Cavill family

Arthur "Tums" Cavill, c. 1909

The Cavill family of Australia is known for its significant contributions to the development of the sport of swimming.[1][2]

Prominent family members in the sport include Frederick Cavill (1839–1927),[3] sons Ernest Cavill (1868–1935),[4] Charles Claude Cavill (1870–1897),[5] Percy Frederick Cavill (1875–1940),[6] Arthur Rowland Channel (Tums) Cavill (1877–1914),[5][7] who is credited by sports journalist W.F. Corbett with originating the Australian crawl stroke, which now predominates in "freestyle" swimming races; and Sydney St. Leonards Cavill ("Sid") (1881–1945),[8] was one of the originators of the butterfly arm stroke.[9] Youngest son Richmond (Dick) Theophilus Cavill (1884–1938)[3] was the first to use the crawl in a competition, winning 100 yards State championship in 1899; and in England, in 1902, he was the first to swim 100 yards in under a minute.[10]

Six members of the family were jointly inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1970.[11]

The three daughters, Madeline, Fredda and Alice Cavill[12] were all accomplished swimmers[13][14] and swimming instructors.[15]

Fredda Cavill's son Dick Eve won gold at the 1924 Summer Olympics in the plain high diving, becoming the first Australian Olympic diver to win gold.[15]

  1. ^ The Royal Family of Swimming Archived 2012-11-02 at the Wayback Machine, Reader's Digest (Australian edition), Retrieved 21 September 2012
  2. ^ Allen, Geoff (26 March 1961). The saga of the swimming Cavills, The Sydney Morning Herald
  3. ^ a b Williams, J.G. "Cavill, Frederick (1839–1927)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  4. ^ "Ernie Cavill Passes". Sporting Globe. Melbourne, Australia. 29 May 1935. p. 12.
  5. ^ a b Osmond, Gary (2009). "Forgetting Charlie and Tums Cavill: social memory and Australian swimming history". Journal of Australian Studies. 33 (1): 93–107. doi:10.1080/14443050802672569. S2CID 144775663.
  6. ^ "Death entry for Percy F Cavell [sic]". FamilySearch. Bahamas Civil Registration, 1850-1959. 31 December 1940. Retrieved 18 August 2024. St Matthews Parish. Died November 17th 1940. European. Male.
  7. ^ (2 March 1914). Cavill Freezes While Swimming: Champion Swimmer Was Unable to Stand Shock of Puget Sound Water, Spokane Daily Chronicle
  8. ^ (5 May 1945). Sid Cavill Dies, Reading Eagle
  9. ^ "The Cavill Family". ISHOF. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  10. ^ "Cavill, Richmond Theophilus (Dick) (1884–1938)". Cavill, Richmond Theophilus (Dick) (1884 - 1938) Biographical Entry - Australian Dictionary of Biography Online. Adbonline.anu.edu.au. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
  11. ^ The Cavill Family (AUS) - 1970 Honor Contributors Archived 2007-11-04 at the Wayback Machine, International Swimming Hall of Fame website, Retrieved 21 September 2012
  12. ^ Osmond, Gary (2012). "Swimming Her Own Course: Agency in the Professional Swimming Career of Alice Cavill". The International Journal of the History of Sport. 29 (3): 385–402. doi:10.1080/09523367.2012.659727. S2CID 143975048.
  13. ^ "The Cavill Family". The Sydney Morning Herald. 13 February 1899. p. 5. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  14. ^ "The Cavill Family". The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 December 1898. p. 8. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  15. ^ a b "Dick Eve". Olympedia. Retrieved 13 October 2021.