Achievements and life of a plucky young swimmer

As a girl, Minna Wookey was a remarkably talented swimmer with several prizes to her name, and who achieved local fame by swimming half a mile with her hands and feet tied. But as Eugene Byrne discovered, there's much more to her story than that...

- Eugene Byrne

SHORTLY after 6pm on Friday July 24 1885, the boat carrying 11-year-old Mary Emily Wookey and members of the Leander Swimming Club, was rowed into the middle of the water close to Bath Bridge to the cheers of the thousands lining the banks.

They watched intently as the swimming club secretary, Mr J.M. Longney, tied the girl’s wrists, then her ankles.

He invited others in the boat to inspect the firmness of the girl's bonds.

When all were satisfied, she dived into the water to the cheers of the spectators.

Mary Emily - known to all as ‘Minna’ - was planning to swim a half mile with her hands and feet tied.

She made good time to begin with but slackened her pace around the halfway point. Among the watchers there were plenty of bets being laid and taken as to whether or not she’d manage it. Perhaps there was a rise in the amounts being wagered about now...

... But those in the know must have felt their money was safe. Swimming with hands and feet tied was something Minna Wookey had done plenty of times before. She just hadn’t done it in the New Cut. Yet.

Their money was safe. Thirteen minutes and 21 seconds after she had jumped in, she completed the half mile as she reached Bedminster Bridge.

She was lifted from the water, and the knots were untied. She then swam over to dry land opposite Bathurst Basin. On getting out, she was presented with a bouquet of flowers before getting into a waiting carriage and was cheered uproariously as she was taken home.

Some of the spectators then went to the nearest pubs to spend their winnings and doubtless drank to the health of the plucky little Miss Wookey.

“Considering how crowded the river was with small craft of every kind, it is quite a wonder that no upset took place,” said the Western Daily Press the morning after.