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Woodcock St Baths.

Woodcock Street Baths

I caught the no.74 or 75 bus from West Bromwich every afternoon after school, to travel to Snowhill and walk down Steelhouse Lane, past the Fire Station and on to Woodcock Street Baths to do my diving training.
I was always glad of a scarf to wind round my nose because I couldn't bear the smell of the hops from the nearby brewery.
I always stopped at a little "tuck shop" down Woodcock Street.
This journey I made between the age of 8 years old to 16 years.
Alway after my training, my coach used to take me into the cafe to have a drink of Cow & Gate or Bovril to warm me up. I can hear the urns hissing away right now.
The picture of the pool and diving boards was if it was only yesterday. I remember looking at the large tiled mural (centenary?) in front of me when I was ready to take my dive from the 5 metre board, and I always scooped my entries into the water to prevent me landing on the drain which looked fearsome. I have very good memories of those days, including the gruelling Life saving Courses. I trained also at Kingstanding, Northfield and Bourneville Open Air Lido. Does anyone have any pictures of these baths too? I've had a trip down memory lane not so long ago, and of course it has all changed - but I note the Victorian Toilets still stand at the top of Woodcock Street!
 
Hello Anne,its a funny thing you mentioned the drain at Woodcock baths i also used to dive and swim,i also feared them drains i done the same as you,after a clean entry pushing down the water not wanting to touch them drains.
And in the relay team hated being drawn in the lane over the drain im sure it made me swim faster to get over them drains :)

I dived off the high board at the Derby baths in Blackpool lido that was a high board the water was hard and murky it hurt my fore head:rolleyes:
 
The BIG drain at Woodcock Street

I expect most swimmers and divers were scared of the drain when diving from the top board.
Also what a good idea to have the lane over it in a swimming race - it definately would get the speed up and probably help secure a medal.
The Ladies Bath ("Second" class bath) cheek - was home to my schoolfriends and I for Lifesaving practise. The tiles on the pool basin were a little uneven and I remember cutting my foot.
On a trip down memory lane last year I loved the pool as it is today. What a wonderful refurbishment, highlighting the Victoriana. The pool basin has been retiled, but apart from that - just the same. Very gleaming and beautiful.
 
Diving over the Drain Woodcock St. Baths

A picture during diving training at Woodcock Street, preparing to scoop my entry so that I don't meet up with the big ugly foreboding drain 8'6ins under the water.
These days this is considered far too shallow and this is why of course, the diving boards have been removed, and the swim pool is now a badminton hall.
Most highboards from the old swimming baths have been removed because of the new regulations.
 
Lovely photo Anne.it will not enlarge perhaps one of the moderators can enlarge it,looks like a swallow dive to me down to that dreadful drain

mossy 8)
 
Rubbish, I've seen that pic before, Anne is standing up leaning backwards... :)
 
Personalities of the Baths

I'm talking about the late 40's and the 50's
Do you remember the Beaulah Gundling Water Ballet Gala? She was from the USA and introduced Water Ballet (today known as Synchronised Swimming and is an Olympic Sport). I was very small , and it was a memorable occasion.
She started her tour at Clacton and received acclaim from the Duke of Edinburgh. En-route around Britain she called in at B'ham.
The baths were packed out. The cubicles had been collapsed to make room for standing. The building was bedecked with flowers, and if I remember, a third of the pool was covered - a dais covered in flowers. Also the water. Lighting effects added magnificence to the scene.
Woodcock Street Baths were very famously known as a Television Gala Bath. There were many broadcasts from there - namely the Bologne Trophy, held annually - a tri contest between England, Scotland and Wales.
Later, Birmingham's Olwen Jones followed with her Water Ballet Groups.
Woodcock Street was the venue for Birmingham Diving Club. Len Rooke, Alf Jones, Edna Jones nee Spencer, Betty Hutton, Ray Smith, Alan Roberts, Valerie Spratt, John Carney, to name a few. There were the Tiso Twins, Jennifer (Olympic backstroker) and Hilary the Diver. The Birmingham Diving Club were known for their comedy acts - they used to drop into their routine from the girders in the roof - and serious diving exhibitions.
And who looked after us and the patrons of the baths? the green overalled Attendants who took our tickets as we went through the doors into the Gala Bath, and the navy blue suited Baths Superintendent. I can see him strutting round the pool now.
 
Woodcock St baths

1972, 1973, 1974 I swam in the school swimming galas at Woodcock St. The cheering & screaming from hundreds of kids, all supporting their schools, the noise was defening. The atmosphere was great. I remember the individual changing cubicals n all.
 
Galas.

