He worked with the Royal Fusiliers at Dover as a sergeant-instructor to prepare them for trench warfare and even did duty at a prisoner camp in India, before being discharged in 1919 on grounds of disability due to gallstones.

[5] He wrote to The Era in May 1896, after they erroneously stated that Professor Bracken held the unique position as a small tank champion high diver.

[6] Following the death of fellow high diver Tommy Burns in July 1897, Heaton organised a charity dive from Rhyl Pier to help raise money for the family to pay for the funeral costs, and he sent them the sum of £3 and 10 shillings from the proceeds.

[11] At the Scottish Zoo in September 1898, he was "a capital hit" when secured to perform a 50 feet (15 m) dive into a small water tank just 42 inches (1.1 m) deep, while "enveloped in flames from a large number of fireworks".

Despite swimming through strong currents, Heaton stopped at 2:30pm in a state of sickness, six miles from the shore,[15] having to abandon his efforts due to swallowing a mouthful of oil.

In late June, he attempted to beat the Wallasey ferryboat on the New Brighton to Egremont service, which was met with great interest from the boat's passengers.

[18] In August 1909 on his fifth attempt, he reached within 1.75 miles (2.82 km) of the French coast but adverse tides forced him to give up, having been in the water for over 15 hours by that time.

[20] Despite being a cold night, he continued with his swim but began showing signs of weakness as midnight approached, ultimately giving up on his effort at around 1:21am.

[22] In late 1914, Heaton joined the Sportsmen's Battalions of London, after being unable to enlist ordinarily due to exceeding the age limit by three years.

During the early stages of World War I, he became a prime mover in the Liverpool Volunteer Athletic Corps and felt he wanted to be associated with strenuous wartime activities.

[23] Around the start of 1916, he was transferred to the Royal Fusiliers at Dover as a sergeant-instructor,[24] where he was reported in February 1916 to be preparing them for trench warfare[25] and several months later in April, had travelled to India to do duty in a 3000-strong prisoner camp in Rajputana, noting that he did not find the work or climate too taxing on his health.

[28] He also found employment as a swimming pool attendant on transatlantic passenger ships, notably the RMS Carinthia from 1928,[30] with an expected length of service lasting for one year.

[35] Heaton reportedly measured 5 feet 9.5 inches (1.765 m) in height and weighed 13 stone 8 pounds (86 kg; 190 lb) around the time he first started training in 1893 to swim the English Channel.

[36] He married Julia Rolling on 4 December 1893 at St Peter in Liverpool[37] and they had two sons, Edmund James Whittaker (b. c1894), Regnialan (b. c1905) and a daughter, Ellen (b. c1896).

[39] His eldest son became incapacitated with frostbite while serving with the Scottish in trenches during the first world war, ultimately being treated in Fazakerley Hospital.

[44] He died on 19 September 1937 in Southport Infirmary while on a visit to the seaside town, leaving effects worth £135, 2 shillings and 1 penny (equivalent to £9,700 in 2023).