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Kingstanding Swimming Baths

Welcome Pete. There are several threads that might be of interest regarding the school. Not sure which one is of interest. I suggest you raise your school query on one of those below.

Then keep this thread (I’ve added “Swimming Baths” to your title) just for the Swimming Bath query.

Warren Farm High School Dulwich Road Secondary School

Hello, does anybody have any photos from Warren Farm High School between 1965 - 1969 please? Thanks a lot. Michelle Gannon. :P
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk

Warren Farm Junior Dulwich Road Junior School & Nursery

The British History Online site tells us: “WARREN FARM COUNTY PRIMARY SCHOOL, Kingstanding. Dulwich Rd. Council Sch. opened 1930 by Birm. C.B.C. in temporary buildings accom. 384 JI. Permanent JM and I blocks (accom. 768) opened 1931, SB and SG blocks (accom. 400 each), 1932. Accom. for 96 JM...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk

Viv.
 
No photos of the inside but lots of memories which describe the inside ... the large pool, the small pool, the diving boards and woollen swimming trunks ...on the following link ... :)
kingstanding.wordpress.com

Kingstanding Swimming Baths

Memories of Kingstanding Swimming Memories of Dennis Elwell Dennis Elwell is far left. Memories of Charles Southam Charles Southam recalled the provision of swimming trunks and the fashion in trunk…
kingstanding.wordpress.com kingstanding.wordpress.com
 
I attended the opening of the baths with my mother when I was a small child, I think the mayor did the opening and a swimmer (famous maybe) dived in and swam the length, there was a report of the opening in the local Mail or Dispatch so if anyone has access to the newspaper archives you might find it.
 
A search using "kingstanding swimming baths" produced only one hit, which merely mentions them, with others, in the war
 
I remember the baths. Did my test for the free swimming pass at Kingstanding baths - was at Kingsthorne Junior School at the time. I didn’t even realise I’d done it. You had to be able to swim, I think, one length of the main bath. Viv.
 
Vivienne14 said:
I remember the baths. Did my test for the free swimming pass at Kingstanding baths - was at Kingsthorne Junior School at the time. I didn’t even realise I’d done it. You had to be able to swim, I think, one length of the main bath. Viv.
Click to expand...
Your right Viv, swim a length and get a free pass. I had one for Erdington Swimming Baths too and used it to death.

The thing I remember about Kingstanding Baths were the separate changing rooms, you had to put your clothes in a basket and hand then to the attendant. The changing room felt freezing when you came out.

The was a café upstairs that looked out over the small pool. Sols Tea, instant coffee, Cow and Gate, Waggon Wheels and Crisps
 
In the 1940s/1950s on hot sunny days during the school summer holidays, nearly every kid in the district must have queued outside the baths with our rolled up towels and swimming costumes to be allowed in as groups for a 20min session then turfed out to make room for the next group. After much searching I've not been able to find a photo of the outside but this proposal drawing seems to be mainly as I remember it.
Untitled.jpg
The second of the Department’s Baths to be erected in the newly developed areas of the City was at Warren Farm Road, Kingstanding. Opened on the 31st March, 1938, this establishment is well set back from the road with a turfed forecourt, harmonising with the general layout of this part of the district. The facilities available are similar in every respect to those at Northfield Baths, the large swim being 100ft. by 35ft., graded from 3ft. 3in. to 10ft. 2in., and the learners’ pool 36ft. by 18ft., graded from 2ft. 3in. to 4ft. 6in.
Click to expand...
 
Look right to me. Boy and men’s changing to the left and café on the first floor.

I am wondering if there were washing baths. I know Erdington had them for both men and women.
 
Thought I’d dreamt about handing in your clothes in those baskets re post #11. I remember that too ! In the cubicles you’d always carry on conversations with your friends next door while you changed into swimming costumes.

In the cafe one of the very large tubs (I mean really really large) for Cow & Gate chocolate mix was used as a bin for rubbish - like crisp packets and chocolate wrappers.

