Captain Matthew Webb - Channel Swimming Pioneer - Statues of Historic Figures on Waymarking.com

Taken from the Dover Year Book of 1887 - The Dover Society:   The most famous feat of swimming recorded in the world's history was that of Captain Matthew Webb, who swam from Dover to Calais commencing on the 24th and ending on the 25th August, 1875. Captain Webb is a native of Shropshire, was a sailor, and has been several years in the Merchant Service. His first great swim was from Dover to Ramsgate on the 20th July, 1875, which he accomplished in eight hours and forty minutes. On the 12th of August, the same year, he attempted, unaided by artificial contrivance, to swim from England to France, starting at five o'clock in the afternoon but a storm coming on he gave it up, after being in the water six hours and forty-nine minutes. After waiting a fortnight for the next neap tides, Webb started again on the 24th August, at four minutes to one in the afternoon, accompanied by a lugger, conveying friends and Press representatives. Webb swam stoutly until nine in the evening, when he became rather faint, but he rallied and went on again, taking refreshment occasionally, and at day-break the next morning the French coast was near; but the wind rising and the tide turning to the east he was unable to make shore until he drifted opposite Calais, when he touched land thoroughly exhausted, after swimming twenty one and three quarter hours. © The Dover Society

                                              Unveiling Ceremony 1910

The bronze bust sits atop a tall stone plinth on Marine Parade, along Dover seafront. This is not the original plinth, but the bust and plaque are original. A decorated bronze plaque beneath reads: CAPT MATTHEW WEBB/BORN DAWLEY 1848/DIED NIAGARA 1883/SWAM FROM DOVER TO/CALAIS AUGUST 24*25 1875/ERECTED BY PUBLIC/SUBSCRIPTION 1910.

As far as I can ascertain, the artist responsible for the bust was a Mr M.D. Janes. He submitted a model of the bust to the Webb Memorial Trust, headed by Mr Alfred Jonas, a member of the Channel Swimming Association. The cost is unknown, but was paid for by public subscriptions, as inscribed on the bronze plaque. The trust fund had some very wealthy patrons, including  the Earl of Longsdale, Lord Desborough and Viscount Hill.