The Swimmer

I came across David quite by accident after contacting a researcher who asked me if I had heard of "David Billington the famous swimmer from Bacup". Some two weeks later by pure co-incidence another researcher that lived in Bury called Cameron Craigie, who had been assisting me in my Bury research, sent me a copy of Through East and West, by Fred Campbell" titled "Bury a Metropolitan Miscellaney".

I could not believe my luck when on page 6 was the heading "BILLINGTON OF BACUP", next to it a picture of David and a short story about his life.

The article did not mention the name of Davids parents so I set out to find out and uncovered the following:

"BAPTISM OF DAVID BILLINGTON, THE FAMOUS SWIMMER FROM BACUP BORN 5^TH JULY 1885 BUT NOT BAPTISED UNTIL 3^RD JANUARY 1886 TO FATHER EDWARD BILLINGTON AND MOTHER ESTHER. ADDRESS: ‘LEEMILL’ BACUP AND BAP. AT ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST.

The article mentioned in part that "Davids father was the superintendent of the local swimming baths so David was introduced to water at a very early age, by the age of thirteen years was the 'Boy Champion of England', by the time he was nineteen years he had won nine national championships including the King Edward V11 Cup, he also swam in front of the King and Queen Alexandra in London as was the winner of the famous River Thames "Lords and Commons" race a distance of over 5 miles...he quickly became to be known as the "Worlds greatest swimmer". After he competed in 1905 in the greatest continental race of its time, a seven and a half mile swim along the River Seine through Paris, it was here that he came to grief with the Amateur officials who ruled he was swimming according to their rules as a professional.

After winning over 300 prizes as an amateur, David turned professional and held every professional champrionship from one hundred yards to thirteen and a half miles.

He came to Bury in 1913 to take part in what was to be the greatest swimming contests ever held in Bury. Oscar E. Dickman, a great Australian swimmer had challenged him to a one mile race which was held on August 2nd at the 'Clarence Recreation Ground reservoir, around 5,000 tickets were sold for the event.

On the day, over 7,000 people turned up to watch, David won by 108 yards in the record time of 24 minutes and 11 seconds. The event made over one hundred and five pounds of which the Corporation took 20% for charities, David himself got just over fifty pounds.

David toured the world and was at one time coach and instructor and manager of the civic baths at Hamilton, Ontario where is abilities as a coach turned out some world class swimmers.

On the dark side of this fine athlete was his love of gambling which became a passion equal to that of his swimming!

He finally settled in 'Radcliffe' where he was the schools instructor at 'Whittaker St.Baths.

In the 'Halifax Courier" Looking back over the last 100years.was this reference to David in 1900.

September 27 - David Billington broke Nuttall's 500 yards amateur record at Woodside Baths, Halifax

A DAVID BILLINGTON EMAILED ME TO SAY THAT HIS FATHER WAS A SYDNEY BILLINGTON WHO MARRIED HIS COUSIN MARY ELIZA CHAMBERLAIN FROM BILSTON IN WOLVERHAMPTON, DAVID IS THEIR ONLY SON. HIS FATHER DIED IN 1967.

HIS PATERNAL GRANDFATHER WAS "DAVID SYDNEY BILLINGTON" THE FAMOUS SWIMMER FROM BACUP.

DAVID THE SWIMMER WENT ON TO MARRY 'BLANCHE' EVA STATHAM DAVID AND BLANCHE WENT ON TO HAVE CHILDREN, ADELAIDE,SYDNEY,FLORENCE.

ADELAIDE AND SYDNEY.WERE NAMED AFTER A VISIT TO AUSTRALIA BY THEIR FATHER DAVID WHO WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH THE COUNTRY, THAT HE NAMED HIS CHILDREN AFTER TWO OF THE MAJOR CITIES HERE.

ADELAIDE BILLINGTON. MARRIED CHARLES HENRY MAKINSON".The had three children, David,Colin and Joan.

JOAN LEDGARD (nee Makinson) has just made contact with me, thanks to Olive Cookson who was getting her hair done and bumped into Joan! What a small world we live in.

Joan is the daughter of Adelaide Makinson (Nee Billington), ie the grandaughter of David Billington and hopefully Joan and I can combine sources to continue finding the lines and branches of David the Swimmer.

DAVID DIED IN 1955 IN BURY GENERAL HOSPITAL AND IS BURIED IN THE RADCLIFFE CEMETRY.

1891 Census: Below:David as a 5 yr old with maternal grandparents: Below is listed his parents and sister.

Mary Jane Billington 5 ???? is this Davids twin(Joan says she did not know of David having a twin, I have checked my copy of the CHI and I find that a Mary Jane was Baptised but in Preston in 1886, this Mary Jane went on to marry according to a relative. Thomas Yates and had children Stanley,Alan and Margaret, all deceased by 2001.

