Matthew Webb, a 27-year-old English Merchant Marine Captain' swimmer and stuntman, becomes on August 25, 1875, the first recorded person to swim the English Channel without the use of artificial aids.
Webb departed from Dover's Admiral Pier 21 hours and 45 minutes earlier on August 24, and arrived near Calais, France, the following morning; swimming roughly roughly 39 miles (64 km). Webb's achievement established the English Channel as a premier open-water swimming challenge while making him a celebrity. Webb used his newfound fame to become a professional swimmer, performing endurance stunts. He died in 1883, attempting to swim the dangerous rapids of the Niagara Gorge in North America.
