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Lisa Clayton

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The Right Honourable
The Dowager Viscountess Cobham
Born (1958-12-30) 30 December 1958 (age 66)
EducationChurch of England School for Girls, Edgbaston
Alma materUniversity of Birmingham
Occupation(s)sailor and aristocrat
Known forFirst British woman to sail single-handed and non-stop around the world
Spouse(s)John Lyttelton, 11th Viscount Cobham
(m. 1997, died 2006)

Lisa Lyttelton, Dowager Viscountess Cobham (née Clayton, born 30 December 1958) is an English sailor and aristocrat. She was the first British woman and women from the Northern hemisphere to sail single-handed and non-stop around the world. She later married John Lyttelton, 11th Viscount Cobham.

Early life

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Clayton was born on 30 December 1958. She was educated in Birmingham at the Church of England School for Girls, Edgbaston, then studied at University of Birmingham.[1] She worked as a travel consultant in Edgbaston.[2]

Sailing record

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On 17 September 1994, Clayton set out from Dartmouth in Devon to attempt two world records, namely "Fastest Sail Around the World by a Woman, Single-Handed Without Assistance" and "First British Woman to Sail Single-Handed and Non-Stop Around the World."[3]

On her vessel, Clayton survived the 31,000-mile (50,000 km) journey despite enduring 60-70 mph winds, capsizing twice in the Southern Ocean and needing to make repairs en route.[4][5] Clayton's electricity generator's round bearings broke in a storm, so she replaced them with pearls from her necklace.[6] Also during her journey, she sent more than 4,000 satellite faxes to her business manager, Peter Harding, containing pin-point locations to prove where her boat was at any one time.[2] She returned to Dartmouth on 29 June 1995, after 285 days at sea.[3]

Her thirty-eight foot yacht was called Spirit of Birmingham,[7] and was named after her home city and the university which contributed over £40,000 and expertise to make it possible for Clayton to realise her dream.[2] The International Yacht Racing Union and the World Record Speed Sailing Council ratified her achievement and that Clayton had circumnavigated the globe according to the rules.[2][8] She also became the first women from the northern hemisphere to sail solo around the world.[9]

On 29 June 1995, a congratulatory motion was tabled in Parliament by Labour Party MPs.[10] On 1 October 1996, Clayton was recognised as an Honorary Freeman of the City of Birmingham.[11] Clayton also published At the Mercy of the Sea in 1996 to document her journey.[12]

Personal life

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On 1 August 1997. Clayton married John Lyttelton, 11th Viscount Cobham, the owner of Hagley Hall in Worcestershire. He died in 2006.[13][14]

References

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  1. ^ Watson-Smyth, Kate (5 August 1997). "His Lordship ties the knot with lady skipper". The Independent. Archived from the original on 14 June 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d Boggan, Steve (29 August 1995). "Yachtswoman's record ratified". The Independent. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  3. ^ a b "British sailor Lisa Clayton". Star-News. 30 June 1995. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  4. ^ "BBC Archive 1995: Lisa Clayton sails around the world". BBC. 29 June 1995. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  5. ^ Mackinnon, Ian (28 June 1995). "Lone sailor Lisa completes world trip of spacey". The Independent. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  6. ^ Cox, Jennifer (1996). Children's Britannica Yearbook 1996. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Incorporated. p. 34. ISBN 978-0-85229-244-0.
  7. ^ Bartlam, Norman (1 November 2011). The Little Book of Birmingham. The History Press. ISBN 978-0-7509-5390-0.
  8. ^ Cruising World. Vol. 21. January 1995. p. 14.
  9. ^ Carne, Andrew (20 July 2015). The Cove Diary 2: The Last Cove Diary Book Ever - (Honest!). ShieldCrest. p. 74. ISBN 978-1-910176-70-2.
  10. ^ "LISA CLAYTON AND THE SPIRIT OF BIRMINGHAM - Early Day Motions". UK Parliament. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
  11. ^ "Freedom Parades and Freedom of the City". Birmingham City Council. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  12. ^ Gamache, Ray (28 August 2023). Sports Highlights: A History of Plays Replayed from Edison to ESPN and Beyond, 2d ed. McFarland. p. 196. ISBN 978-1-4766-9228-9.
  13. ^ Roth, Andrew (22 July 2006). "Obituary: Viscount Cobham". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  14. ^ Cartledge, James (12 October 2012). "Viscount Cobham dies aged 63". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
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