Joey Nuttall

A silver gelatin portrait of the British swimmer Joseph (‘Joey’) Nuttall, who for many years was hailed as ‘the champion swimmer of the world.’

Born in Manchester on 31 August 1869, Joseph Nuttal was the son of Thomas Nuttal, a coal merchant (1871) and later a ‘Beer House Keeper’ in Stalybridge (1881). He learnt to swim in one of England’s first public pools and won his first competitive race in 1881, when he was 12 years old. From 1886 to 1888 he was the English 100-yard and 220-yard amateur champion. In 1888 he turned professional, subsequently establishing many world records at different lengths. The fastest professional swimmer of his generation, he primarily favoured the trudgen, a side-stroke which later developed into the front crawl.

At Leicester in 1905 he married Gertrude Elliott. When the census was taken in 1911, the couple were living with their son George, aged 3, at 49 Walmsley Street, Stalybridge. Another child had already died. Joey was still describing himself as a ‘Professional Swimmer.’

By the mid-1920s he had fallen on hard times. The Birmingham Daily Gazette (21 January 1926) reported that ‘The swimming galas which have been held in the North to raise funds for that well-known professional swimmer, “Joey” Nuttall, who owing to the great depression in trade has fallen on evil times, have, with donations from other well-wishers, reached a sum of over £200. Swimmers generally will be pleased to hear that he has secured an appointment in London, and is now one more “on his feet.” Owing to the kind influences of a well-known Leicester swimming enthusiast, his son has also been found a comfortable berth. Thus have swimmers once again come to the assistance of a deserving comrade in need.’

In 1939 he and his wife Gertrude were living at 47 Calder Road in Blackpool. Joe now gave ‘General Labourer’ as his profession.

Joey Nuttall died in Blackpool on 1 June 1942 and was buried in an unmarked grave in Layton Cemetery.

The photographer, according to a wetstamp in the lower margin, was J. Hallas of Stalybridge, although on 29 June 1908 it was entered at Stationers' Hall [a part of the copyright process] bu William Hallas of Stalybridge.