Last week we had two special guests to assembly-Matt Reed and Mary Wheatland (aka Vicky Edwards!). We learned all about Mary Wheatland and her celebrity status in Bognor Regis.
Mary Wheatland (originally Norris) was born in 1835. She worked on the beach as a bathing machine operator, swimming instructor, and lifeguard.
She lived a remarkable life and is often known as the “Bathing Woman of Bognor” or the “Mermaid of Bognor” for her swimming and diving abilities, as well as her bravery in saving over 30 members of the public from drowning. She was passionate about water safety and spent her days ensuring that beachgoers had a safe and enjoyable experience.
If you haven’t already done so, do visit the time portal on the seafront where you can experience going back in time to see for yourself what the seafront would have looked like at the turn of the century. And if you have visited already it is worth return visits and ‘Mary’ will be changing what she tells us regularly.