Davids father Edward in 1881:Dwelling: 17 Branch St
Census Place: Newchurch, Lancashire, England
Source: FHL Film 1341988 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 4128 Folio 57 Page 26
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
Alice BILLINGTON U 20 F Stacksteads, Lancashire, EnglandRel: Head Occ: Domestic
Maria BILLINGTON U 19 F Stacksteads, Lancashire, EnglandRel: Sis
Occ: Cotton Weaver....Alice Billington later married David Mitchell

John H. BILLINGTON U 18 M Stacksteads, Lancashire, England
Rel: Bro
Occ: Cotton Weaver(Note:John went on to marry an Emily Holt, a cousin, they had children Ernest and William)
Edward BILLINGTON U 16 M Stacksteads, Lancashire, England Rel: Bro
Occ: Cotton Weaver
Elizabeth BILLINGTON U 12 F Stacksteads, Lancashire, England
Rel: Sis
Occ: Cotton Weaver
James BILLINGTON U 9 M Stacksteads, Lancashire, England
Rel: Bro
Occ: Scholar
William BILLINGTON U 6 M Stacksteads, Lancashire, England
Rel: Bro
Occ: Scholar
Mary BILLINGTON U 4 F Stacksteads, Lancashire, England
Rel: Sis
Ruth BILLINGTON U 1 F Stacksteads, Lancashire, England Rel: Sis

UPDATE : FEBRUARY 20TH 2002(NOTE:(Ruth is actually the daughter of Alice above, father unknown,together with Mary Jane, Davids sister, they had a water show by the name of "Water Nymphs", if anyone knows of this duo please contact me)

UPDATED JUNE 27TH 2001....I have just received the birth certificate of Davids father Edward above which says that David the swimmers Grandfather was a GEORGE BILLINGTON -COTTON POWER LOOM WEAVER AND WIFE BETTY NEE HOLT OF ACRE MILL IN SPOTLAND WHO BAP EDWARD 6TH NOVEMBER 1864 REGISTERED AT WHITWORTH AND BRANDWOOD IN ROCHDALE.....

George deceased in 1877 aged 45 years in reg. in Haslingden

Betty deceased in March 1/4 1881 aged 46yrs reg. in Haslingden.

Updated 2nd February 2004: George, Grandfather of David the Swimmer in 1861& 1871 Census

1861 Census: Spotland Disk Area3051: Page109: Acre Mill: George Billington, 29yrs b. Haslingden with wife Betty 26yrs b. Rawtenstall, Mary Hamblet 13yrs, Niece of Head b. Preston and Alice Billington, daughter of head 11 months b. Spotland

1871Census Spotland. Page 236: Acre Mill: George Billington,Head, 38yrs b. Haslingden, Cotton Weaver,with wife Betty, 36yrs b. Newchurch,with daughter Alice 10yrs, Maria 9yrs, John H. 8yrs, Edward 6yrs, Elizabeth 2yrs all b. Spotland

SOME OF DAVIDS ACHIEVEMENTS

He won Ten National Championships as follows:

440 yards Salt Water1901, 1903 and 1904......500 yards Freestyle1902, 1903....880 yards Freestyle1903One mile1903, 1904 and 1905Long Distance (5 miles, 60 yards)1905 (His time - 68 min 55 )This last race was held annually in the River Thames, and was originally called the "Lards and Commons race", because the first trophy was presented by Members or Parliament, from 1877 to 1879.In 1905 he competed in one or the greatest Continental races of that period - the 7 1/2 mile swim In the River Seine through Pads. The organisers of this race accepted both professional and amateur entries for the race, started them together, but counted the events as a separate race for each class. When David returned home after swimming in the race, he was declared a professional, and was suspended by the Northern Counties Amateur Swimming Association for a breach (however unwittingly) of the amateur law. He appealed to the ASA. Committee in November 1905, and after long consideration, the appeal was dismissed. At the following Annual General Meeting of the ASA. it was stated that a new agreement had been reached between the ASA and the Union des Societies Francais de Sports Athletiques on the question of the Amateur law. The question of Billington's suspension was again raised in these new circumstances, but the original decision remained.So after winning over 300 prizes as an amateur, David Billington was forced to turn professional in 1906. however, lie was still as good as - if not better than - the professionals, and In fact at one period held every world professional swimming championship from 100 yards to 131/2 miles distance.He won the Seine race several times. And in 1913 he retained the one mile world championship, finishing over a hundred yards in front of the famous Australian swimmer Pickman. As an amateur he had several times opposed the Australian swimmers Percy Cavil and Barney Kieran. both of whom in due course won A.S.A. championships David Billington later visited Australia, and as a result called two of his children after the names of the towns he visited Sydney and Adelaide.He won the King Edward VII Cup, which was awarded for a combination of speed swimming and life saving He later gave a swimming exhibition in London before royalty. His photograph in Bacup Miscellany is taken from a book he wrote entitled 'How to become a good swimmer' ( Hutchinson 1926).In 1929 lie went to Canada as coach instructor, and Manager of the civic baths at Hamilton, Ontario. and it was not long before his protegees there were winning swim after swim proving his ability to coach as well as perform himself.It is reported that for many years he used to dive from one of the piers at Blackpool. where he used to set fire to an asbestos Suit he was wearing before take off. In later years he lived in Radcliffe. and died there on February 4 1955. His grave is in Radcliffe Churchyard.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW DAVIDS DIARY OF TRIP TO AUSTRALIA IN 2007

DAVIDS OBITUARY