Mr Maurice Ferguson is inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, May 2004
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Mr
Maurice Ferguson, a tireless servant on the BLDSA committee,
was honoured by IMSHOF in May 2004 for the time he has
dedicated to our sport. For many years Maurice has been responsible
for much
of the hard work which is done on a day-to-day basis to keep
the BLDSA moving forward. He has fulfilled the rolls of President,
Secretary,
Membership Secretary, Pilot Lifesaver Scheme Honorary Secretary,
Honorary Recorder and Postal Swim Secretary. |
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Citation Maurice is a tall, powerfully built, rangy man with graying hair who is very much in the mold of the founder members of the British Long Distance Swimming Association (BLDSA), totally dedicated to the sport and a true individual of endurance. While he proclaims he is not the speediest of mortals as a swimmer, a mid-field placing or above is normally guaranteed. After 30 years and a few illnesses, he is slower now than when he first competed, but he still is a swimmer who will almost certainly get there, he swam and continues to swim virtually all the long distance courses in the U.K., as well as officiating and crewing on them. He is a person of great tenacity and mind bending attention to detail. Now retired, he worked as a Non Destructive Testing Engineer specializing in ultrasonic and radio graphical work. Long distance swimming in Britain has been made all the more enjoyable by the presence of one or more of his family of three children, four grandchildren and wife Milly, either in or on the water at almost every swim. His sons Simon and Kevin have both crewed for Maurice. Maurice joined the Warrington Dolphins Long Distance Swimming Club in 1967 and completed his first three-mile swim at Pickmere Lake in 1970. In the same year, he swam Lake Coniston, breaststroke. Since then he has made consistent appearances on the long distance circuit. Not content with participating, he organized and administered the Warrington Dolphins Pickmere Lake event for seven years and was elected club president. Maurice was awarded the BLDSA's James Brennan Trophy in 1992, the Harry Moffatt Trophy in 1994 and the Veteran Swimmer or the Year Trophy in 1983. This year he was awarded the Eileen Butcher Trophy as the eldest swimmer in the Association’s Veterans Championship. He has trained Channel relay teams and three solo Channel swimmers — Sally White, Caroline Smith and Michaela Yates. With all his swimming,
Maurice is being honored as an administrator. Here’s why: Maurice's list or hobbies pursued over the years range from sport and target rifle shooting, weight lilting, diving, skiing, and of course, long distance swimming. He is also a keen wood turner and exhibits his work at local craft fairs. He is Chairman of his Local Parish Council and was also the first chairman of the Anderton Lift Restoration Society. Somehow he also finds time to work part time as a lifeguard at the Marbury Open Air Swimming Pool during the summer months. |
© DL / BLDSA 2005