The Life Saver of Bognor Beach

The Illustrated London News, Volume 75, 1879

My research on bathing machines uncovered the inspiring story of Mary Wheatland who saved over 30 lives in her lifetime. Born Mary Norris in 1835,  she was only 14 when she got a job working as a house servant for the bathing woman, Martha Mills, at the seaside resort of Bognor Regis, West Sussex, England. (Source: 1851 England Census) Mary loved to swim and seemed to handle the swift currents and high surf of the Bognor beach well so it wasn't long before Mary was put to work as a bathing assistant helping the patrons who visited the bathing machines. 

By the 1861 census, Mary, a bathing attendant, was married to George Wheatland, an agricultural labourer, and already had 2 of the 6 children who would be produced of the union. From all accounts, Mary's domestic life was a mess and she seems to have raised the children by herself, even while working. In fact, a year after her marriage, Mary was already famous for her life saving skills as proved in an entry in Bradshaw's Handbook for Tourists in Great Britain & Ireland. The gazeteer was published in 1858 and on page 65, one can find the following entry:

Bradshaw's Handbook for Tourists in Great Britain & Ireland entry for Bognor, Sussex

Swimming lessons were often offered as a service - for a fee - in conjunction with bathing machine use, but not everyone recognized the signs of drowning versus playing around, and many were scared to jump into the heavy currents lest they themselves be swept out to sea. Printed material, such as All About Bathing with Instructions, How to Swim and How To Save From Drowning, by Piscatory, was available, but Mary rescued her first drowning victim years before it was published in 1871.

East Parade, Bognor, England between ca.1890 and 1900. LOC Prints and Photographs Division

The Illustrated London News, Volume 75, 1879, reported that an article in a local halfpenny paper, Bersted Parish Magazine, told the story of a local bathing attendant who "...holds the saving of life to be as much the work of a bathing woman as the rinsing of a bathing dress." The article had been written by the Vicar of Bersted who interviewed Mary Wheatland who had recently received an honorary testimonial, on vellum no less, from the Royal Humane Society. After a bit of prodding from the vicar, Mary finally listed the bathers she'd rescued with the first being 20 yrs before (about 1859):

1. The heavy wife of a London brewer, whose soul was drifting into eternity and her body across the Channel.

2. A nurse whom a bathing-man had attempted to save, but gave up. Mary dashed in and completed the rescue.

3. A little foreign lady who was crying out as she drifted back to her Continental home. Mary added, "It was a strong sea and a ground swell. She swam round her, caught her by her dress, and paddled home with her foreign prize in tow."

4. A young lady who had treated Mary well and often brought her hot coffee.

5. Mary didn't remember anything about the lady except that she had snatched her from a watery grave.

6. A gentleman who turned to swim back upon experiencing heart trouble, but "knew no more" until awaking in his own bed. (The author of the article injected that he heard Mary received 20 pounds from the kind gentleman who apparently didn't miss it.)

7.-13. Mary needed some goading to admit this save because she didn't want to betray a confidence, but finally admitted that 5 years before, she came upon "six sportive young nymphs who had played away out of their depths and were drowning in a batch". Mary swam out and brought them in one-by-one while battling their water-soaked garments. Mary pleaded with the author not to say anything about it because the women had paid her "2 pounds back rent and sent her a bit of beef at Christmas".

Mary Wheatland, Bognor Celebrated Bathing Woman

Along with two medals and accompanying certificates presented by the Royal Humane Society for her courageous acts of bravery, Mary Wheatland was presented with another medal for "...saving the lives of six girls who had gotten into difficulty while swimming out to sea." In total, Mary is credited with saving the lives of over 30 drowning people, with one account saying the total is nearer to sixty.

By the 1891 England census, Mary was the owner of the yellow and red striped bathing machines located on the east side of the Bognor Pier, where she continued to work until retiring in 1909. 

According to the accompanying newspaper clipping, Mary didn't let her advancing age stop her from swimming or diving off a boat, although she made her last dive off the Bognor Pier on her 71st birthday. 

On April 1, 1924, at the age of 89, Mary Wheatland died at home. As befitting a woman of the sea, her funeral procession was escorted by Bognor fisherman who carried her to the Parish Church of Bognor, St. Mary Magdalene, where she rests in the church graveyard. 

Mary Wheatland is still remembered by local residents, many of whom are Mary's descendants. In 1999, the Bognor Regis Town Council set out its first permanent memorial to Mary when it held a ceremony to commemorate a memorial bench outside the church wall where weary travellers can rest and look out over the water Mary loved so much. 

Mary Wheatland is an inspiring role model for women of all ages. Mary worked her way through life, giving aid when and where it was needed. She didn't let a troublesome domestic life interfere with what she felt was her calling, and in the process, saved more lives than anyone else of her time. 

