Mercedes Gleitze | |
|---|---|
 Mercedes Gleitze in 1930. | |
| Born | 18 November 1900 Brighton, England |
| Died | 9 February 1981 (aged 80) London, England |
| Occupation | Professional swimmer |
| Known for | Swimming records and founding a charity[1] |
| Spouse | Patrick Joseph Carey (m. 1930) |
| Children | 3 |
Mercedes Carey (née Gleitze; 18 November 1900 – 9 February 1981) was a British professional swimmer. She was the first known person to swim the Straits of Gibraltar and the first British woman to swim the English Channel.[2] The name of Mercedes Gleitze was used to market Rolex's new waterproof case, the "Oyster". She established endurance records for swimming including a record of 46 hours in 1932. She was able to raise funds to found the Mercedes Gleitze Homes in Leicester via sponsorship. The Mercedes Gleitze charity is now linked to the Family Action charity.[3]
- ^ "Mercedes Gleitze Relief In Need Charity | Charity number 252248". Charity Commission for England and Wales. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ^ Stanger, Alex (24 January 2022). "Mercedes Gleitze: Film celebrates first woman to swim English Channel". BBC News. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
- ^ "Linked charities". Charity Commission for England and Wales. Retrieved 17 October 2019.