J. H. Hicks Osborne Swimming Club

J. H. Hicks was a member of the famous Osborne Swimming Club who were based at the Osborne Baths, Osborne Street, Collyhurst, Manchester. In the 1890's and early 1900's the Club was the most famous swimming and water polo clubs in the country and won many titles. The club had a number of famous swimmers and water polo players, including J. H. Tyers and J. H. Derbyshire.

Hicks played in many of their water polo games from 1892 to around 1897/8 and would have swam in a number of races for them.

Osborne Swimming Club won the National water polo championships on seven occasions — 1894 to 1899 and in1901. Hicks played in four of Osborne National water polo titles — 1894, 1895, 1896 and 1897. He scored in the 1894 final and the 1896 final.

Osborne won the Northern Counties Water Polo Championships in 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, lost in the 1897 final, won again in 1898,1899, 1900 and 1901.

They also won the Manchester and District Water Polo League division one title from 1892 to 1902.

Osborne won the 1900 gold medal at the Paris Olympics. Although, Hicks was not a member of the Osborne team. In fact, there were only two Osborne players in that team, Thomas Coe and Peter Kemp.

Hicks was an international water polo player and played in England's first win against Scotland in 1892 at the Westminster Road Baths, Liverpool. He scored England's first water goal against Scotland and in fact scored a hat-trick in the 4 - 0 win for England. It is thought he played in three matches against Scotland and in those three games he scored 8 of the 11 goals England scored.