Marcus Bibbero

Marcus (Mordechai) Bibbero (1837–1910) was brought up in the Jewish community of Hull, England. He became a celebrated world-class swimmer and cross-channel coach, who promoted life-saving and municipal baths.

Biography Bibbero was born in Wreschen, Prussia in 1837, migrating to Kingston-upon-Hull, East Yorkshire, England, at age 3 months with his family. His father peddled jewellery.

Having aged 19 married his cousin from Prussia, after all of his six children died in Hull, he took his swimming skills first to Manchester, often visiting Blackpool over 7 years to swim off the North pier.

In 1870 he went to London where, he later claimed, he had coached Captain Webb for his famous Channel swim, although it would seem Bibbero had no connection to Webb until after his 1875 swim.

In 1908, to celebrate his golden wedding and the 33rd anniversary of Captain Webb's famous crossing, Bibbero gave a display of swimming off the coast of Dover.

He died in 1910 in Dalston, London.