Letham, Isabel (c.1900 – 1995)

Lively and adventurous surfer from Sydney's Freshwater Beach; sometimes referred to as "the mother of Australian surfing." On February 6, 1915, the 15-year-old Letham rode tandem with surfer and Olympic gold medal swimmer Duke Kahanamoku during one of the Hawaiian's famous and well-attended wave-riding demonstrations at Dee Why beach, not far from Freshwater. It was later revealed that the sport had been introduced to Sydney at least four years earlier, but for decades Letham was celebrated a...