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wearing the watch. The advert showed the swimmer wearing the watch on her wrist, although when
Gleitze attempted to carry the watch across the Channel she had it tied around her neck. In 2023, her name and a picture of her emerging from water clutching a bag and goggles were featured in advertisements for Rolex alongside those of
408:
Rolex still use
Gleitze's achievement (2023) in their publicity. In 2010 the Rolex company ran adverts featuring swimming the channel, their watch, and the figure of a woman in a swimming costume. The advert did not mention Gleitze, nor did it mention that she did not complete a Channel swim whilst
201:
Under pressure from the media she agreed to undertake a "vindication swim" even though the water was much colder than when
Channel swimming is normally attempted. Gleitze failed to complete the swim but her endurance of the cold convinced all that the original record should stand. Gleitze made not
371:
that hinted that
Gleitze was using her charity's funds inappropriately. The paper challenged the charity to allow its accounts to be audited and offered to pay for the cost. The papers also reported on believed or invented stories of rivalry between Gleitze and other swimmers.
194:, on 7 October 1927. The record was in doubt when in the following days another woman, Dr. Dorothy Cochrane Logan (using her professional name, Mona McLennan), claimed to have swum the channel faster. Her version of events proved to be a fabrication but the effect of this
388:
After her retirement from swimming, Gleitze became a housewife, had three children, and became increasingly reclusive, lying about her past to her neighbours and not discussing her achievements with her family. She died aged 80, on 9 February 1981, in London.
190:. Her first significant record was for 10 hr 45 min she spent swimming in the Thames. This was the longest time for a woman in 1923. She attracted attention when, at the eighth attempt, she became the first British woman to swim the
260:
which was undertaking a scheme to move unemployed people from the north of
England to Leicester where they could find work. Gleitze continued to break records and she became the first known person to swim the
687:
295:
When she first took the endurance swimming record it stood at 26 hours. Over several years she extended this record in public swimming baths where crowds would attend and encourage her by singing together.
202:
only her name but also that of Rolex's Oyster watch. The watch withstood her second swim and this was used to launch an advertising campaign in
Britain. Rolex still uses Gleitze's name in their publicity.
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397:
Besides her three children and many swimming records, Gleitze founded several homes that were used by homeless
British people during the 1930s. In 1939 they were used for homeless
543:
688:
https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/moville-to-portstewart-heather-clatworthy-becomes-first-person-since-1929-to-swim-between-beauty-spots-34917479.html
833:
126:'s new waterproof case, the "Oyster". She established endurance records for swimming including a record of 46 hours in 1932. She was able to raise funds to found the
335:, which had reputedly helped her "beat the channel". She appeared at a corset demonstration for Kellett's and at the showing of the, now lost, 1927 silent film
319:. Gleitze continued to extend her endurance record to 45 hours the following year. In 1932 she retired after again extending the record finally to 46 hours.
119:
859:
405:
bombing in 1940; however, an organisation continues to administer her charity and it continues
Gleitze's desire to alleviate the effects of homelessness.
380:, was said to be a rival, and Gleitze was said to have annoyed Lottie Shoemmell, who was an American swimmer, by refusing to race her across the Channel.
705:
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Gleitze was usually sponsored for these record attempts, and she was able to open the first
Mercedes Gleitze Home in 1933. This was a large house in
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Gleitze became a celebrity and she was regularly the subject of stories. The newspaper that most adopted a tabloid approach to her was the
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Gleitze gathered a large number of companies who were keen to be associated with her achievements. Consumers were asked to toast her with
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Mercedes
Gleitze: Open Water and Endurance Swimmer - Lough Foyle (both ways; 15 August, 17 August and 20 August 1929).
222:
923:
114:; 18 November 1900 – 9 February 1981) was a British professional swimmer. She was the first known person to swim the
706:
https://www.northernirelandworld.com/news/plaque-unveiled-to-german-swimmer-who-completed-historic-1929-swim-2140144
485:
245:. She made the return swim on 20 August 1929, this time swimming from Portstewart across to Black Rock Bay near
680:'Moville to Portstewart: Heather Clatworthy becomes first person since 1929 to swim between beauty spots' (
154:. She and her two elder sisters came from German heritage and Mercedes spent time with her grandparents in
214:
979:
682:
724:"An Advertiser's Dream: The Construction of the "Consumptionist" Cinematic Persona of Mercedes Gleitze"
349:. There were unproductive rumours that Gleitze might star in a film. Gleitze also recommended Be-ze-be
32:
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311:. The ceremony was covered by British newsreels where Gleitze announced that she was off to swim the
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in central London exploiting her talent for languages. In her spare time she started swimming in the
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892:
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637:"The Vindication Swim: Mercedes Gleitze and Rolex take the plunge and become world-renowned"
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453:
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402:
457:, about Gleitze's 1927 English Channel swim, was released. It was written and directed by
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that was converted into flats for homeless families. She was supported in her work by the
191:
888:"Victoria Summer Dives Into Indie Biopic 'Vindication Swim' From Director Elliott Hasler"
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834:"First British woman to swim the channel honoured with blue plaque at her Brighton home"
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785:"The British Newspaper Archive Blog Mercedes Gleitze | British Newspaper Archive"
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to establish new records for swimming. Besides swimming the 100 miles around the
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860:"Blue plaque unveiled to honour the first British woman to swim the Channel"
754:"5 Minutes On - Mercedes Gleitze - the untold story of a pioneering swimmer"
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138:. The Mercedes Gleitze charity is now linked to the Family Action charity.
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for Gleitze was unveiled at her birthplace in Freshfield Road, Brighton.
