Captain Matthew Webb (19 January 1848 – 24 July 1883) was an English seaman, swimmer and stuntman who became the first person to swim the English Channel without the use of artificial aids. Webb increased the popularity of swimming in England.

2020年2月24日 · On July 24, 1883, Webb attempted his final stunt: a swim across the Niagara River, downriver from Niagara Falls. Many warned him the stunt was suicide, and, unfortunately for Webb, they were right.

At 4 p.m on July 24th 1883, Captain Webb was rowed out from the Maid of the Mist landing to the middle of the Niagara River. At 4:25 p.m., Captain Webb dove into the river and began swimming towards the mighty whirlpool rapids.

2024年9月19日 · In 1886, inspired by the late Captain Matthew Webb, Carlisle decided to follow in Webb’s footsteps by navigating Niagara Falls and its whirlpool in a barrel cask.

2009年6月29日 · They went over the Falls in a barrel equipped with rudders to help them steer through the rapids and a video camera to record the entire event.

Captain Matthew Webb: a dashing fellow dashed to death in the Niagara Rapids. Francis died long before Oakwood Cemetery existed -- so his corpse was dug up and reburied there. His cracked tombstone is so old that it's now illegible, but Francis was famous in his day, known as The Hermit of Niagara.

2010年6月3日 · Some swimmers made the attempt to go over the falls, with tragically mixed results. Captain Matthew Webb had already conquered swimming the English Channel when he made his attempt on July 2, 1883. He failed, and his body was recovered four days later down river in Lewiston, New York.

Over the years there had been many attempts, mostly fatal, to ride over the falls in a barrel. But even that didn’t interest English swimmer Captain Matthew Webb. He was more interested in swimming through the tempestuous, surging waters of …

2014年6月13日 · Captain Webb in Whirlpool from Greenhill and Mahoney, Niagara (c. 1883). Captain Matthew Webb was the first person known to swim across the English Channel, died while attempting to swim the Whirlpool Rapids in 1883.

2022年7月22日 · Ten years later on 25 July 1911, he became the second person (and first man) to survive the trip over Niagara Falls in a barrel. His barrel was made of steel with wooden bumpers and an interior harness for ‘safety’. A large crowd gathered to watch Leach’s stunt and at 2:55PM he was set loose from Chippawa Creek.