Sheaf valley baths

ok, this is a bit weird but i just wanted to know if anyone in sheff remembers how deep the diving pool was in the old sheaf valley baths (now knocked down)??? i can remember they used to let anyone jump of the diving boards, and they felt bloody high at about 8yrs old!!?? i managed the middle one but fresked out at the top one! it would never be allowed today, pity xx anyway i have a bet going on and the theory rangers from 4 to 12 meters deep, does anyone know the truth???? many thanks

No, I can't recall exactly how deep it was. I liked Sheaf valley baths very much and was sad to see it go. I went off the top a few times back then and I remember it seemed to take ages to get back up to the surface. There used to be a painting on the wall by Rolf Harris near at the shallow end. I wonder what became of that?

For a dare I jumped off the top once and scared the living daylights out of myself. I hurt the soles of my feet and my bikini top ended up around my neck.

That diving pool was deeeeep! we used to go there from Wisewood Comp i.e the legion of the great unwashed and I'm sure they used to put more chlorine in before we got there......anyway, sorry if anyone was at wisewood. But that pool was too deep. we used to dare each other to throw ourselves of the top splash in various ways. The lifeguards always had tattoos and looked like they were on probation!

I dont know how deep it was, but yeah it felt like endless when you were a kid.. I jumped off the top board and never went on them again... hehe

When I was able-bodied, I loved going to the SV baths...

I took my son there swimming, 20 yrs ago when he was but a tot of three yrs old. he learnt to swim there.

I remember the diving pool very well.

It was about 13 feet or so deep, (that's three metres in "new money) IIRC. the very "top splash " was about 10 metres, high, I think.

What i remember about the diving pool was how stinkin'-rotten cold it was! it was bloomin' FREEZING!

The tiny pool, for the toddlers, was quite hot, presumably for safety reasons (the risk of toddlers getting hypothermia because of their relatively small body-mass)

The main pool was fairly cool; sometimes it was cold enough to take your breath a little, sometimes it was a touch warmer, but the diving pool was perishing!

PT

Originally posted by Lickszz

No, I can't recall exactly how deep it was. I liked Sheaf valley baths very much and was sad to see it go. I went off the top a few times back then and I remember it seemed to take ages to get back up to the surface. There used to be a painting on the wall by Rolf Harris near at the shallow end. I wonder what became of that?

The picture Rolph harris painted was bought by Fletchers the bakery and is on show in the reception.

Fletchers got it? Seriously?!? Whayhayyy! Sheffield isn't a complete cultural vacuum after all!

Can yer tell what it iz yit?

I thought the diving pool was around 18 feet deep. Yes, and it was cold!

As for the picture by Rolf Harris - didn't he donate that when he did a public information advertisment for learning to swim which was filmed at Sheaf Valley Baths?

As I recall, he told a story in the film about how he nearly drowned in the fishpond in the garden when he was a toddler, and his parents had him taught to swim straight away.

They showed that film for years.

I was told that the final scene of the 'ad' where he is in a swimming pool, was filmed at Sheaf valley.

Am I dreaming?

I can vaguely remember Sheaf Valley, the pool seemed so long. Was it 33 1/3 metres?

I do however know that Ponds Forge's diving pool is 5.8 metres deep and the diving boards are 1 metre, 3, 5, 7.5 and 10 metres with 8 spring boards 2 at 1 metre high & the other 2 at 3 metres.