Charles Gorman Antique Sepia Photograph

Updated September 22, 2026

Antique sepia photograph of Saint John Skater Charles Gorman 1898 - 1940. With table easel. 5.5" X 4" Charles Ingraham "Charlie" Gorman (1897–1940) was a legendary world-record-holding speed skater from Saint John, New Brunswick, and the province's first Winter Olympian. Known widely as "the human dynamo" and "the man with the million-dollar legs," Gorman became a symbol of resilience and local pride. Born in Saint John's north end, he grew up skating on local ice like Lily Lake. He won his first Maritime Speed Skating Championship in 1912 at just 15 years old. Served as a wartime machine gunner in World War I. He suffered a severe shrapnel wound to his leg. Doctors told him he would never skate again. He ignored medical advice, returned to the ice, and won the U.S. National and World Championship titles in 1924. He won the World Championship again in 1926 on his home ice at Lily Lake in Saint John. He defeated five-time Olympic champion Clas Thunberg before 22,000 cheering fans. He represented Canada at the 1924 Chamonix and 1928 St. Moritz Winter Olympic Games. Charles Retired in 1928 holding seven world records and over 150 medals. After retiring, he partnered with Irving Oil founder K.C. Irving to manage a chain of local gas stations. He died of an illness in 1940 at the young age of 42. Thousands of residents lined the local streets for his funeral. Inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame and the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame. Saint John honours his memory through a monument in King's Square, a street name, and the Charles Gorman Arena, which hosts the annual Charles Gorman Memorial Speed Skating Competition.

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