Mary Wheatland

Mary Wheatland was a well known Bognor Regis Character, a woman who hired bathing machines from the east of the pier. She taught children to swim and saved many lives for which she received medals and recognition from the Royal Humane Society. Born in 1835 at Aldingbourne (three to four miles from Bognor) she later moved to Ivy Lane, South Bersted, Bognor and died at the age of 89 in 1924. Crowds would gather at the groyne to the east of the pier to watch her swim in her serge suit. She delighted in standing upside down so that just her boots protruded from the sea!!

As down the beach my horses wade

So that people can bath in all modesty,

In horse-drawn bathing machines to the edge of the sea,

Then back again my towels I do hire,

Not a glimpse of flesh to make men perspire,

People gather to have a loook at me,

For I perform cartwheels in the sea,

I have medals pinned to my chest,

At savinglives I’m one of the best,

Mr Marsh has often photographed me

So my name will go down in posterity

For all true Bognorians know my name

Mary Wheatland of bathing machine fame.

Sylvia Olliver

04/05/2007 11:59