Pat Johns

Yes, I have many memories of using Upperthorpe Baths. Our family used to live in Regent Court flats on Bradfield Road until 1956. There was a river flowing at the back of the flats - the Rivelin or the Loxley, not sure. I believe that a boy drowned in this river. My 2 elder brothers could swim but I could not. So, despite money being very tight, mum and dad paid for me to have lessons. Was the swimming teacher's name Mr Sivier? I never learned. In the summer holidays, whilst mucking about at the baths with my brothers and sister, I just naturally got the knack of staying afloat and have never looked back since. We moved to Burngreave in 1956. I attended Firs Hill School. In the last year (1961 ?), the school awarded me a swimming pass so that I could go swimming for free at Upperthorpe any time that I liked. Mum and dad let me go there on my own after school. I had to walk all the way there and back. I could use one of the changing cubicles at the side of the bath all to myself and I felt very grown up, proud and privileged. I taught myself to dive in, swim front and back crawl and butterfly. Then, one day, the man who stamped and signed my passbook said in a very snearing manner, "What do you come here every day for and never pay?" I was mortified. Never went back. Never lost that sad feeling of being ashamed whenever I remembered it.

Not Mr Tingle. Definitely did not become Mayor of Rotherham. Must've been the other bloke.

I've just discovered this site and am not totally sure how it operates but here goes.... I was a pupil at CGS from 1962 to 1969. When I was in the first year in the Orchard Lane buildings, Mr Tingle joined the school in the Lower VI from Marlcliffe secondary school. In my second year, we went to Stradbroke Road and Mr Tingle became a prefect and delighted in telling me not to go up the down-staircase etc when he was on duty. He came back to City School after his degree at Loughborough and, after teaching PE for many years, is now teaching English, I believe. Some other person said that Mr Tingle was scary - yes, I can quite see that; but he is just a little choochy underneath that gruff exterior! Anyway, th'old lad is knocking on a bit now in anybody's language and he will be retiring this summer and will be put out to grass, ....and the reason I'm telling you this? He (my elder brother) and my other brother used to make me eat worms when I was little and I swore that I'd get my own back one day!