Age, Biography and Wiki

Mercedes Gleitze was born on 18 November, 1900 in Brighton, England, is a Professional. Discover Mercedes Gleitze's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is She in this year and how She spends money? Also learn how She earned most of networth at the age of 81 years old?

Popular As N/A
Occupation Professional swimmer
Age 81 years old
Zodiac Sign Scorpio
Born 18 November, 1900
Birthday 18 November
Birthplace Brighton, England
Date of death (1981-02-09) London, England
Died Place London, England
Nationality Oman

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 18 November. She is a member of famous Professional with the age 81 years old group.

Mercedes Gleitze Height, Weight & Measurements

At 81 years old, Mercedes Gleitze height not available right now. We will update Mercedes Gleitze's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.

Physical Status
Height Not Available
Weight Not Available
Body Measurements Not Available
Eye Color Not Available
Hair Color Not Available

Who Is Mercedes Gleitze's Husband?

Her husband is Patrick Joseph Carey

Family
Parents Not Available
Husband Patrick Joseph Carey
Sibling Not Available
Children 3

Mercedes Gleitze Net Worth

Her net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. So, how much is Mercedes Gleitze worth at the age of 81 years old? Mercedes Gleitze’s income source is mostly from being a successful Professional. She is from Oman. We have estimated Mercedes Gleitze's net worth , money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2023 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2023 Under Review
Net Worth in 2022 Pending
Salary in 2022 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income Professional

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Timeline

2022

In 2022 the film Vindication Swim, about Gleitze's 1927 English Channel swim, was released. It was written and directed by Elliott Hasler, and starred Kirsten Callaghan as Gleitze.

In January 2022, a blue plaque for Gleitze was unveiled at her birthplace in Freshfield Road, Brighton.

2010

Rolex still use Gleitze's achievement (2010) in their publicity. In 2010 the Rolex company was running adverts featuring swimming the channel, their watch, and the figure of a woman in a swimming costume. The advert does not mention Gleitze, nor does it mention that she did not complete a Channel swim whilst wearing the watch. The advert shows the swimmer wearing the watch on her wrist, although when Gleitze attempted to carry the watch across the Channel she had it tied around her neck.

1981

After her retirement from swimming, Gleitze became a housewife, had three children, and became increasingly reclusive, lying about her past to her neighbours and not discussing her achievements with her family. She died aged 80, on 9 February 1981, in a hospital in London.

1933

Gleitze was usually sponsored for these record attempts, and she was able to open the first Mercedes Gleitze Home in 1933. This was a large house in Leicester that was converted into flats for homeless families. She was supported in her work by the Rotary Club which was undertaking a scheme to move unemployed people from the north of England to Leicester where they could find work. Gleitze continued to break records and she became the first person to swim the Straits of Gibraltar between Europe and Africa.

1930

Gleitze married engineer Patrick Carey in Dover in 1930 with the American swimming twins Bernice and Phyllis Zittenfeld as bridesmaids. The ceremony was covered by British newsreels where Gleitze announced that she was off to swim the Hellespont instead of going on honeymoon. Gleitze continued to extend her endurance record to 45 hours the following year. In 1932 she retired after again extending the record finally to 46 hours.

Besides her three children and many swimming records, Gleitze founded several homes that were used by homeless British people during the 1930s. In 1939 they were used for homeless Czech people. The buildings were destroyed in Second World War bombing in 1940; however, an organisation continues to administer her charity and it continues Gleitze's desire to alleviate the effects of homelessness.

1929

In August 1929, Gleitze swam along part of the North Ulster coastline in the north of Ireland. She swam from the Pilot's Station at Shrove (pronounced 'Shroove'), a coastal hamlet near Greencastle in Inishowen in the north of County Donegal, across to Portstewart, a small town on the coast of County Londonderry, on 17 August 1929. This feat involved swimming across the mouth of Lough Foyle. She made the return swim on 20 August 1929, this time swimming from Portstewart across to Black Rock Bay near Moville in Inishowen.

1927

With her bilingual background and education, Gleitze became a secretary and stenographer in central London exploiting her talent for languages. In her spare time she started swimming in the River Thames. Her first significant record was for 10 hr 45 min she spent swimming in the Thames. This was the longest time for a woman in 1923. She attracted attention when, at the eighth attempt, she became the first English woman to swim the English Channel, on 7 October 1927. The record was in doubt when in the following days another woman, Dr. Dorothy Cochrane Logan (using her professional name, Mona McLennan), claimed to have swum the channel faster. Her version of events proved to be a fabrication but the effect of this hoax undermined Gleitze's claim.

Gleitze gathered a large number of companies who were keen to be associated with her achievements. Consumers were asked to toast her with Paddy Whiskey when they were not drinking Lipton's Tea, which had reputedly helped her "beat the channel". She appeared at a corset demonstration for Kellett's and at the showing of the, now lost, 1927 silent film Swim Girl, Swim, which starred Bebe Daniels and a fellow swimmer Gertrude Ederle. There were unproductive rumours that Gleitze might star in a film. Gleitze also recommended Be-ze-be honey and bathing caps as well as her enduring role as a brand ambassador for Rolex watches.

1900

Mercedes Carey (née Gleitze; 18 November 1900 – 9 February 1981) was a British professional swimmer. She was the first known person to swim the Straits of Gibraltar and the first British woman to swim the English Channel. The name of Mercedes Gleitze was used to market Rolex's new waterproof case, the "Oyster". She established endurance records for swimming including a record of 46 hours in 1932. She was able to raise funds to found the Mercedes Gleitze Homes in Leicester via sponsorship. The Mercedes Gleitze charity is now linked to the Family Action charity.

Mercedes Gleitze was born to Heinrich and Anna (born Kurr) Gleitze in 1900 in the English south-coastal town of Brighton. She and her two elder sisters came from German heritage and Mercedes spent time with her grandparents in Herzogenaurach in Bavaria and two years studying at the Maria Stern Convent School in Nördlingen. Her father was a German immigrant from the county of Göttingen. He was a baker and her mother taught languages.