie was deeply involved in the Holidays for Heroes Jersey &, I believe, also supported Spurs!

Despite health challenges, Charlie dedicated 50 years to sport of long distance swimming & so many folk have benefitted from his skills & support.

The Association sends its support & condolences to Sally & all their friends & family, at the very sad time.

Margaret J Smith