Downstream

inter-club mile swim. The
boys were ‘taken up to what
we call Fishery Islands,
where you still see people
swimming today,’ explains
Gillian, ‘and then told to
swim to Caversham Bridge.
He was about fifteen. He was
just told, “off you go”. There
was no big turnout of safety
boats, just a “get in and
swim”. A mile is quite a long
way if you’re in the middle of
the river and panic, but it was