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Severn Street Swimming Club

R

RobertS

master brummie
Not sure if this thread is in the right place but can't find one for clubs or sports organisations.

Severn Street Swimming Club met at Kent Street Baths. I was a member there in the early to mid 1960's. I have managed to find that the club records are held in the Birmingham archives.

Anyone out there who can remember the club, the mile swims in the river Avon, the organisers and members?
 
Seven street swimming club

:) Hi Robert. I was a member of that club. We had to go for a trial and 25 were selected to train under Bert Owens. I think he has passed away but lived to be a great age. I am in touch with a Dorothy Holland who'se uncle organised the club and she may still have the old records. I met someone called big Barry who used to train with me many years ago. Will contact Dorothy when I've cleared up and see what I can do for you. TTFN. Jean.:wave:
 
Thanks for the reply Gee Gee Jean

Thanks for the reply, I was beginning to think I was out here on my own!

As I said in the previous note I found a reference to papers being archived but have not managed to visit the library and have a look at what they have.

I was a young member who was focused on the swimming with little attention paid to the history or organisation. Severn Street seemed as though it was once a grand club whose fortunes declined when the baths were bombed in the war. The Kent Street complex lost the larger pool. (Exploring the baths it was possible to get a glimpse of the big pool that had been bombed and was now a bus garage.)

As people moved out of the city centre the club appeared to settle into a small well run institution kept afloat by the enthusiasm of a much older Stan and Dot, (and Stan’s sister Nora?), I can't even guess at their ages from an 11 or 12 year olds view. They seem to have grown up with the club and become its officers. Although there were annual meetings they always seemed to stay in charge. It was probably recognised by everyone that they made a huge unpaid contribution. Severn Street still had a good collection of cups and did battle with the other clubs throughout the city. The club used what was possibly an old chaple as a small clubhouse down the road from the baths, where people would go for steaming cup of something and biscuits bought from the club funds.

It also had an annual outing for a mile swim in the River Avon at Holt Fleet. Whatever the weather or water temperature we smeared ourselves with a bit of grease and splashed away into what was undoubtedly polluted water. For the quick ones like me the most I suffered where strange red blotches and an occasional vomit. Some of the slower ones came out close to hyperthermia with varying degrees of poisoning.

I remember the club with some affection and a bit of regret I never thanked the 'officials' properly for all their unpaid voluntary work for kids like me.

Would love to hear any more information, thanks again.
 
Swimming club.

:) Hi Robert. Did you do a lot of competetive swimming?. I did until I was 15. My lads followed in my footstep and are both qualified instructor. I went on to teach schools at Wyndley for almost 20 years. E.mailed Dorothy and waiting for a reply. Jean. :)
 
Hi Gee Gee Jean

Thanks for the reply.

Did a fair amount through school and club up to the age of 15. Good but not sufficiently dedicated to training to make it beyond 'reliable' at club level (tended to be pulled in to make up solid legs in relay and medley relay) so you won't find my name on much!

Well trained and taught but just enjoyed the water. Look forward to any SSSC info.
 
Swimming qualifications.

:) Hi Mossy. Good site Anne Jessels. I would recomend any youngster today to take their swimming teachers certificate. You will never be out of work. I taught the Sutton children for almost 20 years at Wyndley. Can't believe the pools closed. Full of asbestos so they say. Used to do private tuition during my lunch break and after work. Loved the job. School holidays off with full pay as well. I used to love it when a realy nervous [or sometimes terrified child] would come in for their swimming lesson and at the end of the course would have gained their confidence. Had plenty of them. Have kept all the cards sent to me by the children. I think the onlyl aspsect of the job I didn't enjoy was doing life saving with 17 year old boys who quite frankly did not want to know. I used to do syncro with girls of that age. TTFN. Jean.
 
Sssc

:) Yes Robert. I posted the old photo's. I'm the little blon one on the photo's. Like I said previously I was the youngest there and got spoiled rotton. I have some photo's to put on but we have some kind of virus that is preventing me. Bye4. All the best. Jean. :)
 
Thanks Mossy

Thanks Mossy

Have read most of the posts and collected photo's of the Birmingham baths and lido's. Most of them are very familiar!

Birmingham had wonderful provision, even if alot of the baths were a bit short. I seem to remember Stechford was a good length for training. I was taught to swim at Moseley Road where the Jamacan stoker had a theory that kids in England took so long to learn because of the temperature. At every opportunity he raised the temperature of the pool to that of warm tea. After that cold water was a treat.

When the baths were busy and the weather warm, we were not beyond diping into the cannal at Warstock or challenges to splash across the pools at Cannon Hill or Swanshurst before getting caught by the park keeper.
 
Spent many hours in Victoria Rd swimming baths, in club on a Thursday evening,swum in many school galas in Woodcock St,Green Lane,Kent St,Erdington and Kingstanding baths.
 
Baz when were you a member of Aston swimming club?. I still have old club membership cards. I met a person called Barry in the Button Oak and he used to swim at the locations you did?. Not you was it [big Barry]. Jean.
 