:DanceBallerina2::) Gary. Individual changing areas. You should be so lucky. Us girls had a changing room with benches either side. No secure place to put your clothes. Although advised to leave all valuables at home you had to leave your clothes in there. I had a lovely pair of pink shoes stolen the one year. My schools head said she would compensate us but she never did. Before my event I would bite my nails which is something I never did any other time. The one year my pe teacher swam me up an age and I wasn't very pleased. It was in the senior schools relay. I was last leg in the freestyle relay next lane to Canterburry road school. Their last girl [who I couldn't stand] dived in a good two body lengths before me. I was so flaming mad they had made me swim two years up that I dived in and think I only breathed once down the length. We won and took the over all cup home once again. I went to Manor Park girls. I think King Edwards girls were runners up that year. My dear old nan ended up having a bad nose bleed due to the excitement.:DanceBallerina2:
 
galas

My teacher would say; "ok gary, you're in event 3- heat 5. Got it?"
i would say ' yeah, got it. event 3- heat 5'. I'd repeat it over n over again so i wouldn't forget. 2 minutes later it would be event 5, heat 4? no er heat 7, event 1? oh crickey, what was it? Eh Dave, whats the difference between a heat & an event? Dunno mate.
I think my teacher realised the concept was too much for me. When it was my turn he would just give me the nod.
 
Competiters steward

:sweat: The worst officials job you could do. When it was our Sutton schools gala I would always end up being one of two competiters stewards. Simply because I took most of the first and middle schools for tuition and coaching. [Plus no one else wanted the job.] The children were not the problem but the teachers and of course the parents who just had to interfere. After the heats over two mornings I would forfeit my lunch break and go straight back onto poolside to teach. It was give and take though. Some days I might have two or thre cancellations. TTFN. :sweat: Jean.
 
Thank you

Thank you for that Anne Jessel:) something else i have learn't today...Cat:)
 
I used to go to Victoria Road Baths when I was a wee mite, and was quite a good swimmer. Anyway, cut a long story short, I got selected to be on Victoria Road's team for some kind of competition to be held at Woodcock Street. When I saw the sheer size of Woodcock Street's bath compared with Victoria Road's, my little legs turned to jelly! I was pooped three-quarters of the way down the length of the bath, and had to suffer to derision of our coach (whose name I will not repeat here...).

Big Gee
 
Gary. Like you, I too swam in the swimming galas at Woodcock St. I was a bit before your time though, as I left school in the early ,60s. But they where great times though. Thanks for recalling them. Barry.
 
woodcock st baths

Hi Gillian i uesd to live in hurst lane 1952 -1970 My school also used woodcock st baths and also stechford baths.

Names ; Mann.Wooley,Copestick,Moore,Wasley,Spencer, Hickman,Smith,Mountford
 
I notice all of the postings are a few years old. I am a new chum & have only just seen this. My two brothers & I were all swimmers back in the 50's & we used to regularly race in the Warwickshire & Midland district championships at Woodcock St. baths. The photo's from CROMWELL brought back many fond memories.
SIKSEE
 
They have been doing it up for the last year or so.

Wasn't that long since I walked past it, and heard a gym class going on inside. Then they started to put up hoardings, removing the roofs etc.

I work in the offices opposite it at Aston Science Park

About a year ago (August 2010)


Woodcock Sports Centre - with new hoardings by ell brown, on Flickr


Woodcock Sports Centre - redevelopment site by ell brown, on Flickr

November 2010


Woodcock Sports Centre - redevelopment site by ell brown, on Flickr

February 2011


Woodcock Sports Centre - redevelopment site - mobile cranes by ell brown, on Flickr


Woodcock Sports Centre, Coleshill Street - under scaffolding by ell brown, on Flickr


Woodcock Sports Centre - redevelopment site by ell brown, on Flickr

May 2011


Woodcock Sports Centre - redevelopment site by ell brown, on Flickr


Woodcock Sports Centre - redevelopment site by ell brown, on Flickr
 
The City of Birmingham Police had a swimming club on Friday night at Woodcock st run by a retired Policeman Jack Sizer a drinking paL of my dad at "The Towers" on Wa;sall Rd. Although he was over 50 he was an ex county swimmer and would cut through the water faster than I could walk. Dived off the board once as a dare....but not again.
 
They have started to take down the scaffolding on this today. Is supposed to be finished this month (August 2011). Assume it will be open again for Aston University in September 2011.
 
i remember the public washing baths in francis street, i used them around 1945 to 1951, i lived in francis street so didnt have far to go , it was one corridoor with about 8 baths each side, and as you entered the baths there was a big waiting room where you would sit and wait to be called
 
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