MAYOR LEADS TRIBUTES TO GRIMSBY'S REMARKABLE LONG-DISTANCE SWIMMER

 

Brenda - much-honoured for her stupendous swimming achievements

TRIBUTES are being paid to Grimsby-born Brenda Fisher, the world-record breaking swimmer, who has passed away at the age of 95.

The Mayor of North East Lincolnshire, Cllr Steve Beasant, has led the civic tribute: "My sympathies go out to Brenda’s family and friends at this terribly sad time.

"As well as being able to award Brenda the Freedom of the Borough, we had the honour of being part of marking her significant achievements and backing the Grimsby, Cleethorpes and District Civic Society’s bid to get a Blue Plaque erected in her honour.

"It was important to give this wonderful lady the recognition she so very much deserved."

Meranwhile NELC Leader Philip Jackson has described Brenda as an inspiration to many.

Says he: "As well as her inredible achievements in her lifetime, she also helped to raise the profile of her home town across the world."

Born in 1927 in Scartho, Brenda was the daughter of a Grimsby trawler skipper and learned to swim at the age of nine, practising in the open waters of Alexandra Dock.

In August 1951, she broke the women’s world record for swimming the English Channel. 

Sponsored by the Daily Mail, the swim took 12hrs 42 minutes, breaking the previous record of 13hrs 20mins set the year before. 

Her homecoming saw crowds of more than 20,000 people welcome her back to the town. 

For her channel swim, Brenda received £1000 and a silver cup  supplied by Eva Peron - wife of the then Argentine Republic’s President.

In subsequent years, Brenda swam the  channel again.

Later, she won the 29-mile River Nile Swim and became only the third person in history to complete the 32-mile Lake Ontario swim.