In November and December 1929, a prolonged stretch of heavy rain caused significant flooding along portions of the Thames River.

A news photographer covering the floods in Middlesex ran into teenage Hilda Harding, who was visiting friends in the area.

An avid swimmer, Harding had made an attempt at swimming the English Channel on Aug. 30, 1927, and in 1928 had demonstrated a prototype “unsinkable” bathing costume with inflatable air bladders.

Dressed in her bathing costume, Harding posed for the photographer, swimming and walking around the flooded streets, and even rescuing a stranded cat.