{{Short description|English swimmer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox swimmer | name = | image = Prof Beckwith of Lambeth baths.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | full_name = | nickname = | nationality = | national_team = | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1821|12|16}} | birth_place = | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1898|5|29|1821|12|16}} | death_place = | height = <!-- "X cm (yyyy)" or "X ft Y in (yyyy)" --> | weight = <!-- "X kg (yyyy)" or "X lb (yyyy)" --> | spouse = | website = | strokes = | classification = | club = | collegeteam = | coach = | medaltemplates = }} '''Frederick Edward Beckwith''' (16 December 1821 – 29 May 1898) was an English swimmer who won "championship" races in the 1850s,<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/swimminginstruc00wilsgoog | title=The Swimming Instructor: a Treatise on the Arts of Swimming and Diving | publisher=Horace Cox | author=Wilson, William | year=1883 | location=London | page=[https://archive.org/details/swimminginstruc00wilsgoog/page/n171 127] |access-date=29 March 2016}}</ref><ref name=fina>{{cite web|title=Pre-FINA Foundations|url=http://www.fina.org/content/pre-fina-foundations|website=FINA|access-date=16 October 2016}}</ref> despite only being a "passable" swimmer according to some accounts, and went on to become a popular "professor" and coach of swimming. He backed Matthew Webb to swim the channel and later managed his family members' swimming careers.
==Life== left|thumb|Lambeth Baths in 1854 Beckwith was a swimming instructor (a "Professor") at Lambeth Baths. He was an early proponent of sidestroke which was a technique first seen in Australia with what was called an overarm recovery. This remained the best stroke for longer distances for some time even after front crawl became popular. Beckwith used the technique successfully to win the English championship.<ref name=fina/>
His daughter Agnes and son Willie were also accomplished swimmers.<ref name="fred1">{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/swimmingwithlis01thomgoog | title=Swimming | publisher=Sampson Low, Marston, & Co. | last=Thomas | first=Ralph | year=1904 | location=London | page=[https://archive.org/details/swimmingwithlis01thomgoog/page/n304 295] |access-date=29 March 2016}}</ref><ref name="ref2">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bJcbd-7pYlkC&pg=PA173|page=173|last=Lambie|first=James|title=The Story of Your Life: a History of the Sporting Life Newspaper (1859–1998)|date=2010|publisher=Matador|location=Leicester|isbn=9781848762916|access-date=29 March 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-N0cAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA49|magazine=London Society|author=<!--A 'Practical Swimmer'--> |title=Swimming and Swimmers |page=49 |location=London |publisher=William Clowes and Sons |date=1866 |access-date=29 March 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Parker|first=Claire|title=The Rise of Competitive Swimming 1840 to 1878|journal=The Sports Historian|date=November 2001|volume=21|issue=2|pages=54–67|doi=10.1080/17460260109447882|pmid=21049655|s2cid=7634536|url=http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrary/SportsHistorian/2001/sh212f.pdf|access-date=29 March 2016}}</ref>
Beckwith was a showman and he had assumed the title "Champion of the World" in 1851. Beckwith lost the first defence of this claim because he was said to be only an average swimmer. In 1874 Beckwith backed Matthew Webb to be the first person to swim the channel. He trained Webb and organised early publicity by exhibiting Webb as he swam up the River Thames the following year. However the number of spectators was few and Beckwith lost money after hiring a steamer for onlookers. As a result, Webb changed his allegiance and Beckwith later organised for his daughter, Agnes, to swim further than Webb.<ref name="Lambie2010">{{cite book|author=James Lambie|title=The Story of Your Life: A History of the Sporting Life Newspaper (1859-1998)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bJcbd-7pYlkC&pg=PA173|year=2010|publisher=Troubador Publishing Ltd|isbn=978-1-84876-291-6|pages=173–}}</ref> In his 1889 book Rambles of a Physician, P 324, Mathew Woods describes Professor Beckwith's Aquatic Entertainments at The London Aquarium. At one time this was believed to be the first-ever printed description of synchronised swimming or water ballet. ( see books.google.co.uk )
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beckwith, Fred}} Category:1821 births Category:1898 deaths Category:English male swimmers Category:Male long-distance swimmers