If you'd like to know more about bathing machine history, check out my previous posts:
March 5 - Rise of the Beach Machines Part 1
April 5 - Rise of the Beach Machines Part 2

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Anita Mae Draper served a 20-year term working on air bases in the communication trade of the Canadian Armed Forces before retiring to the open skies of the prairies. She uses her experience and love of history to pepper her stories of yesteryear's romance with realism as well as faith. Anita Mae Draper's published stories appear in Barbour Publishing, WhiteFire Publishing, and Guideposts Books. Readers can enrich their story experience with visual references by checking out Anita's Pinterest boards. All links available on her website at www.anitamaedraper.com

High Tea . . . or Afternoon Tea?

by Kathleen Rouser

(Picture above from Pixabay.)

Though tea time is considered a very British thing, the Chinese were enjoying tea before the time of Christ. Coffee spread from the Middle East through Europe first. Then Dutch and Portuguese traders brought tea from the Far East.

In the 1660s, the wife of Charle II of England, Infanta Catherine de Braganza, from Portugal, made tea drinking popular. It was nearly 200 years later when afternoon tea became a custom.

The start of afternoon tea is attributed to Anna Russell, Duchess of Bedford, who was a good friend of Queen Victoria and Lady of the Bedchamber between 1837 and 1841.

During the nineteenth century dinner was being served later and later, usually between 7 and 8 p.m. When luncheon was served between breakfast and dinner, the two main meals, it was light fare. Late in the afternoon, the Duchess experienced “hunger spells” or “that sinking feeling.” She asked for tea, bread and butter, and cakes to be sent to her room. Once she had begun this habit, she began inviting friends. The daily custom caught on and others began inviting friends to their homes as well.

Duchess of Bedford
By Unknown, from Wikimedia Commons, [PD)

The Duchess went even further, sending cards to her friends to invite them for the afternoon repast--for tea and a walk on the fields of her estate. For the upper classes these teas became known as "afternoon" or "low" tea. They were moved from the boudois to the drawing room and served on low tables. Soon it was all the rage in fashionable society to sip tea and nibble little sandwiches together in the afternoon.

At the end of a long working day, the middle classes began having tea around five or six o'clock in the evening. This was a more substantial meal and often took the place of a later main evening meal. It was served at a dinner table, so it is called "high" tea and actually started during the Industrial Revolution.

(My attempt at serving tea on low tables above.)

During the Edwardian period, people preferred to go out for tea rather than stay at home. Both ritzy hotels and high-end department stores offered tea rooms. Eventually, music and then dancing were added to these afternoon teas.

The height of the afternoon tea as a social craze was in the 1920s. Tables were set with fancy linens, silver teapots, the most expensive china teacups, and best teas. The whole affair, with many guests, would be doled out by servants, embodying the Downton Abbey-like elegance we Americans often picture.

Savory tea sandwiches - cucumber and smoked
salmon with cream cheese. Yum!

As far as food went, the Duchess's bread evolved into the savory portion while the cakes became scones and all kinds of sweets. With the development of such a social event came rules of course. For example, don't hold your pinky out when you drink tea from a china cup or hug your teacup like a mug. How gauche! When stirring your tea, move your spoon back and forth between twelve and six o'clock, not round and round, making a racket! Also, when you sip your tea, look down into the cup instead of over it at others. And whether you were from Devonshire or Cornwall--or wherever--might determine whether you spread the clotted cream or jam on your scone first.

After going through both World Wars, and tea rationing into the 1950s, the daily habit of afternoon tea ebbed. Coffee grew somewhat in popularity.

The afternoon or "low" tea has become more of a pastime for tourists. Tea rooms and hotels serving tea abound throughout England.

Loved making some of these sweets--lavender shortbread and blueberry

scones were both new recipes to me.

Since I have a collection of beautiful china teacups handed down from my mother, I decided it was time to have a casual afternoon tea in my home this

past August. It was time to take them out of the curio cabinet and use them.

I had a lot of fun looking for recipes. I made blueberry scones, lavender shortbread cookies and brownies, and bought chocolate truffles. Along with these I made cucumber sandwiches and smoked salmon tea sandwiches.

By John Everett Millais - Artdaily.org, Public Domain

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11329817

It always seemed a lovely, though Victorian tradition, to take time in the afternoon to relax with a cup of tea and a treat of some kind, but life gets so busy. Though I'm sure my little tea party was very Americanized, I wanted to stop and have a special time with a few friends. It was a fun thing to do and good to slow down for a couple of hours in the afternoon. It is worth the time whether at home or out at a special tea place with friends.

What about you? Have you ever been to an afternoon tea?

Kathleen Rouser is the award-winning author of Rumors and Promises, her first novel about the people of fictional Stone Creek, Michigan, and the novella, The Pocket Watch. She is a longtime member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Kathleen has loved making up stories since she was a little girl and wanted to be a writer before she could even read. She longs to create characters who resonate with readers and realize the need for a transforming Savior in their everyday lives. She lives in Michigan with her hero and husband of 36 years, and the sassy tail-less cat who found a home in their empty nest. Connect with Kathleen on her website at kathleenrouser.com, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kathleenerouser/, and on Twitter @KathleenRouser.