Swimming emerged as a competitive sport in the 1830s in England. In 1828, the first indoor swimming pool, St George's Baths was opened to the public.[1] By 1837, the National Swimming Society was holding regular swimming competitions in six artificial swimming pools, built around London. The sport grew in popularity and by 1880, when the first national governing body, the Amateur Swimming Association, was formed, there were already over 300 regional clubs in operation across the country.[2]