G G Jean said:
Baz when were you a member of Aston swimming club?. I still have old club membership cards. I met a person called Barry in the Button Oak and he used to swim at the locations you did?. Not you was it [big Barry]. Jean.
Click to expand...
Around 1956ish to very roughly 1961ish, a Mrs Beauchamps and a Mr Clark seemed to be prominent in running the club,never in Button Oak pub.
Baz
 
Hi Baz Mrs Beauchamp [Kath] was still into swimming clubs up until 10 years ago. I joined Aston round about the same time as you when I was ten and had a Jack Middleton coach me. He was still swimming after a knee replacement operation 10 years ago at Wyndley. Do you remember a Margaret Kingscot who married Jonh Badham I took her ladies title off her when I was 13 and she never got it back. [I made sure of that]. Bye for now. Jean.
 
Hello Robert,


I actually lived in Kent Street(1/53) and some might say in the Swimming Baths! We would never haveafforded the number of session we attended in a day. By what deviceit could be accomplished is not for me to betray, besides you'd needto be a real skinny kid to be hide behind an wide-open cubical door(with a ft gap below it) and not be seen by the manhosing-down....time and time again?

Some years later by winning arace of two lengths at the lido in Knowle against two others wantingthe summer job as lifeguard, I enjoyed two glorious summers beforejoining the Merchant Navy in 1960.


Like those faithful custodiansof your club, just walk over the bombed-peck across from the bathsthen (formerly Southalls but then a theme park of debre for us kids)was The Rose & Crown pub on the Essex St and Bromsgrove St cornerwhere a Mr Bowden ran the gym and boxing club with less kudos thandeserved for keeping us out of trouble. Cheers Steve


 
Hi is this Forum still alive or is it long dead I was a member for years my Father before me in the early 1900's I have lots of stories ?
 
hello jw280....i am not quite sure what you mean by is the forum still alive or dead? this forum is called the birmingham history forum and we have been here since 2002...or are you referring to the severn st swimming club..was it the swimming club your dad was a member of in the early 1900s ???? if so would love to hear your memories

lyn
 
Astoness said:
hello jw280....i am not quite sure what you mean by is the forum still alive or dead? this forum is called the birmingham history forum and we have been here since 2002...or are you referring to the severn st swimming club..was it the swimming club your dad was a member of in the early 1900s ???? if so would love to hear your memories

lyn
Click to expand...
 
Hi Lyn I was refering to the SSSC as nobody seemed to have posted anything for 4 years, I have lots of memories if people are still reading, I'm a new member so finding my way around at the Mo
 
hi jw250 and welcome to the forum..if you need any help with anything just give us a shout but in the meantime please post your memories and any old photos you may have as it may spur others who were members of the swimming club to post their memories..

all the best

lyn
 
OK Here goes I joined the Club in 1958 although I lived in Kings Heath my Father (Who lived in Gt Colmore St as a child) was a member along with his Brother for many years in the early 1900's and wanted me to join his old Club. I went on to win several Cups and Shields with both Dads name on and Uncle George's. The Club was certainly run by Stan and Nora (Brother and Sister) assisted by their Niece Dot Holland, we also had the trainer Albert Deeley and his wife Margaret, Harold (who used to throw the Polo ball in at the end for a quick game) and the bloke who turned us around at the half mile mark of the Mile Swim Jackie White. The Mile swim was later moved to Keepers Pool in Sutton Park as it was considered to be somewhat safer.

I remember lots of the Old Members namely Johnny Hands, Basil Cook, Brian Lees, Bobby Green, Roy Sherlock, Gillian Guy, Valerie and Maureen Whittingham and of course Robert S (Who I introduced to the Club as he was my best mate at the time and in the end we had a big contingent that traveled from Kings Heath on the No48 bus for the Tuesday Night Club)

When Kent St Baths closed down the Club moved to Monument Road until that closed then onto Tiverton Road Selly Oak until that also Closed

The Old Trophies are housed somewhere on Broad Street I can find out where if anyone is interested would love to hear more stories from anyone who remembers especially Robert S if he knows who I am from my Initials ??

Last but not least did anyone remember the Club Song that we made up on the Coach coming back from The Mile Swim

Stanley he's only got one Leg
Nora's got two but very small
Dot's got something similar
But poor old Albert's got no Legs at all

Obviously sang to The Colonel Bogey Theme

HAPPY DAYS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Hello again JW250. Good to know you are still out there! Ah yes I rember it well: well not exactly. As usual I paid no attention at the time then attempted to piece together the few memories later, along with asking the questions I should have asked at the time.

Following the first conversations on the forum I was put in touch with Dot Holand who gave me a history of the club from its Quaker roots (written by Stan I recolect). Dot was still in touch with John Hands at the time.

As far as I remember the mile swim moved from the river Avon to Sutton Park as river polution prompted big red blotches and temporary honking that muted songs on the bus.

Hope all is well wherever you are these days, I'm still on the same email.
 
Hi Robert

I'm in Cyprus at the moment on a long vacation, would love to try and meet up sometime, I don't have an E Mail address for you could you let me have it

Jeff
 
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