1901 - 58 Campbell Street, South Shields
1881 - 25 North Street, North Shields with grandmother Mary Manger Apparently faked his own death (lost at sea), went off with another woman and had another family somewhere else! Then turned up years later to see his first wife and children. From Shields Gazette: Nicol is recorded as being a native of South Shields, but by the time he made the swim at the age of 27, in 1902, he was living in Aberdeen for 15 years. His father, though, had been a member of the Dee Swimming Club in the past which suggests some to-ing and fro-ing between Tyneside and Scotland. Nicol's achievement was to swim from the mouth of the Dee to the mouth of the Don, a distance of 2 miles, in just one hour exactly. Nicol, a member of the Bon Accord Swimming Club, who already had a reputation as a champion long distance bath swimmer, had failed in the attempt a year previously. We're told: " Many swimmers have essayed the feat in past years, including such well-known strongmen as William Sutherland and William Burnett ... but not until Saturday last was the distance covered..." A beautifully hand-written account, which surrounds this picture, gives a blow-by-blow account of the feat, including the temperature of the water (between 56F and 58F) and the names of the pace men, at least one of whom was defeated by the cold. We have this description of Nicol at one point in the swim: "At three o' clock he passed the Gallowhill gas holder and was going in a beautifully-timed trudgeon stroke, which was varied by occasional overhand and breast stroke movements..." Eventually King romped home to tumultuous applause from hundreds of spectators. A commentator wrote: "King clambered on to the launch and was immediately wrapped in hot blankets for a few moments. His eyes were very dim and his lips and face were purple. Hot coffee was given him and in a short time he expressed himself as feeling fine." Mention is made of it being thought suitable that some sort of trophy should be 'brought forward' to mark the event. Apparently the result was a bowl - though not the trophy you see Nicol with in the picture here. It would be lovely, after all that, to go on to record that Nicol had a long and happy life in which he was able to look back on his achievement. Sadly this wasn't to be. He went on to be lost during the First World War; the details have always been hazy, but family lore is that he died while using his swimmer's skills to attempt to rescue shipmates in the loss of HMS Hawke. This prompted me to consult the archives of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. They do indeed record the loss of a Nicholas Mainger King, stoker, of the Royal Naval Reserve, on HMS Hawke, October 15, 1914. He was 39.
1901 - 15 Queen St Tynemouth Lived at 114 Church Way, North Shields in October 1934. Moved to Brinkburn St, High Howdon, Tyne & Wear at time of death. Had leg amputated due to gangreen prior to death.
,1901 - 9 Swan Street, Walker, Tynemouth
,1901 - 9 Swan Street, Walker, Tynemouth
1901 - 58 Campbell Street, South Shields
,1901 - 9 Swan Street, Walker, Tynemouth