Life Saving Awards Research Society Journal

When I first decided to move to Exeter I was looking forward to researching the life and times of Frank Shooter who was known as 'The Hero of the Exe'. To my amazement his name appeared to be unknown in his native city. All the institutions, libraries etc, had no references.

Frank Shooter was, for 37 years, Bathing Constable and Bathing Superintendent at Head Wear, River Exe. During this time he saved, according to Trewmans Exeter Flying Post, over 200 people from drowning and taught thousands more to swim. In fact, not a single fatality occurred at Head Weir during the 16 years he was Superintendent.

He can be found in the directories and census records as living at Stepcote Hill, West Street and also at the Fireman's Arms.

During the latter half of the 19th century a number of people were, in effect, professional swimmers. They raced for cash prizes, they put on displays, gave exhibitions of diving and traveled the country competing in professional races. Shooter competed as a professional, as did his children. They put on displays which received glowing reviews in the press. Shooter would dive into the Exe and when he surfaced he would be smoking a cigar, to the wonderment of all his fans. In 1886 Shooter issued a challenge to any boy in England of twelve years or less to race over 500 yards or a mile for £20 or a silver cup, but I have not been able to ascertain if it ever took place.

Shooter's swimming abilities were also put to other uses, when he was on hand a number of times to save persons who were in danger of drowning. An example of this was at the Plymouth Swimming Matches in 1877, when Shooter saved the life of J.Rogers, Champion Swimmer of the Channel Islands, who sank while swimming the Great Challenge Race. This act of bravery was witnessed by thousands of spectators, and Shooter was publicly presented with a suitable acknowledgment through the Mayor of Plymouth.

He took part in a number of acts of life saving and The Royal Humane Society recognised Frank Shooter's gallantry no less than six times (Silver Medal and Bronze Medal with four clasps), their records give the following details:

	1873 - Bronze Medal At 6.30 pm, on the 5th June 1873, at the Weir Head, Exeter, Devon, Frank Shooter, jumped into the river, depth 10 feet, and with considerable difficulty and risk, brought F.Prothero to land.
	1874 - Bronze Clasp At 7.30 am, on the 7th August 1874, Frank Shooter, bathing attendant, jumped into the River Exe at Exeter, with all his clothes on, swam to a lad named E.H.Gibson, and brought him to the bank.
	1877 - Bronze Clasp At 5.30 pm, on the 31st July 1877, F.Shooter plunged into the River Exe at Exeter, depth 15 feet, and with difficulty rescued Private W.Knott, 11th Regiment.
	1883 - Bronze Clasp Frank Shooter, at great personal risk, rescued H.Standlake from drowning at Exeter, on the 4th June 1883.
	1884 - Bronze Clasp Frank Shooter, at great personal risk, rescued Frank Nicks from drowning at Exeter, on the 7th July 1884.
	1884 - Silver Medal At 5 p.m., 16th July, 1884, Mr. F.K. Hartnol was in a canoe on the mill-stream, Exeter, when the boat upset, and the swift current carried him under the mill-fender, and through the opening of the mill-leat, which runs for 180 yards through a dark tunnel. The leat varies in depth from four to six feet, with pits at intervals, and is cut in the solid rock, with jagged projections on each side. The stream was running nine miles an hour. The fender at the opening was let down seven or eight inches below the water surface, under which the salvor had to enter the tunnel. This feat he succeeded in effecting, and, being guided by the sound, he found Hartnol clinging to a projecting rock. Finding it impossible to stem the current he took Hartnol on his shoulders, proceeded down the tunnel with the stream, and landed him safely at the outlet. He had all his clothes on, and ran great risk of being dashed against the rocky rough sides.

In October 1884 the Mayor of Exeter (Alderman Wilkinson) publicly presented Frank Shooter with the silver medal and bronze clasp, awarded to him by the Royal Humane Society, for gallantry in saving life from drowning at great personal risk. The ceremony took place at a special meeting of the Town Council in the Guildhall, and was witnessed by a large number of citizens. The Mayor, in making the presentation, observed that the recipient had for many years been recognised as a citizen who had performed acts of courage which were not only creditable to himself, but had been of great service to his fellow townsmen. He had on many occasions been the means of saving a number of fellow creatures from a premature and melancholy death.

In January 1885, the Rt. Worshipful the Mayor (Cllr. Brown) at the Guildhall, in the presence of a large and enthusiastic gathering of the citizens of Exeter, presented Shooter with a gold medal and a purse containing £135 for his gallantry. (Putting this in perspective, his weekly wage during the bathing season was 30 shillings or £1.50). In making the presentation the Mayor stated that it was testimony of the public appreciation of his numerous acts of gallantry in saving life from drowning under very difficult and trying circumstances. Mr Shooter, who was greeted with hearty cheers, appeared with half a dozen medals on his breast, and above them the Mayor pinned the Gold Medal

Shooter was also the recipient of silver medals from four grateful bathers who owed their lives to him and, of course, the Royal Humane Society's Bronze Medal with four clasps and Silver Medal.

The local papers gave Frank Shooter's main interest, after the art of 'natation', as the fistic art. He was more than handy with the gloves, and was often to be seen having a friendly bout with prominent local swimmers. He was a great admirer of John L. Sullivan and his room at the bathing ground was a 'veritable picture gallery of celebrities of the noble art' In The Echoes of the Exe, June 1886 the following demonstrates the discipline at Head Weir bathing ground, doubtless assisted by the Superintendent's interest in the Fistic Arts.

'The fact is that the Superintendent knows his duties, and in carrying them out no bathers attempt to question his firmness. I quote an amusing illustration which I noticed a few days since. A youth entered the bathing ground using bad language which did not escape the ears of the Superintendent. The boy undressed, and while still swearing, walked to the brink of the water, his face beaming with ecstasy at the imagined delightful swim. He was just going to take a header when the Superintendent calmly arrested his attention, simply saying "dress". "What for?" asked the already crest-fallen youth. He donned his togs, and I never remember having before seen a face depicting such disappointment.

Shooter died in 1917 and his death was recorded in Trewman's Exeter Flying Post:

There is no trace of the Bathing Ground left today but it can be found on the Ordnance Survey maps (revised 1888) and the entrance and paths to it still exist. The River Exe has, of course, been the subject of many changes over the years. The area marked Public Bathing Place on the map is not used by the general public and is overgrown, but with my son to cut a way through the undergrowth and an artist to capture the scene, we eventually arrived at our estimation of the position of Frank Shooter's domain.

I have to admit that standing there and looking at the softly flowing Exe it was all too easy to picture it 100 years ago...
 
 
References:
Trewman's Exeter Flying Post
Echoes of The Exe
Contemporary Newspapers
Acknowledgment:
Marjory Robson - RHS Citations
Sheila Thorne - Illustrations
copy; Fevyer & Thorne 1998