![Captain Matthew Webb Swims the English Channel - Mankind's Greatest Explorations and Adventures - TIME Captain Matthew Webb Swims the English Channel - Mankind's Greatest Explorations and Adventures - TIME](https://content.time.com/time/photoessays/2009/10_adventures/matthew_webb.jpg)
Captain Matthew Webb Swims the English Channel - Mankind's Greatest Explorations and Adventures - TIME
![Allen & Ginter | Captain Matthew Webb, Swam from Dover, England to Calais, France, from World's Champions, Series 2 (N29) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes | The Metropolitan Museum of Art Allen & Ginter | Captain Matthew Webb, Swam from Dover, England to Calais, France, from World's Champions, Series 2 (N29) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes | The Metropolitan Museum of Art](https://images.metmuseum.org/CRDImages/dp/original/DP838277.jpg)
Allen & Ginter | Captain Matthew Webb, Swam from Dover, England to Calais, France, from World's Champions, Series 2 (N29) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
![Lewis Pugh on X: "#OnThisDay in 1848, Captain Matthew Webb was born. He was the first person to swim across the English Channel, and it's been inspiring generations of endurance swimmers ever Lewis Pugh on X: "#OnThisDay in 1848, Captain Matthew Webb was born. He was the first person to swim across the English Channel, and it's been inspiring generations of endurance swimmers ever](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FJdRkiQXEAIT2Vs.jpg)
Lewis Pugh on X: "#OnThisDay in 1848, Captain Matthew Webb was born. He was the first person to swim across the English Channel, and it's been inspiring generations of endurance swimmers ever
![Tragic end for the British hero who became the first person to swim the English Channel - Mirror Online Tragic end for the British hero who became the first person to swim the English Channel - Mirror Online](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article6263677.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/Engraving-depicts-Captain-Matthew-Webb.jpg)
Tragic end for the British hero who became the first person to swim the English Channel - Mirror Online
![Captain Matthew WEBB (1848 - 1883), who on 24 August 1875 was the first person to swim the English Channel Stock Photo - Alamy Captain Matthew WEBB (1848 - 1883), who on 24 August 1875 was the first person to swim the English Channel Stock Photo - Alamy](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2RG8TJ1/captain-matthew-webb-1848-1883-who-on-24-august-1875-was-the-first-person-to-swim-the-english-channel-2RG8TJ1.jpg)