Arthur Grady

Before moving to Plaistow United, the leading water polo team in Britain in the 1950s, goalkeeper “Chopper” Grady played with London Polytechnic until 1952. The following year he enjoyed double success as a member of both the Plaistow team that won the British Championship and Essex, winners of the County Championship.

Grady played for Essex and England for many years and was also a member of the Great Britain teams that finished eighth at the 1954 European Championships in Turin and seventh at the Melbourne Olympics. Grady was named as the best goalkeeper of the 1954 Europeans.

Grady was a Thames Lighterman by occupation and rescued several people from drowning in the Tames over the years. In 1954 he was awarded the Daily Herald Order of Industrial Heroism, often referred to as the “Workers’ VC”, for his sixth rescue since 1948.