Where did it all start

Bridport Barracudas Swimming Club traces its origins through The Bridport Swimming Club, which is believed to be the oldest in Dorset,  way back to the  C19.  Early records have now disappeared but it is known that there was a race for the Blackbuoy Cup in 1907 and water polo was played in the River Brit at the beginning of the C20. 

The Bridport Swimming Club was represented at the inaugural meeting of the Dorset County ASA, held in Dorchester on March 28th 1931, and in 1936 Captain John Roper (pic left) of the Bridport Club became County President. 

Since then several Bridport swimmers have been County President and in 2010 the position is again held by a Bridport representative, Mary Rousell of the Barracudas Club. 

Swimming in the sea and the river Brit was a far cry from the present day comfort of the pool at the Bridport Leisure Centre. 

In one infamous water polo incident during a match in the Brit play was suspended as a dead sheep floated through the playing area.

Interesting techniques were used to teach swimming and in the harbour at West Bay trusting youngsters were attached to a rope held by the teacher who walked along the pier. The length of the rope ranged from 2 feet to 20 feet depending on the tide.  

A new direction

In 1995 construction of the Bridport Leisure Centre was completed and Bridport Barracudas split away from the parent club.  Since then the Bridport Club has continued with its traditions as a teaching club and swims primarily at the Highlands End pool at Eype whilst the Barracudas Club, which retained the water polo division, swims at the Bridport Leisure Centre and has a strong competitive element. 

Our name

“Barracudas”  was the winning entry in a naming competition and was submitted by a local boy, Lawrence Gilby.  The Club's founder, David Hoskins, who had been involved with the original Bridport Swimming  Club for most of his life, and who was County President in 1970 and Western Counties ASA President in 1983, became the Club's first President. The current Club President is David's son, Mark Hoskins, who has also been with the Club since its inception in 1995.

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