Tom Blower was a British man who on 27–28 July 1947 became the first to successfully swim the North Channel

North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland)

The North Channel is the strait which separates eastern Northern Ireland from southwestern Scotland...

 between Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 and Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

, completing the feat in 15 hours and 26 minutes. In spite of multiple attempts by others, the North Channel would not be successfully crossed by a swimmer again until 12 September 1970, when it was accomplished by Kevin Murphy

Kevin Murphy (swimmer)

Kevin Murphy has swum the English Channel 34 times, more than any other man in history. The overall title of greatest number of successful English Channel swims is held by Alison Streeter with 43 to her name....

. Blower also swam the English Channel

English Channel

The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...

 several times, with a personal best speed of 13 hours and 29 minutes in 1937 that set a new record, shaving the previous best by 23 minutes.

Born in Hyson Green

Hyson Green

Hyson Green is an area of Nottingham, England. It is the second most popular shopping area after the city centre and is now home to a variety of cultures with a thriving local economy...

 in 1914, Blower was a resident of Nottingham

Nottingham

Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...

 until shortly before his death of a heart attack in 1955, when he resided in Dartmouth

Dartmouth, Devon

Dartmouth is a town and civil parish in the English county of Devon. It is a tourist destination set on the banks of the estuary of the River Dart, which is a long narrow tidal ria that runs inland as far as Totnes...

. A long distance endurance swimmer, Blower practiced in the River Trent

River Trent

The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...

 near The Meadows

The Meadows, Nottingham

The Meadows is an area of Nottingham, England located south of the city centre.- Overview :The area is close to the River Trent and is connected to West Bridgford in the Borough of Rushcliffe by Trent Bridge and the Wilford Suspension Bridge...

. The son of a miner, Blower was a decorated World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

hero who gained national celebrity for his swimming.