Beatrice "Trix" Wolstenholme (later Whalen, 1920 – 5 October 2008) was an English freestyle swimmer who competed in the 1934 British Empire Games.

Beatrice Wolstenholme
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing  Great Britain
European Championships
Bronze medal – third place 1934 Magdeburg 4×100 m freestyle
Representing  England
British Empire Games
Bronze medal – third place 1934 London 4×110 yd freestyle

Early life and swimming career edit

She was born in Withington, Manchester, the daughter of Duerden Wolstenholme and Mary Wolstenholme, and the younger sister of Cecelia Wolstenholme.[1] She attended St. Paul's School. She was a member of the Moss Side Swim Club, and trained with coaches Jack and Nellie Laverty.[2] She was called "the most wonderful girl swimmer England has ever known" and "wonder girl swimmer" in 1932 newspaper reports.[3][4] At the 1934 Empire Games she was a member of the English relay team which won the bronze medal in the 4×110 yards freestyle event.[1]

Later years edit

Wolstenholme married American soldier William Whalen III in 1945,[5] and moved to the United States. They had five children. She continued to teach swimming into her later years, and was aquatics director at the YMCA in New Bedford, Massachusetts. In 1997, she attended an event to dedicate a pool in Hamilton, Ontario. She died in 2008, at the age of 88, in New Bedford.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Souza, Pat (1 December 2008). "Beatrice Whalen". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  2. ^ "A Sports Page Gallery: Beatrice Wolstenholme". Manchester Evening News. 2 March 1935. p. 6. Retrieved 5 February 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Bee's Notes on Sport". Liverpool Echo. 1 December 1932. p. 10. Retrieved 5 February 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Wonder Girl Swimmer". Evening Despatch. 24 September 1932. p. 9. Retrieved 5 February 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Swimmer Weds". Manchester Evening News. 14 June 1945. p. 5. Retrieved 5 February 2024 – via Newspapers.com.

External links edit