Glossop Road Swimming Baths

Anyone remember the 3 swimming pools at Glossop Road......the ladies pool, the gents pool and the mixed bathing pool ?

I use to live in Victoria Street as a child and went to Springfield Junior School, we use to get issued with a baths card ( a card made up of a number of small squares with serated edges), on producing the card on entry the attendant would tear one of the small squares off and charge us 6d.

The gents pool was very basic in layout with a 3 height diving platform, the ladies pool was much more elegant but also had a 3 height diving platform, behind which was diagrams showing how to dive. The mixed bathing pool had a springboard and a very high diving board

Remember standing on the end of it and looking down at the water below - seemed a long drop, took me a while to muster courage to just jump off it and when I did the stomach turned over !!

One of the best bits of my visits to the baths, was going to the vending machine afterwards and getting a packet of those cheese nibbles you could get along with a plastic cup of that thin watery chicken flavoured soup with the green bits in, then going to the nearby papershop in Cavendish Street for my comics: Hotspur, Victor, beano or Dandy.

HI JOHN HABS,

I`VE JUST THIS MINIUTE SENT TWO PHOTO`S TO FRIENDS, PHOTO`S TAKEN FROM

OUTSIDE THE BATHS.

WHAT YEAR WAS YOU TALKING ABOUT, WE USE TO GO THERE IN THE 40/50s

WE HAD LOADS OF FUN, I LEARNT MY FIRST LESSONS AND GOT MY 25 YARDS

CERTIFICATE AT THEM BATHS

have been told that 1 of my husband relative died there when he dived in. not sure when this was & have not been able to find anymore about it

also learnt to swim there!!!

Had swimming lessons there in the mid 70s. Only recall two pools.

In the mid 60's I worked on Rutland Park ( opposite the Botanical Gardens ) and occasionally some of the staff would pop down to Glossop Rd baths at lunchtime for a quick swim.

I remember the changing booths which were situated each side of the pool. They were bolted to the floor and were removable so that a floor could cover the pool and, as I understood it, dances were then held in there. Never attended a dance there myself but no doubt some contributors on here will be old enough!

have been told that 1 of my husband relative died there when he dived in. not sure when this was & have not been able to find anymore about it

Hello,

Although I can't place the lad's name who died ( too many years ago ) I do remember the incident well, as he was a friend of my best friend and we all went to the same school and was in the same year at Springfield Junior.

The lad who died wasn't a strong swimmer and with respect not a good diver..... for reasons unknown he went on the top diving platform and dived in, hitting his head on the bottom of the pool.........everyone who knew him at school was in shock for quite some time.

HI JOHN HABS,

I`VE JUST THIS MINIUTE SENT TWO PHOTO`S TO FRIENDS, PHOTO`S TAKEN FROM

OUTSIDE THE BATHS.

WHAT YEAR WAS YOU TALKING ABOUT, WE USE TO GO THERE IN THE 40/50s

WE HAD LOADS OF FUN, I LEARNT MY FIRST LESSONS AND GOT MY 25 YARDS

CERTIFICATE AT THEM BATHS

Hello Brian,

It would be throughout the 1960's.

Since I started this thread and people have posted on it, I'm surprised that no-one has made comment about the ' Baths Ticket and entry for 6d ' I mentioned, could it be that only Springfield Junior School employed this idea of cheaper admission with a baths ticket as an incentive to get pupils to go more and become stronger swimmers.

We had the same type of discount ticket at Marlcliffe, I know my pals from Colley also had them. All we had to do was ask for them. Must have been City wide.

Hello Brian,

It would be throughout the 1960's.

Since I started this thread and people have posted on it, I'm surprised that no-one has made comment about the ' Baths Ticket and entry for 6d ' I mentioned, could it be that only Springfield Junior School employed this idea of cheaper admission with a baths ticket as an incentive to get pupils to go more and become stronger swimmers.

Spent a lot of my pre teens life there, especially Saturday mornings. I think the ladies bath was mixed then as well-it was certainly the hottest bath! Can remember spending about 3 hours in the gents bath after school-high chlorine and low temperatures. We were blue skinned, red eyed and enjoying ourselves, or so I thought.

Later on I captained our school water polo team there against the Sheffield Dolphins-we got stuffed!

Hello,

Although I can't place the lad's name who died ( too many years ago ) I do remember the incident well, as he was a friend of my best friend and we all went to the same school and was in the same year at Springfield Junior.

The lad who died wasn't a strong swimmer and with respect not a good diver..... for reasons unknown he went on the top diving platform and dived in, hitting his head on the bottom of the pool.........everyone who knew him at school was in shock for quite some time.

i dont think he was a young lad may have been married. will have to ask relatives about it

i dont think he was a young lad may have been married. will have to ask relatives about it

There must have been two people then that died in the gents swimming pool from diving in,

because I know for definate that the lad I mentioned was a lad of about 10 or 11 years of age and was a friend of my best friend....... I may be wrong afterall its many many years ago now but I seem to think the lad's name who died was Jacob.