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49:
704:: 'Plaque unveiled to German swimmer who completed historic 1929 swim'.
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and bathing caps as well as her enduring role as a brand ambassador for
517:"Mercedes Gleitze: Film celebrates first woman to swim English Channel"
246:
210:
159:
241:, on 17 August 1929. This feat involved swimming across the mouth of
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In August 1929, Gleitze swam along part of the northern coastline of
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354:
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304:
300:
123:
486:"Mercedes Gleitze Relief In Need Charity | Charity number 252248"
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and two years studying at the Maria Stern Convent School in
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background and education, Gleitze became a secretary and
166:. Her father was a German immigrant from the county of
150:Kurr) in 1900 in the English south-coastal town of
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89:
81:
73:
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170:. He was a baker and her mother taught languages.
122:. The name of Mercedes Gleitze was used to market
146:Mercedes Gleitze was born to Heinrich and Anna (
292:, she also staged feats of endurance swimming.
575:Pember, Doloranda Hannah (23 September 2004).
798:"1927: The Swimming of the English Channel".
8:
728:Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media
587:(online ed.). Oxford University Press.
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667:https://www.mercedesgleitze.uk/lough-foyle
299:Gleitze married engineer Patrick Carey in
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284:and becoming the first person to swim to
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548:Charity Commission for England and Wales
491:Charity Commission for England and Wales
584:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
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213:. She swam from the Pilot's Station at
85:Swimming records and founding a charity
858:Wilkins, Charlotte (24 January 2022).
570:
568:
566:
564:
7:
510:
508:
886:Ramos, Dino-Ray (2 November 2020).
303:in 1930 with the American swimming
401:. The buildings were destroyed in
307:Bernice and Phyllis Zittenfeld as
217:(pronounced 'Shroove'), a coastal
14:
832:Wadsworth, Jo (24 January 2022).
641:International Wristwatch Magazine
515:Stanger, Alex (24 January 2022).
965:English people of German descent
917:
764:British Broadcasting Corporation
635:Brozak, John E (December 2003).
578:"Gleitze, Mercedes (1900–1981)"
237:, a small town on the coast of
118:and the first British woman to
93:Patrick Joseph Carey (m. 1930)
1:
960:Female long-distance swimmers
608:UK public library membership
331:when they were not drinking
233:, south-eastwards across to
198:undermined Gleitze's claim.
955:Sportspeople from Leicester
265:between Europe and Africa.
16:British swimmer (1900–1981)
996:
950:Sportspeople from Brighton
37:Mercedes Gleitze in 1930.
30:
975:English Channel swimmers
838:Brighton & Hove News
722:Chambers, Ciara (2013).
451:In March 2024, the film
120:swim the English Channel
970:British female swimmers
613:(subscription required)
376:, who went with her to
702:Northern Ireland World
593:10.1093/ref:odnb/37459
128:Mercedes Gleitze Homes
683:The Belfast Telegraph
345:and a fellow swimmer
268:Gleitze travelled to
174:Swimming achievements
926:at Wikimedia Commons
315:instead of going on
263:Straits of Gibraltar
116:Straits of Gibraltar
77:Professional swimmer
444:In January 2022, a
893:Deadline Hollywood
818:Harper's Bazaar UK
801:House & Garden
544:"Linked charities"
239:County Londonderry
922:Media related to
686:, 27 July 2016).
606:(Subscription or
463:Kirsten Callaghan
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454:Vindication Swim
411:Lara Gut-Behrami
403:Second World War
341:, which starred
229:in the north of
209:in the north of
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46:18 November 1900
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25:Mercedes Gleitze
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821:. July 2023.
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815:"Classic?".
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646:24 September
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596:. Retrieved
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497:24 September
495:. Retrieved
489:
465:as Gleitze.
452:
450:
443:
427:Sylvia Earle
407:
399:Czech people
396:
387:
368:Daily Mirror
366:
364:
343:Bebe Daniels
336:
333:Lipton's Tea
326:
323:Endorsements
298:
294:
288:and back to
278:South Africa
267:
251:
204:
200:
188:River Thames
184:stenographer
177:
145:
127:
111:
107:
106:
63:(1981-02-09)
18:
945:1981 deaths
940:1900 births
446:blue plaque
423:Grace Kelly
415:Iga Swiatek
309:bridesmaids
282:Isle of Man
274:New Zealand
258:Rotary Club
243:Lough Foyle
235:Portstewart
223:Greencastle
136:sponsorship
934:Categories
899:24 January
871:24 January
843:24 January
769:1 February
759:BBC Sounds
734:(Winter).
610:required.)
553:17 October
528:24 January
469:References
384:Later life
313:Hellespont
164:Nördlingen
142:Early life
74:Occupation
740:2009-4078
439:Yuja Wang
378:Gibraltar
361:Celebrity
357:watches.
317:honeymoon
290:Cape Town
270:Australia
254:Leicester
227:Inishowen
180:bilingual
178:With her
168:Göttingen
132:Leicester
52:, England
865:ITV News
522:BBC News
152:Brighton
98:Children
50:Brighton
247:Moville
211:Ireland
160:Bavaria
112:Gleitze
738:
604:
393:Legacy
219:hamlet
215:Shrove
207:Ulster
90:Spouse
355:Rolex
351:honey
305:twins
301:Dover
221:near
124:Rolex
110:(née
901:2022
873:2022
845:2022
771:2022
736:ISSN
648:2015
600:2015
555:2019
530:2022
499:2015
437:and
276:and
196:hoax
134:via
58:Died
43:Born
589:doi
225:in
158:in
148:née
130:in
936::
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