Freeth, Ford and London
Geoff Cater of Surfresearch.com has detailed the relationships between George Freeth, Alexander Hume Ford and Jack London. Geoff brings up a number of little-known details, plus the idea that George Freeth may have been the first surfer on the USA East Coast. For more, please read on...
Geoff's original April 2017 posting is located at: http://www.surfresearch.com.au/sFreeth_George.html
George Freeth
The family was also involved in Captain Freeth's Pacific enterprises.In May, 1894, Captain Jameson, the British brig L'Avenier, reported the death of Hans Holstein, a German,who was employed on Laysan Island by Captain Freath.(sic)
The family connection with Philadelphia dates from 1897; at the beginning of October George's older brother, Charles, left Honolulu aboard the Miowera for Philadelphia where he has received an appointment In the Charles Hillman Ship Building Company, and by July 1900 Charlie had secured an enviable position in Cramp's ship yard.
In Chester, Pennsylvania, George Freeth, a Honolulu boy, the son of Mrs. E. K. Freeth of Emma street, and a lineman of one or the telephone companies, won the prize for fancy and high diving, and also swam 100 yards in one minute and six seconds, beating all competitors.
No doubt visiting with his older brother in Philadelphia, it is during his time that it is possible that George Freeth was chastised for riding a surfboard, even if only a small prone-board, at Atlantic City.
Assuming he spent much of the first week in making himself familiar with the local dignities, politicians and press, Ford was probably pleased to read on May 2 that the Jack London and his second wife, Charrmian London, had left Oakland, California, two weeks ago.Jack's organisation and planning for their voyage across the Pacific aboard his 45-foot yacht, the Snark, had already provided considerable copy for many newspapers.
It is also likely that Ford first became aware of George Freeth from an article published the following day in Honolulu's Evening Bulletin.
Freeth had prosed that he and (Dude) "Dudy" Miller travel to Southern California, with a surfing canoe and surf boards, to give exhibitions of their skill.As this would be one of the best advertisements which Hawaii could possibly have, ideally the Hawaiian Promotion Committee could help them with the cost of passage and the transportation of their canoe and boards.Ford and Freeth may have met during that week, but their paths undoubtedly crossed after the arrival of the Congressional party aboard the US Army transport Buford, late on May 7.
Most of the visitors stayed at the Royal Hawaiian or the Young Hotel in Honolulu, but one Congressmen, W. P. Hepburn, was booked into the Moana Hotel at Waikiki.
Geoff's original April 2017 posting is located at: http://www.surfresearch.com.au/sFreeth_George.html
IntroductionThis paper was prepared in April 2017 following comments and feedback resulting from posting a 1907 photograph of a Californian surfer by L.M. Robin on the Surf Blurb in March.
I am indebted to Joel T. Smith for his three articles Re-Inventing the Sport, Part 1: Jack London, Part 2: Alexander Hume Ford and Part 3: George Freeth, published in The Surfer's Journal, Volume 12, Numbers 1- 3, 2003. Many thanks to Jeremy Lemarie, Joel T. Smith, Gary Lynch, John Mazza, and Cary Weiss.
I am indebted to Joel T. Smith for his three articles Re-Inventing the Sport, Part 1: Jack London, Part 2: Alexander Hume Ford and Part 3: George Freeth, published in The Surfer's Journal, Volume 12, Numbers 1- 3, 2003. Many thanks to Jeremy Lemarie, Joel T. Smith, Gary Lynch, John Mazza, and Cary Weiss.
Warning: Contains adult themes.
| While Jack and Charmian London and Alexander Hume Ford were touring Oahu by automobile in 1907, two surfing photographs appeared in the Honolulu press, along with an article headed Freeth Will Ride Atlantic Rollers! Ford and the London's had recently met George Freeth, who was currently the surfing instructor at Waikiki's Seaside Hotel, when they began surfboard riding, identifying him as as one of the local experts. Published on June 23, the photographs had been commissioned by Ford at end of May.and the copy was, undoubtedly, his work.In addition to reporting Freeth's intention to surf on America's east coast, Ford revealed how Freeth had already done so. Although this is the only known report of Freeth surfing the east coast before 1907, the article's exorbitant detail has led some to question Ford's tale in its entirety.However, as Freeth was in Philadelphia in 1904 it is possible that he did ride a surfboard at Atlantic City and, given that city's life-saving brigades were firmly established by the time, that his efforts would likely have made the life-savers mad. George D. Freeth was born on Ohau in 1883, his father, part-Irish and variously named Captain or Governor George D. Freeth, traversed the Pacific principally engaged in exploiting guano deposits. His part-Hawaiian mother, Elizabeth K. Freeth, descended from a long established local family,.The family was familiar with Hawaiian society; in February, 1892.they attended her Majesty Queen Liliuokalani's fancy dress Children's Ball at the Royal Palace. George, aged 9, was a very proud soldier-like Zouave in a red jacket and yellow trousers and his brothers, Willie and Charley, dressed as the two Princes in the Tower. | George Freeth, Waikiki, May, 1907. |
A newspaper account of the circumstances included a sketch of a house which is usually occupied by Captain Freeth and his family when they are on the island.Then, as now, it must have been a rare for a young boy to have his own Treasure Island.
