Edgar Isaac Seligman 1867 - 1958

EDGAR SELIGMAN, who died at the age of 92 on 27th October, 1958, was one of the greatest fencers which this country has produced.

An artist by profession, he had his early training in fencing in Paris and his first appearance in competitive fencing in England was in the first international épée tournament organised in London at the Crystal Palace in June 1904. He was the only British fencer to reach the final, in which he was placed seventh, and was awarded the Les Armes de France Challenge Shield. Subsequently he was declared the first Amateur Epée Champion.

He won the Epée Championship again in 1906, the Foil Championship in 1906 and 1907 and the Sabre Championship in 1923 and 1924, in which years he was aged 55 and 56, becoming the oldest British champion. He is the only fencer to have won all three championships. [Since then Bill Hoskyns has achieved the same feat, but Seligman remains the only person to have done it twice.]

Edgar Seligman first fenced for Great Britain in 1904 and was almost continually in British Teams, very often as Captain, until 1924.

He fenced for Great Britain at the Athens Intermediate Olympics of 1906 and again at the Games in 1908, 1912, 1920 and 1924 being Captain on the last three occasions. He reached the final of the individual at foil and épée in 1912 and the foil in Paris in 1924.

Edgar Seligman was our representative at the foundation meeting of the F.I.E. in 1913 and attended the annual Congress on our behalf until 1930.

A linguist of great ability he had a great many friends among fencers of many countries and did a great deal over many years to build up the prestige of British fencing in the international field. He was a Vice-President of the A.F.A. and sat on the Committee for many years. An unfortunate disagreement with the then Hon. Secretary Mr. Biscoe in 1930 led to his resignation and from that date he took no part whatever in the affairs of the Association to our great loss.

Edgar Seligman later became interested in coaching in an amateur capacity and between the wars he helped to train a number of our leading lady champions.

C-L de B