Frank Gadsby
Frank Calladine Gadsby | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Basford, Nottingham, England |
| Died | February 7, 1958 (aged 76) Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, England |
| Other names | Peggy |
| Occupation(s) | Competitive diver, swimmer, stunt performer, fishmonger, publican |
| Years active | c. 1911–1950 (diving career) |
Frank Calladine Gadsby (19 December 1881 – 7 February 1958) was a British athlete specializing in competitive diving and swimming. Known by the nickname "Peggy," he overcame the loss of one leg, amputated after an accident at age four. His swimming skills were developed under the tutelage of Professor Touhy, who also coached King George V.
Prior to his diving career, Gadsby was employed as a fishmonger and managed several pubs. His public diving exhibitions commenced around 1911 and continued well into the 1940s. In 1913, he declared bankruptcy with liabilities amounting to £300. Gadsby performed stunt dives both in cinematic productions and before members of royalty. Although he officially retired around 1949, he maintained occasional diving demonstrations into his sixties and occasionally substituted for his son Leslie when the latter was injured. Even in his seventies, Gadsby remained active, once remarking, "I can do it still if anyone likes to dare me."
Together with his wife Nellie Crossland, he had two sons, one of whom, Leslie, followed in his footsteps as a diver. Frank Gadsby passed away in February 1958.
Early life
Born on 19 December 1881 in Basford, Nottingham, Frank Calladine Gadsby was the second child among four siblings of James and Charlotte. After suffering a dislocated hip at age four, one of his legs was amputated. Around the age of twelve, he acquired swimming skills from Professor Touhy, who was also known for instructing King George V. Later in life, Gadsby performed a diving exhibition for the monarch.
Career
Before embarking on a professional diving career, Gadsby worked as a fishmonger and publican, overseeing several Nottingham establishments including the Albany Hotel and the Black's Head. He competed in swimming contests throughout Europe and gained significant recognition at British coastal resorts, notably Skegness, where he famously executed thousands of dives from Skegness Pier.
In the early twentieth century, Gadsby represented the Nottingham Swimming Club in water polo and achieved a notable victory over world champion swimmer J. A. Jarvis during the 1904 King's Cup Race held before the King and Queen. The Queen expressed concern about his missing leg by sending a lady-in-waiting to inquire, which Gadsby regarded as a "kindly thought." By 1911, financial troubles emerged; he owed £300 but had only £180 available and declined to make partial payments on his debts. The official receiver attributed his financial distress to extravagant expenditures. In 1913, he declared bankruptcy, explaining that his income depended heavily on public generosity and weather conditions, fluctuating between £5 and as little as 10 shillings per dive.
In September 1913, Gadsby accomplished an impressive 13-mile swim from Formby to Southport Pier, predominantly using the trudgen stroke while braving cold water temperatures and being pushed approximately one mile off course by tidal currents. Previously, he had completed a swim from Hastings to Eastbourne, which he considered less challenging due to calmer waters.
By 1920, Gadsby had taken on the role of swimming instructor aboard the Cunard Line Imperator, having already earned a "world reputation as a swimmer." In 1924, he was fined five shillings in Skegness for riding a bicycle without lights but did not appear in court because of a scheduled performance. In 1927, The Leicester Mail described him as "the champion one-legged swimmer and diver of the world." Around 1946, Gadsby assumed the position of diving and swimming master at Butlin's seaside holiday resorts.
Diving
Gadsby embarked on his diving performances around 1911. Around the age of 29, he transitioned from professional swimming to diving into fire, driven by financial challenges and a desire to pursue more thrilling acts. In September 1919, he executed a parachute jump from an aircraft over the shores of New Brighton and Waterloo, drawing substantial crowds. Although his original intention was to perform a mid-air dive into the sea, experts advised against it due to safety concerns, prompting a change in plans. Despite having only flown once before, Gadsby successfully descended into the water and was safely recovered. The event also featured aerial exhibitions and Sopwith aircraft. In a 1929 interview, he recalled this parachute jump as his most dramatic achievement, noting it was only his second time flying. Wearing both a lifebelt and parachute, he fell for approximately four seconds before his chute deployed, describing the experience as "much easier than the usual way of diving."
Aside from public spectacles, by 1929 Gadsby had appeared in roughly 20 films. While filming the silent movie Forbidden Cargoes in 1927, he survived a fall when the safety net failed after a cliff jump. In October that year, he performed a dive into a tank while engulfed in flames. He repeated similar fiery stunts in April 1931, diving from considerable height into shallow water amid fireworks.
During the 1930s, Gadsby toured with "Dare Devil Peggy's Water Circus," sharing the stage with Olympic divers and commanding substantial fees for his performances. His daring dives persisted throughout the decade; notably, in September 1938 he plunged into a flaming pool while his cloak was ablaze. In 1948, promoting a circus fire dive event, the Ealing and Acton Gazette acclaimed him as the "world's greatest high diver."
Gadsby narrowly escaped injury when diving from the bridge of RMS Berengaria, barely clearing a 24-foot barge below. Throughout his career, he performed before members of royalty and once entertained an audience exceeding 90,000 at Wembley Arena.
Retirement
Although Gadsby officially retired in autumn 1950, he continued diving well into his seventies. He once remarked, "I can do it still if anyone likes to dare me." In August 1953, he came out of retirement to substitute for his injured son Leslie at an event in Bristol. This performance involved diving "in flames, through flames and into flames" from a 74-foot platform into a tank just 5 feet 6 inches deep. His other son Kenneth took part but did not dive. When questioned about returning to diving after years away from it, Gadsby firmly stated, "Not a bit of it," emphasizing that diving was his lifelong craft honed over time.
He again filled in for Leslie in December 1953 by performing a high dive at a fairground in Carlisle. After retiring permanently, Gadsby moved from Hyson Green to Eastwood, Nottinghamshire.
Personal
On 20 June 1907 in Nottingham, he married Nellie Crossland. The couple had two sons: Leslie and Ken.
Death
Gadsby passed away on 7 February 1958 in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire.
Popular culture
In 2000, a hotel located in New Brighton, Merseyside was renamed "Peggy Gadfly's" for several years as a nod to Gadsby's fame for diving off New Brighton Pier.
He also served as inspiration for the character The Diver featured in the BBC radio comedy It's That Man Again.