Baldwin's of St. James's
Auction 37 25 Sep 2019
View prices realized
► Sale information
Find similar lots
Swimming: Thomas William Burgess (1872-1950), the second man to swim the English Channel, bronzed medal, 1911, by Francis William Doyle-Jones (1873-1938), signed D-J, made by the electrotype process, bare, bearded head of Burgess l., BURGESS. - .A.D. 1911., rev. legend in 11 lines, TO COMMEMORATE THE SWIM FROM ENGLAND TO FRANCE SEP 5-6 1911 BY T. W. BURGESS PRESENTED BY ALFRED JONAS ESQ HON SEC WEBB MEMORIAL FUND, named on edge, J. A. WEIDMAN, 66.5mm., in fitted case, a little bruised, very fine and extremely rare
Bt. from a small curio shop in Dover in the 1950s ...'Paid 8/6'.
Thomas William Burgess came from Rotherham in Yorkshire and was the the second man to swim the Channel, thirty six years after Captain Matthew Webb's famous swim. Burgess was thirty seven and this was his 13th attempt; he swam from South Foreland and landed at Le Chatelet in a time of 22 hours and thirty-five minutes. Burgess had a French wife and was living in Paris at the time. Between the Wars he devoted many years encouraging others to swim the Channel. As a British citizen living in France during the Second World War, Burgess was imprisoned by the Germans, for some little time.
John Albert Weidman (1863-1927), was from Dover and was a boot repairer by trade, accompanied Burgess as pace-maker and was one of the group of men on the boat Elsie. Weideman had attempted a Channel swim in 1904 with Burgess.
Francis William Doyle-Jones (1873-1938), painter and sculptor, had been commissioned by Alfred Jonas, mentioned on the medal's reverse, to sculpt the bust of Matthew Webb that tops the Webb Memorial in Dover. 15 medals were made and were presented by Alfred Jonas to Burgess and his team of helpers at a dinner at the Holborn Restaurant on 9 November 1911. Two of these have appeared at auction; E. A. Jeffreys (DNW, 19 March 2003, lot 1432 – unsold) and Robert Flood, this twice (DNW, Sale 38, lot 932 and DNW, 25 November, 2013, lot 1115).
(200-300 GBP)
Bt. from a small curio shop in Dover in the 1950s ...'Paid 8/6'.
Thomas William Burgess came from Rotherham in Yorkshire and was the the second man to swim the Channel, thirty six years after Captain Matthew Webb's famous swim. Burgess was thirty seven and this was his 13th attempt; he swam from South Foreland and landed at Le Chatelet in a time of 22 hours and thirty-five minutes. Burgess had a French wife and was living in Paris at the time. Between the Wars he devoted many years encouraging others to swim the Channel. As a British citizen living in France during the Second World War, Burgess was imprisoned by the Germans, for some little time.
John Albert Weidman (1863-1927), was from Dover and was a boot repairer by trade, accompanied Burgess as pace-maker and was one of the group of men on the boat Elsie. Weideman had attempted a Channel swim in 1904 with Burgess.
Francis William Doyle-Jones (1873-1938), painter and sculptor, had been commissioned by Alfred Jonas, mentioned on the medal's reverse, to sculpt the bust of Matthew Webb that tops the Webb Memorial in Dover. 15 medals were made and were presented by Alfred Jonas to Burgess and his team of helpers at a dinner at the Holborn Restaurant on 9 November 1911. Two of these have appeared at auction; E. A. Jeffreys (DNW, 19 March 2003, lot 1432 – unsold) and Robert Flood, this twice (DNW, Sale 38, lot 932 and DNW, 25 November, 2013, lot 1115).
(200-300 GBP)