Bill Pickering

Bill Pickering (19 July 1921 – 17 August 2014) was an English swimmer known for long-distance open water swimming. He attributed his swimming success to a vegetarian way of living.

Biography

Pickering was born in Overseal, Derbyshire and moved to Bloxwich in the 1950s to work as a baths manager. In August 1954, Pickering won the Morecambe Cross Bay Championship and was the only competitor to cross the finishing line. He trained on honey, raisins and a black current drink. He was 1 hour 28 minutes faster than any other man. He stated that he swam the channel on two cheese sandwiches and a glass of milk and it is not necessary to eat meat to maintain health. In 1969, he gained a new swimming record for crossing the Penarth to Weston-super-Mare Bristol Channel in 6 hours 20 minutes. Pickering became the first man to swim the Bristol Channel both ways in 1970.

His trainer was Lewis Latham. He was a vice president of the Channel Swimming Association. He was a member of the Vegetarian Cycling and Athletic Club. He was guest of honour at the first annual dinner of Preston Vegetarian and Food Reform Society in 1957. In 1973, he was President of the Birmingham and West Midland Vegetarian Society. In August 2005 he delivered a talk for the Shropshire Vegans and Veggies group.

He married Clarrie in 1941, they had no children. He died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Burton on Trent, aged 93.