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Newspaper clipping about the diving of Wickyama

Datec 1918

Object numberANMS1029[019]

NameNewspaper clipping

MediumInk on paper

DimensionsOverall: 594 x 60 mm

ClassificationsEphemera

Credit LineANMM Collection donated through the Australian Government Cultural Gifts Program by the Williams family, descendants of Beatrice Kerr

Terms

DescriptionA newspaper clipping featuring an article titled 'Deep Rock Carnival, Wickyama Dives 200 Feet. A Sensational Performance'. It discusses the high diving of Alick Wickham ('Prince Wickyama') in 1918 on the Yarra River. Alick Wickham was from Roviana Lagoon in the Solomon Islands, he moved to Sydney when he was 7 years old and is credited for introducing/demonstrating the 'crawl stroke' to Australia. This swimming style would become known as the 'Australian Crawl'.HistoryJohn Wren was a Victorian showman and sports supporter who had made his fortune in promoting horse racing, wrestling and boxes matches. He was also a fund raiser for the war effort and it was he who came up with the idea of a high dive into the Yarra River to raise money for the Returned Serviceman’s Amelioration Fund. As president of the Deep Rock Swimming Club (on the Yarra River) it was a perfect location to stage the event. Wren charged spectators sixpence to watch the event on the 23 March 1918 and to add to the theatrics, promoted Alick Wickham as 'Prince Wickyama'. An advertisement in The Age newspaper before the event promised: "PRINCE WICKYAMA [Wickham's theatrical alias] will undertake the most PERILOUS dive that has ever been attempted in any part of the WORLD. Leaping off the dangerous cliffs on the Yarra from a height of 205 feet 9 inches...it is estimated that Prince Wickyama in his hazardous descent will be going at the RATE OF 100 MILES PER MINUTE by the time he strikes the water." The Age of the following day records that at 5.00 pm Wickham crossed the Yarra by canoe and ascended the platform where he stood for some minutes surveying the scene. "When a second bugle call rang out, and Wickyama crouched for the jump there was a strained silence, broken only by gasps from hysterical women in the crowd." The impact of hitting the water ripped the three costumes he wore from his body and he had to signal for a blanket before he climbed out. After the dive and a moment of silence there came, "a burst of applause from every throat that might have been heard miles away." Most of the men present threw their hats into the air, many of them landing in the Yarra and floating lazily off downstream. It didn't matter; Wickham's leap of faith had made risk-taking possible, even to the abandonment of personal possessions. John Wren had laid on a bet of 100 pounds, and Wickham collected." SignificanceAlick Wickham was influential as being part of the popularising of swimming now known as the 'Australian Crawl'. He was a prominent body surfer and, as this article attests, held Melbourne enthralled with his high dive. Although the height of the dive is still debatable, Wickham's impact on swimming is seen daily in pools and beaches across Australia.