Robert Watson. Group of 10 Swimming medal . Obverse and Reverse.

Taken from 1996 In The Swim, The A.S.A From 1969-1994. By Ian Keil and Don Wix.

Research 64 THE CROSSING

as an interesting trifler with valuable time' . As a swimming enthusiast, he believed in the Stanhope medal — that was there for all to see —but he was inclined to doubt the rest of it, the swimming exploits abroad, the amazing stamina and particularly this Channel idea. But he liked the look of Webb and recalled him affectionately when he wrote his memoirs in 1884: 'He was a fine handsome man with a rollicking, dare-devil, don't care a damn demeanour.' Webb had read Watson's name in the newspapers and decided he was the man to help him swim the Channel. He chose wisely: Watson was at the heart of the English swimming scene. He acted as referee and starter at dozens of races and was a detailed and meticulous recorder of results. From his Fleet Street office, he published Swimming Notes and Record, a six-page weekly magazine aimed at swimmers, trainers, promoters and men who liked betting on races. Every Friday, for the price of 1d, the reader could find out the results of races, details of forthcoming fixtures and browse through adverts for medal makers, swimming lessons and announcements of the opening of new swimming clubs. Watson also wrote a lively, often malicious editorial under the pen name Aquarius. He had an opinion on any question to do with swimming: should the lake in Victoria Park in east London be made available to swimmers (definitely), analysed new swimming strokes as they emerged (he liked the Trudgen, a hybrid stroke with front-crawl arms and breast-stroke legs) and joined in the raging debate about the difference between a professional.

from The Crossing by Kathy Watson, 2000.

In June 1875, he moved to London, took up his lodgings in Poplar and got back in touch with Beckwith and Watson. Between them, they moved fast. The Channel swim had to take place in the next couple of months; any later than August and the sea would drop well below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, becoming much too cold for the human body to stand.

Webb began to train at the Lambeth Baths again, under the tutoring eye of the professor. Beckwith wanted him to learn the faster side stroke and, although he always preferred breast stroke, he did master it.

The Lambeth Baths were always busy, as Beckwith gathered round himself an odd assortment of swimmers and gymnasts, writers and sporting baronets who liked to bet on races. Through Watson and Beckwith, Webb got to know a new set of people, wholly unlike the professional men of his provincial childhood or the sailors he'd worked with.

His new friends were sophisticated metropolitan men, men who were good with words, who spoke and wrote wittily, who enjoyed late nights and good dinners with jolly toasts and long talks. Men like Frank Buckland, the owner and editor of a weekly paper called Land and Water. Buckland was a lover of the active, the physical, the natural and the unusual. He filled Land and Water with stories.

GROUP OF TEN SILVER SWIMMING MEDALS TO R.WATSON ST.PARCRES S.C 1870-1874.

RW1 Medal Silver cross 51,52mm suspenion pin bar and ribbon, with White Red White Red, bar of laurel loaves with a shield in the centre.

Obverse Inscribed - 1st Class Race 16 lengths wan by R.Vatson Sep 1st 1870 in center, laurel wreath superimposed on to cross, tied with three bands inscribed - St. Pancras - Swimming – Club.

Reverse Blank.

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RW2 Medal - Silver cross 52x52mm, suspension vertical pin with two bars, one with 1872 in star superimposed on the bar and the other with the word - Captaincy, the ribbon is White Blue White Blue White.

Obverse -Inscribed R V in gold in center of star with Blue enamel background which is superimposed on the cross.

Reverse - Inscribed - St. P. S. C. One mile Race in the river Themes Won by R. Watson Oct. 5 1872.

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RW3 Medal - Silver cross 45x45mm, suspension bar inscribed - Race in Clothes blue ribbon.

Obverse - St. Pancras Swimming Club outside, RW in centre.

Reverse - 4 Lengths Handicap won by R.WATSON from scratch Nov.10 1870.

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RW4 Medal - Silver Star 50x45mm, suspension vertical pin and Bar inscribed St. P. S. C. with White Red White ribbon 30mm. wide.

Obverse - 800 yards Welsh Harp Henden 1873 outside. Von by R.WATSON Aug. 21st. in centre.

Reverse -- Blank

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RW5 Medal - Silver cross 35mSlimm, suspension bar with Green Red Green ribbon Obverse - St. Pancras Swimming Club outside RW in centre.

Reverse 120 yards Handicap Race Won by RAWSON from scratch Aug. 24 1871.

RW6 Medal - Silver cross 40x4Omm, suspension bar vertical. pin with ribbon of blue Yellow blue 34mm wide.

Obverse - Cross with round centre piece messing.

Reverse - St.P.S.C. Won by R.WATSON Oct. 29th 1874 hurdle race 80 yards.

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BW7 Medtal Silver star 40x40, suspension vertical pin bar inscribed St P.S.C. with red white red white red ribbon.

Obverse - Won by R. Watson April 1874.

Reverse Blank.

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RW8 Medal - Silver Cross 35x3Omm. suspension vertical pin bar inscribed St.P.S.C. Green and Red ribbon.

Obverse - 120 yards won by R. Watson march 26th 74 Outside Green enamel centre.

Reverse – Blank.

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RW9 Medal - Silver Cross 357;35mm, suspension bar vertical pin no ribbon.

Obverse - 220 yards Victoria Park Lake 1874 outside, Won by R.Watson Aug.27th.

Reverse - Blank.

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RW10 Madal Silver Cross 20x20mm, ribbon suspension Yellow Blue Yellow.

Obverse - St. P.S.C. Won by R. Watson 1875.

Reverse - Challenge Prize.

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Group of 10 early Swimming medals to the Captain of the St. Pancras S.C. Mentioned in the Book Swimming 1893 page 199 And also in THE CROSSING By Kathy Watson. All mint condition apart RW10. Paid £170

The Times- published in London and until after the middle of the nineteenth century Its focus on British news was on what happened in London and the neighbouring counties. It did not cover swimming events systematically unlike some other sports .

Magazines about Swimming and Swimmers in England.

The Swimming, Rowing and Athletic Record Published by Robert Watson it began in 1873 but its appeal was mainly to Londoners.

The Swimming Record and Chronicle of Sporting Events A weekly begun by Robert Watson in 1884. It foundered and was replaced in a few months by

Swimming Notes This was expanded from Octavo to a larger format. a fortnightly called

The Swimmer.

Watson replaced this in early 1886 with

Taken from In The Swim Book. The A.S.A 1869-1994. Robert Watson did everything.