Opposite the baths as you came out was a large grassed roundabout which I think was for traffic control


Viv
 
thanks to pedro at least we have a photo of the inside of the baths...always thought it odd that we cant seem to find any of the outside especially as it was not really that old...must be one somewhere

lyn
 
Vivienne14 said:
Thought I’d dreamt about handing in your clothes in those baskets re post #11. I remember that too ! In the cubicles you’d always carry on conversations with your friends next door while you changed into swimming costumes.

In the cafe one of the very large tubs (I mean really really large) for Cow & Gate chocolate mix was used as a bin for rubbish - like crisp packets and chocolate wrappers.

Opposite the baths as you came out was a large grassed roundabout which I think was for traffic control
Click to expand...
Vivienne14 said:
Viv
Click to expand...
That roundabout had a brook running through it that came from Finchley park, we walked from there all the way up to the park under the tunnels. :) they built prefabs on the island post war.
I see now the prefabs are gone and the brook's been covered over.
 
This low res aerial photo is dated 1938 but there appears to an area of fenced gardens behind a row of terrace houses. The baths don't seem to be in this photo. Perhaps the terrace houses were there before the municipal estate was built and demolished when building of the baths started. The resolution of the image is not good enough to be sure.
WarrenFarmRd.jpg
 
Yes that's right, the open space alongside was post war a coal yard where we queued for coal when there was a shortage (miners working to rule) the first shop to the left was a fish and chip shop.
 
mikejee said:
I am not familiar with the area, but, from the c 1937 map, aren't the baths the building marked with an arrow?

View attachment 157916View attachment 157917
Click to expand...
I had looked at that map and the aerial view and I can see now that what I thought was a row of houses is actually the main pool building and on the back might be a boiler room and chlorination plant. It looks like the aerial pic has the only view we have of the baths,

Most swimming baths in Birmingham were photographed but for some reason the Kingstanding Baths building was not.
:)
 
I have a vague feeling there was a view on Google Streetview of the Baths, obviously quite a few years ago, before it was demolished. Or maybe it was the old Welfare Centre (next door ?). Could be imagining it. Viv.
 
I remember the main pool as really light and airy. I vaguely remember 3 levels of diving board. I only ever managed level 1. Friends, especially boys, would show off by diving off the top board. Could never do that. Don’t know for sure how high it was, but it must have been around 15ft (?). If so that would have made the deep end at least 20ft.

I remember in swimming lessons from school we’d use a trampette (like a mini trampoline) to practise diving off the side. Always enjoyed it when they wheeled out the trampette.

And remember all those long poles ? I think some were for rescuing swimmers in difficulty and one was like a great big spoon to collect up debris from the pool (like Elastoplast - yuk).

Viv.
 
Vivienne14 said:
I have a vague feeling there was a view on Google Streetview of the Baths, obviously quite a few years ago, before it was demolished. Or maybe it was the old Welfare Centre (next door ?). Could be imagining it. Viv.
Click to expand...
I thought the Welfare Centre was on the other side of the island. Got me thinking now.
 
mort i am a tad confused trying to line up the map...the welfare centre is on the opposite side of conker island (as we call it) almost in line with christ the king church and school..will take a better look tomorrow
 
I’m probably wrong about the Welfare Centre. Don’t know why I thought it was next to the swimming baths. It was a very long time ago when I last went there. Viv.
 
In all fairness, it’s been a long time since I was there too, so I may be filling in the gaps in my memory. I know there were prefabs on the island and the stream that ran down the middle. It had a back metal fence around it. I seem to have a recollection of a welfare building like the one in Marsh Lane Erdington on the corner of Warren farm Road. There were several of this design across Birmingham, so in my mind it’s easy to imagine there was one here.
 
I went to the swimming baths in Warren Farm Road a few times in the late 50's/ early 60's.
I also remember there was a Youth Employment Office nearby as I had to go there to get my original 'cards' to get a National Insurance number for my first employer. I seem to remember that was also a 1930's building, like the swimming baths.
 
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