The family connection with Philadelphia dates from 1897; at the beginning of October George's older brother, Charles, left Honolulu aboard the Miowera for Philadelphia where he has received an appointment In the Charles Hillman Ship Building Company, and by July 1900 Charlie had secured an enviable position in Cramp's ship yard.
In Honolulu, two months after his parents separation in February, 1900, aged 17, George appeared at the second annual gymnasium exhibition of the Young Men's Christian Association; a junior competitor was Ernest Kopke who would later vie with Freeth for swimming honours.A student of the lolani College, George was listed as one of the sub-editors.of first edition of the Ioiani College Magazine, published in August 1900, and in November he played as goal-keeper for the College's:(Association) Football team; a journalist noting that Freeth is improving but does not appear to know the game.At the end of the month he played as a forward for the Iolani's, Ah Hun replacing him in goal. The next year, Freeth was listed as an oarsman in the Freshman barge competing for the Mrytles, one of Honolulu's premier boat clubs, at Regatta Day on the harbourBy Independence Day, 1903, George was on the mainland's East Coast. | George Freeth, Waikiki, 1907. |
No doubt visiting with his older brother in Philadelphia, it is during his time that it is possible that George Freeth was chastised for riding a surfboard, even if only a small prone-board, at Atlantic City.
Celebrated novelist, Jack London , first arrived in Hawaii in 1904 for and at the end of June, like all visitors of renown, was given his first experience with a surf-ride at Waikiki by local expert canoe-surfers, Jack Atkinson and Col. McFarlane. By October of that year, George Freeth was back in Honolulu, named as a member of the Healani Boat Club's swimming team to challenge the Myrtles. In Hawaii during this period, team loyalty appears to be extremely flexible, with members often moving between clubs.After leaving college, George Freeth excelled in athletics and water-sports. In April 1905 he completed an 80-foot dive into Pearl Harbor, the distance was so great and the lights so tantalizing that water had to be thrown on the surface to stir it so that Freeth could see it distinctly before making the leap. George Freeth, who will make the 80-foot leap, April 1905 Apart from regularly appearing in swimming and diving competitions, Freeth was appointed the swimming instructor at the Healani Boat Club and competed for them in boat races. In November, 1906, he was chosen as captain of the newly formed Hawaiian Swimming Club.On land, in October 1905 he made a home run for the Diamond Heads to beat the Makikis in baseball; he played quarterback for Maile in gridiron, and starred as a forward when the same team played Association football (Socker). |
His surfing skills were first recognised in the local press on October 2, 1906, with a report that many witnessed George Freeth performing in the surf, at the Moana, on Sunday.However, while Freeth is listed in the swimming team of the Diamond Head Athletic Club for the second Waikiki Regatta, scheduled for the end of 1906, his name is noticeably absent from the entries for Surf-riding on Boards.
Organised by Jack Atkinson, many expert board riders had entered; including Harry Steiner, Curtis Hustace, Dan Keawemahi, Duke Kahanamoku, William Dole, Keanu, Dudy Miller, Atherton Gilman, Lane Webster, and James McCandless. A lack of swell saw the Regatta postponed from New Year's Day until March 17, 1907, where the skills of Harry Steiner and James McCandless were praised. But the three judges, E. P. Law, C. W. Macfarlane, and Olaf Sorenson, awarded top points to Harold Hustace, who stood on the board, head up and head down and as an extra turned a somersault or two.Three years earlier, in the spring of 1904, Harold and his brother Curtis Hustace were praised for using their surfboards to rescue a sailor at Waikiki; his face almost black from asphyxiation, the sailor was revived by being rolled over a barrel.About a month later, Alexander Hume Ford arrived from San Francisco aboard the Alameda on April 26 and booked intothe Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Honolulu, the Royal Hawaiian at Waikiki not opening until 1927. | Outrigger Surfboard Riders, June 1908. Possibly Atherton Gilman, Lane Webster, Harold and Curtis Hustace. |
Ford was a widely travelled professional journalist who had published articles based on his travels to China, Japan and Paris and, like Jack London, had previously visited Oahu.
It appears he had planned an short stay in the Hawaiian Islands before sailing for Australia, and Ford may, or may not, have been aware of the impending visit by a party of Congressmen from Washington.
It appears he had planned an short stay in the Hawaiian Islands before sailing for Australia, and Ford may, or may not, have been aware of the impending visit by a party of Congressmen from Washington.
Assuming he spent much of the first week in making himself familiar with the local dignities, politicians and press, Ford was probably pleased to read on May 2 that the Jack London and his second wife, Charrmian London, had left Oakland, California, two weeks ago.Jack's organisation and planning for their voyage across the Pacific aboard his 45-foot yacht, the Snark, had already provided considerable copy for many newspapers.
It is also likely that Ford first became aware of George Freeth from an article published the following day in Honolulu's Evening Bulletin.
Freeth had prosed that he and (Dude) "Dudy" Miller travel to Southern California, with a surfing canoe and surf boards, to give exhibitions of their skill.As this would be one of the best advertisements which Hawaii could possibly have, ideally the Hawaiian Promotion Committee could help them with the cost of passage and the transportation of their canoe and boards.Ford and Freeth may have met during that week, but their paths undoubtedly crossed after the arrival of the Congressional party aboard the US Army transport Buford, late on May 7.
Most of the visitors stayed at the Royal Hawaiian or the Young Hotel in Honolulu, but one Congressmen, W. P. Hepburn, was booked into the Moana Hotel at Waikiki.