Expo marks 150th anniversary of first Channel swim

Captain Matthew Webb became the first person to successfully swim the English Channel in 1875

An exhibition has opened to pay homage to the first person to swim the English Channel.

At the age of 27, Captain Matthew Webb, from Shropshire, successfully completed the 21-mile feat unaided in just under 22 hours on 25 August 1875.

Following the heroic challenge, which was his second attempt, he became a national hero and was celebrated for his efforts.

To mark the 150th anniversary of his feat, a display dedicated to his life and achievements is being exhibited at the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron, run by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust.

On display are Captain Webb's swimming briefs, made of silk and originally bright red in colour

Born in Dawley, Captain Webb joined the Merchant Navy, before stamping a legacy as a pioneering long-distance swimmer.

Kate Cadman, the museum's collections curator, told BBC Radio Shropshire: "Due to the way the tides and currents run [across the English Channel] you have to do a zigzag. In his case, he had a particular zigzag, he was within a mile of the French coast and swam parallel to it for five miles and couldn't get to the coast."

He eventually succeed, having swam a total of 39 miles.

Captain Webb's love of swimming began at an early age, when he learned to swim in the River Severn in his home town of Coalbrookdale.

The curator added that there was also a record of Webb saving his brother from the water after he got into difficulties as a child.

Following the challenge, Webb went on to become a national hero and celebrity

Ms Cadman added: "The impression that we get is that he had an adventurous nature, he used to read adventure stories about pirates.

"Although his father was a doctor, he very much wanted to go and see the world.

"He does personify those Victorian virtues of strength, courage, endurance and bravery that's why he became an icon for a while."

After setting the record, Webb did not return to life as a sailor, instead earning a living as an exhibition swimmer, often against other daredevil swimmers or attempting circus-style stunts.

The display is free to attend at the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron

However, on 24 July 1883, he attempted to swim across the rapids at Niagara Falls on the border between Canada and the US.

He jumped into the water from a small boat and within 10 minutes was caught by the current and dragged under by a whirlpool.

His body was found four days later and he was buried, age 35, at Oakwood Cemetery in Niagara Falls.

The Life of Captain Matthew Webb exhibition is free and includes personal items donated by his family, including the swimming trunks he wore during the challenge and the hip flask from which he drank brandy during his swim.

It is open daily during school summer and half-term holidays, and five days a week, Wednesday to Sunday, during term time until Sunday 2 November.