Upperthorpe Baths - do you have any memories you'd like to share?

[jaffa1 10]

We used to live just up the road from the baths in an old terraced house with no bath and an outside toilet. My parents bought the house around 1965 for five hundred pounds as it was due for future demolition, and once it was demolished we'd be offered a council house or flat. So for the 2 or 3 years we lived there I'd walk down the hill, fork over a shilling for a shower or bath, which I think also included soap, towel and a back brush!

We did get a nice council flat at the top of Crimicar Lane overlooking the beautiful countryside......what a difference.

 

You must have been one of the privileged ALZYMER because we had to take our own soap and towel and I can't remember ever seeing showers.

I can still see the big old white baths now, stood on four big iron legs not

boxed in like they have them today.

[retired 10]

You must have been one of the privileged ALZYMER because we had to take our own soap and towel and I can't remember ever seeing showers.

I can still see the big old white baths now, stood on four big iron legs not

boxed in like they have them today.

 

As I remember the shower was on the Male changing side in the corner at the shallow end.

[hillsbro 32]

You must have been one of the privileged ALZYMER because we had to take our own soap and towel.

You didn't actually have to take your own towel and soap, but it made sense to because it was cheaper. In the 1950s it was 10d for a bath (or 5d each for me an' me brother 'cos we shared one.), then if you didn't take your own it was 3d for soap and 4d for (use of a) clean towel.

I can still see the big old white baths now, stood on four big iron legs not boxed in like they have them today.

Yes - here's one. Note the string that you pulled if you wanted more hot water, were overcome by steam or got your toe stuck in the plug 'ole...

[garthai 10]

I remember that, I also learned to swim at the Upperthorpe baths. Going once a week from Netherthorpe school and paying a penny for hot drink of OXO afterwards. I guess that was in the earl part of the 1950's

 

The swimming baths were only 20 yards long whereras most others were 25 yards, the first certificate was 25 yards.

Those taking the 25 yards test had to entre the water at the deep end and swim down one side of the baths, turn right and swim across the width at the shallow end to make it 25 yards.

[jaffa1 10]

As I remember the shower was on the Male changing side in the corner at the shallow end.

 

When you say at the shallow end I gather you are talking about the swimming baths.

We are disputing whether there were any in the slipper baths above the bath. I can't remember any being there but if there were I don't think we would have been aloud to use them.

[jaffa1 10]

You didn't actually have to take your own towel and soap, but it made sense to because it was cheaper. In the 1950s it was 10d for a bath (or 5d each for me an' me brother 'cos we shared one.), then if you didn't take your own it was 3d for soap and 4d for (use of a) clean towel.Yes - here's one. Note the string that you pulled if you wanted more hot water, were overcome by steam or got your toe stuck in the plug 'ole...

That's a great picture hillsbro , just as I remember them including the brown water marks on the baths where the tap has been dripping.

I just spoke to two other people who went to the slipper baths and they also said the slipper baths [ definately the female ones ] were down stairs to the left.

[sunbeam 10]

I was at St Josephs primary on Howard Hill and every Friday morning (1968 - 1970) we used to walk down Birkendale to Upperthorpe Baths for our swimming lesson. The teacher was a guy called Mr Britland (or Brickland). Learnt to swim there and also got some life saving certificates too. We had to swim in our pyjamas, pick up a rubber brick from the bottom of the pool in the deep end and then take off our pyjama bottoms, tie knots in the end of the legs, blow them up and use them as flotation aids. Not sure how effective that was!!! Also swam in a few galas there. Happy days. The walk back up the hill afterwards was always much harder than the walk down especially knowing we had a mental arithmetic test waiting for us. lol.

[retired 10]

With Miss Brown?

[Big E 10]

My father used to work at Marshals refactory and I remember going to Upperthorpe baths on a Wednesday evening in the mid - late 60's. These Wednesday evening sessions were run through the sports and social club at Marshal's refactory.

[skippy_54 10]

I went a few times with a friend who's father worked at Marshall's.

 

I had lessons and learned to swim with there,the lessons were sponsored by

the Star newspaper, The Star learn to swim campaign 1964 I think. The teacher was a Mr Moffat.

[Blackburnrod 13]

Around 1942-4 my father who was a City Grammar schoolmaster was also lieutenant in the Air Training Corps based at Lowfields School.The Corps members plus me (born 1938) went to Hillsborough Baths one evening a week.I remember the attendant towing me along the bath with a long pole,presumably the same one used to suspend out of time swimmers clothes over the water.I remember collecting the cardboard tickets in different colours for different types of admission.

[Gethro 10]

I remember my dad takng me to Upperthorpe baths on several Wednesday nights in the late 40'/ 50S to watch him swim for Shardlows water polo team. I think it was a works water polo league.he swam in. Happy days!.