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Swimming lessons

Arthur Holyland was born in 1877 in Wortley, a village to the north of Sheffield, in Yorkshire. Like his father and grandfather before him, Arthur trained as a blacksmith. When he was a child, Arthur's family moved from the rural setting of Wortley and into the heavily industrialised centre of Sheffield, which at the time was one of the world's leading centres for the manufacturing of steel items.

In August 1899, Arthur enlisted into the Royal Marines, giving his age as 2 years younger than his baptism proves. He served on a variety of vessels before being invalided out of the Marines in 1908.

My eye was caught by a small box at the bottom of the Marines enlistment form. "Able to swim?" – Yes, Arthur could swim – he was tested on this in December 1899, in Deal, Kent, four months after joining the Royal Marines.

How did a blacksmith from a heavily industrialised town in a landlocked county learn to swim, I asked myself.

It transpires that in 1892, a tidal swimming pool was built for the Royal Marines in Deal, Kent. After a shipping tragedy in 1893 in which 2/3 of a detachment of marines drowned, it was decreed that all new entrants to the force must learn to swim (1).


So yes, Arthur was presumably taught to swim when he joined up. I haven’t been able to discover what level of swimming proficiency was required of recruits in those days, but nowadays, applicants top the Royal Marines must be able to jump off a 3m diving board, tread water for 2 minutes whilst wearing overalls, then swim for 50m in the overalls (2)  (all of which reminds me of being taught to swim in pyjamas when I was at school!

After his discharge from the Marines, Arthur returned to Sheffield where he went back to working as a blacksmith’s striker for a wagon builder. He died suddenly on the way home (possibly from the pub!) in May 1918, leaving a wife and child. His descendants still live in South Yorkshire (and I’ve no idea if they can swim!!)

(1). https://royalmarinesheritagetrails.org/trail/royal-marines-swimming-bath/

(2). https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers/joining/get-fit-to-join/stages-and-standards/royal-navy-ratings/prnc

 



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