On February 9, 1863, Joe Fortes was born in the Port of Spain. The 1901 Vancouver census listed him as Trinidadian and Spanish speaking. At the age of 17 he left Trinidad for England where he lived for five years in Liverpool and learned to swim at St George’s Baths.
He was an accomplished swimmer and diver winning a three-mile race across the Mersey River. He received a gold medal for life-saving and participated on an 11-person swim team in a tour of English and French seaside resorts. Joe saved more than 100 people from drowning at English Bay Beach, including John Hugo Ross, who later died in the sinking of the Titanic. Written by Matthias B. |