Captain Matthew Webb (19 January 1848 – 24 July 1883) was an English seaman, swimmer and stuntman who became the first person to swim the English Channel without the use of artificial aids. Webb increased the popularity of swimming in England.
Born in Dawley, Shropshire, Webb developed his swimming skills as a child while playing in the River Severn. At twelve, he began his career in the Merchant Navy after training at HMS Conway. After graduating, he began a three-year apprenticeship with the Rathbone Brothers of Liverpool, during which he sailed internationally across various trade routes to countries including China, India, Hong Kong, Singapore and Yemen.
After completing his second mate training in 1865, Webb worked for ten years aboard different ships and for multiple companies. He was recognised for two acts of bravery: in the Suez Canal, he freed the ship's propeller from an entangling rope by diving underwater and cutting it, and in the Atlantic Ocean, he jumped in to attempt to save a man who had fallen overboard while the ship was travelling at 14.5 kn (26.9 km/h; 16.7 mph).