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Downstream: A History and Celebration of Swimming the River Thames

Caitlin Davies (Goodreads Author)

3.92 · Rating details · 13 ratings · 4 reviews

Stretching 215 miles from its source in Gloucestershire, through England's capital and across to the North Sea, the River Thames has always enticed swimmers.

From bathing kings to splashing school children, intrepid wild swimmers to international athletes, this famous river has long been a favourite. But it was the Victorian era that saw the birth of organised river racing ...more

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Hardcover, 400 pages

Published June 15th 2015 by Aurum Press (first published March 15th 2015)

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Jun 08, 2016 Meredith M rated it liked it

Shelves: 2016

I had been feeling the tug to take a spell in non-fiction but I was waiting for reserves to arrive at the library. I found this book while perusing the shelves and tried it out sitting in the library. I am a migrant to England and I was curious about what the book would capture of places and way of life.

The quirky enthusiasm for swimming and bathing in the Thames and the associated collection of open-water swimming related trivia charting London's history was engaging. If I find myself by the ri ...more

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Dec 20, 2018 Alena rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, swimming

Very readable, bit too detailed for my level of interest.
Section by section of the river she details the history (and present) of swimming in the area. Very fascinated by the whole open water swimming.

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Jul 17, 2016 Diana rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: swimmers, history buffs, people interested in London

Downstream is Caitlin Davies’ homage to Thames’ swimmers past, present and future. Prior to writing the book she believed that swimming in the river was a relatively recent pursuit, but one day, quite by chance she spied an historic poster at the British Library featuring a young swimmer named Agnes Beckwith. Through further research she discovered that Beckwith was a trailblazer, swimming from London Bridge to Greenwich in 1875 at the tender age of 14. Even more surprisingly, Davies found that Downstream is Caitlin Davies’ homage to Thames’ swimmers past, present and future. Prior to writing the book she believed that swimming in the river was a relatively recent pursuit, but one day, quite by chance she spied an historic poster at the British Library featuring a young swimmer named Agnes Beckwith. Through further research she discovered that Beckwith was a trailblazer, swimming from London Bridge to Greenwich in 1875 at the tender age of 14. Even more surprisingly, Davies found that Beckwith was not alone in her use of the Thames as a swimming venue. Over the years a multitude of people, male and female, young and old have dipped into the river to tackle feats of endurance or simply to cool off.

The book is arranged into chapters, starting at the source of the Thames and ending at the sea, with each chapter focusing on the history of swimming at a particular location along the river. We are introduced to inspiring swimmers like Eileen Lee who swam from Tower Bridge to Richmond in 1915 and Norman Derham who conquered the Thames Estuary in 1925. In addition to these impressive individuals, Davies also discusses how the river was used for more understated activities including swim club handicaps, diving competitions, and just plain paddling. There are so many interesting characters and events presented in the book that I would have enjoyed the inclusion of a timeline to help me keep them straight. Additionally, I would have loved a map of the Thames because although I'm fairly familiar with the stretch that runs through London, I don't know much about the rest of it.

Some of the most enjoyable portions of the book are Davies’ personal anecdotes that are interspersed throughout. In order to fully immerse herself in the subject, she participates in three open water swims: the first in the peaceful, grassy Upper Thames, the second from the industrial Millwall Dock, and the third in the Thames Estuary where the mighty river meets the sea. We are privy to both her fears and elation as she plunges into the storied river to challenge herself.

A fun book to dip in and out of, Downstream is perfect for history buffs and swimmers alike. But be careful, it will almost certainly make you want to go out and sign up for an open water swimming event, so you can also become a part of Thames swimming heritage.
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Mar 09, 2016 Emma rated it it was amazing

Books I Read 2015
January 9, 2016

In October, I attended a talk on the history of swimming in London by Caitlin Davies and Jenny Landreth at a local literary festival, Archway With Words. Davies’ latest social history book, Downstream (Aurum, 2015) is a history and celebration of swimming the Thames. Although I am not a great lover of swimming, I am passionate about celebrating female achievement through history. On this note, I was pleased to discover the remarkable lives of Agnes Beckwith (who i ...more

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About Caitlin Davies

Caitlin Davies

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I'm a writer, teacher and journalist, the author of six novels and six non-fiction books. Many of my early books were inspired by the 12 years I spent in Botswana, where I worked as a teacher, award winning journalist and newspaper editor. My more recent books draw on the stories and history of London. These include The Ghost of Lily Painter, based on the true story of two Edwardian baby farmers, ...more