James Aldous

James Aldous had a long and successful diving career. He won the inaugural Amateur Diving Association (ADA) Plain Diving Championship in 1904, and in 1937 competed in the Championship for the 33rd time at the age of 55. He continued coaching and diving beyond his 60th birthday. Aldous won the ADA plain title three more times, in 1922, 1927 and 1929, and even finished second in 1932, and third in 1934. Aldous was also the joint winner of the Royal Life Saving Society’s National Graceful Diving Championship with Sweden’s Olympic champion Hjalmar Johansson just 10 days after the 1908 Games. Aldous served as president of the Surrey County Water Polo and Swimming Association and was an ADA judge. He was known as the “Peter Pan of Diving”.