Sutherland Road Baths

[Hopman 46]

The Holger Nielson life saving method was where you laid the victim on his tum, then kneeling at his head lifted his arms up and down after you had placed his head on his hands. I think this action was suposed to pump water from the lungs!

 

This method was discontinued after the unfortunate incident with the chap who fell into the River (I forget the name, but you can always look it up on gurgle). The method was applied, but no one noticed that the victim still had the lower half of his body in the water and the river was pumped dry.

[Nigel Womersle 10]

I remember Mr Scott teaching us to swim from school, he was a bit of a bully if I remember right. sometimes if he got out of bed on the wrong side he would push us under the water in the deep end with a broom stick and hold us on the bottom for Ten minuets

 

 

He wasn't as big a bully as Mr Ellis at Corporation Street Baths. Bloody hell, I really disliked him.

[Timbuck 10]

I remember the evil Mr Scott i had one lesson then went in hospital and had my tonsils out then the next time at the baths a few weeks later put me in the deep end and held me away from the side with the famous sweeping brush till i nearly drowned that was my last lesson my parents taught me after that.

The Brush ..i remember it well...He (Mr Scott) came up to me as I was splashing around in the Shallow end and he said "Can you swim??" I said "no Sir" and then he said "come with me boy"..He made get in the deep end under the diving board and I was clutching the hand rail on the side for dear life..He held out the brush and said "grab this" so I let go of the rail and lunged out for the brush..But he moved it out of my reach and I started to drown..as I came up the brush was just in front of me he shouted "Grab it" so I reached out again for the brush only he moved it away again..For the next 15 minutes I was going under, coming up grabbing at the moving brush, crying and trying to get to the side, only to be shoved away again by the brush..This went on until my feet reached the bottom at the shallow end...but I did it, and got my 1st 25 yard swimming certificate..Lets face, it for better or for worse he taught me to swim..and in double quick time.

[Dozey 10]

I remember Mr Scott teaching us to swim from school, he was a bit of a bully if I remember right. sometimes if he got out of bed on the wrong side he would push us under the water in the deep end with a broom stick and hold us on the bottom for Ten minuets

 

Sounds like the man i remember,one man and his brush,thought he could terrify kids into learning to swim but it didn't work with me,i still cant swim.

[dadoronron 10]

i remember scotty, but any one remember the bath attendant "baldy fred" who was a nice bloke, and mrs taffinder (old taffy) who used to look after the slipper baths, she lived in an old house at the top of smiths fields. you could get pea soup for an old sixpence when you came out

[Sparkytom 10]

I remember Mr. Scott very well but I don't remember any of the ordeals previous writers have mentioned. Maybe because I could swim when he arrived on the scene so only had him for training. He put me through all the way to my Bronze Medalion in Life Saving and also The Complete Swimmer certificate. In 1972 on holiday back in Sheffield I took my 2 daughters for a swim, I couldn't believe my eyes he was still there. I introduced my self and jokingly said "I thought you would have retired". Much to my disgust he didn't remember me but remembered at lot of names from my time with him.

[Biscuit 10]

I remember Mr Scott and that flipping broom. Was a bit of a taskmaster but got the job done (for me anyway) in learning to swim. Got to admit I was not a keen fan of the baths with the cubicles at the sides of the pool. However, the walk from Earl Marshal, over Osgathorpe to Sutherland Road used to give me time to focus the mind... :-).

 

I also remember the baths holding the local schools swimming competitions. This must be going back to the 70s was as I competed for Whiteways Middle.

[liedon 10]

Still terrified of getting water in my face 40 years later thanks to scottys tactics of creeping up behind you and pushing you in the pool.

[kevd 10]

Oh my god. I thought there was only me traumatized by mr scott.Can,t believe all these replies.

I was pushed in deep end and couldnt swim.Wearing a rubber ring and as skinny as a stick of a kid i slipped through the ring and still remember to this day being under water for what seemed like an eternity.I genuinely thought i was going to die.Now 30 plus years later i have just begun to enjoy swimming especially snorkelling abroad.

I heard of people getting tried for war crimes.WHAT ABOUT SWIMMING CRIMES ? ha ha. Happy days though.

Anyone know if he,s still alive(don,t worry don,t wanna get revenge.

[mickr 10]

I used to go there from Hartley Brook school in the late 50's and early 60's but I don't remember him. I do remember a similar jerk at attercliffe baths called Parker - he used to pull the same stunts. My elder brother did some talking with his hands with Parker!!

[oldbri 10]

Mr Jim Scott died some years ago. I think his wife stilll lives off Richmond Road. He liked to pontificate on all matters which took a long time with his stutter. I remember going to Sutherland Road baths from Shiregreen Junior school in 1958-59 when I was in Mr Norman Coombs class (fantastic teacher and still living not far from me). I learnt more swimming at Park Baths with private lessons.

[daisy2 10]

Used to go to Sutherland baths from St. Catherine's School. We all had to kneel on the side of the pool then dive in. Woe betide you if you hestitated, the redoubtable Mr. Scott would just push you in! Before the end of the session he would take orders for hot drinks - orange or blackcurrant. They sold single biscuits (arrowroot etc) for 1p out of the big tins.

During the school holidays, if you were lucky, you got little tear off tickets for reduced prices (5p I think).