Club History

CSCSC LONDON HISTORY

Our club history began with the founding of the Mermaid SC, an elite club for ladies in the1890's. Membership was restricted, admission was by 'audition' and the good swimmers had private coaches. Mermaid first achieved international fame in 1920 with Eileen Armstrong's Olympic Silver for Diving. In 1928 Joyce Cooper won two Olympic Bronzes (freestyle and backstroke) and in 1948 Helen Yates was an Olympic backstroke finalist.

In 1948 a splinter group broke off to form Hampstead Ladies SC whose Judy Grinham won Olympic Backstroke Gold in 1956 and set a World Record 1958. Stella Mitchell followed with a World Breaststroke record in 1963 and Olympic Silver in 1964