Heeley Baths in late 50s, 60s

[eelylad 10]

i learned to swim at h/b in early 60`s. my mother learned to swim there in40s and i taught my 3 kids in the 80s. will be taking eldest grandson (5) soon. like one or two more, i used to do the cleaning to stay for free.any body remember freddy, the attendant... i used to get knocked and bumped regularly.but one day banged my head on my pals (kieth crossland) head and almost bit thru my tongue. water was turning red. lol.. would usually call for sarsiparella after.

[Intake1952 10]

Yeah I remember them too, we had to walk down from Carfield, after the first dip in there, several of us used to "get lost" walking down there. I don't think I ever went in again!!

[chuffinel 10]

hey chuffinel

 

I remember offering to clean sides of heeley baths and getting an extra free session. It was in the 60's tho.

Do you remember the sweet shop on the opposite side of the road, just a little house made into a shop??

We to would walk up through Tyzacks passage way, as we lived on little london road.

Spent many an hour playing on the river sheaf, how we did'nt get infected with something but we were tough in those days.

Hey there. Sorry about the late reply. I can't remember that sweet shop at all. Most of the time we would walk through Tyzack's passage to get to and from the baths. Sometimes we would go down Broadfield Rd though where a classmate's dad had a fruit shop off of there. Derek Walker was his name. Did you know him at all ?

[lovedubai 10]

[ On the way home we went past the milk machine outside the dairy that was always out of order, does anyone remember this vending machine?.

 

I remember it well and the cow in the big window above. We lways used to buy a carton of milk to go with the cheese biscuits from the machine in the baths.

[asti 10]

I remember Heeley baths with complete horror, First time there i almost drowned, i got stuck under those wooden steps in the shallow end and due to the weight of the woolen trunks i was wearing i only just managed to scramble out, Hmmmm" how did we ever survive our childhood?

[Leipzig 10]

I remeber Mr Wall was the swimming instructor at Heeley Baths in the 1960's - quite strict, but a good instructor.

[BLITZER 10]

I remember learning to swim there in the thirties and got my lifesaving cert. We would have a diving block,a 3" block of wood with some lead in the centre,throw it in and dive in to recover it. Was'nt there supposed to be a haunted house on the other side of the river from the baths? Must be 1946 since I was last in there.

[Treatment 10]

I would go to heeley baths with my school (cecil road) from 1970 onwards, it always seemed so cold. On the way home we went past the milk machine outside the dairy that was always out of order, does anyone remember this vending machine?.

I remember it well. The milk always tasted lovely and chilled.

By the way, what the hell was a ''slipper bath'' ?

[jiginc 10]

I learnt to swim at Healey Baths when I was about 13 then when a teenager we used to go to the Turkish baths and after have a massage I seem to remember one of the masseurs had one leg shorter than the other. Used to feel great afterwards and so clean.

[homer2 10]

I remember the freezing changing rooms when we went with Bradway County School. Later the hot tub in the corner full of old men soaping themselves. The scum on the top of the water was unebelievable. They used to moan when the young'uns got in, let the warm water out and fill it with scalding hot water so we had to get out!!

The sarspirella shop at the top next to the cinema, anybody remember that?

 

Remember it all. Can you remember Mr. Wall who did the swimming lessons. A bit of an ogre. Also when you got off the bus, that wonderful smell coming from the sweet factory next door. Also went with bradway county primary.

[ptrA 10]

We used to get white bath cards from school. These had perforated tear off vouchers and it was only 2 pence to go in with the card. Later I qualified for a free pass. A group of us from St Wilfrids School went at lunch time and again after school. Every Saturday morning at 7 am too. Along with a selected few I washed the bath sides for another session. Happy Days. We used to leave our bikes outside, couldn't do that now.

[buck 11]

I remember the freezing changing rooms when we went with Bradway County School. Later the hot tub in the corner full of old men soaping themselves. The scum on the top of the water was unebelievable. They used to moan when the young'uns got in, let the warm water out and fill it with scalding hot water so we had to get out!!

The sarspirella shop at the top next to the cinema, anybody remember that?

I used to live on Arthur Road just across from the Abbeydale cinema. I think that saspirrila shop would be the one you're talking about. Very popular with the teens, You walked doen the hull to Heeley Baths and I would spend every saturday morning in there till lunchtime. I was a good diver and when the top board stopped being interesting I'd climb up onto the balcony and dive off there. Thought nothing of it, but when I think of it today shudder to think what would have happened if I had slipped and dived onto the pool surround. Afterwards we'd go of to the roller rink in Attercliffe. Good old days.