William Henry (swimmer)

William Henry (28 June 1859 – 20 March 1928), born Joseph Nawrocki, was an English competitive swimmer and lifesaver who represented Great Britain in international competition.[1][2]

William Henry

Personal information
Full name	William Henry
National team	Great Britain
Born	(1859-06-28)28 June 1859 St Pancras, London, England
Died	20 March 1928(1928-03-20) (aged 68) St Pancras, London, England
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle, water polo
Club	London Leander SC
Medal record Representing Great Britain Men's swimming Intercalated Games 1906 Athens 4×250 m freestyle Men's water polo Olympic Games 1900 Paris Team competition

He was of Polish ancestry, and changed his original Polish surname Nawrocki to the English "Henry". He died in the Pancras district of London at aged 68.[3] He was a co-founder of the Royal Life Saving Society. As a swimmer he won a number of national and European championships. In 1906, at 46, he became the oldest ever Olympic medal winner in swimming as a member of the British men's 4×250-metre relay team which won the bronze medal. He won a gold medal in the 1900 Summer Olympics for Water Polo.[1]

Henry is an International Swimming Hall of Fame inductee. He was the swimming instructor for the British Royal Family, using the swimming pool at the Bath Club, Dover Street.[1] He helped to formalise the rules of water polo.[4] With Archibald Sinclair (1866–1922), he wrote a book on swimming for the Badminton Library.[5][6]