My parents met at a wrestling match at the Victoria Baths, probably in 1939. My
father had just come to Nottingham and was lodging at the house of my aunty's
boyfriend. My mother went along with my aunty to meet the boyfriend and my
father. My parents were married in 1941, just after my father joined the Marines.
My parents used to take my sister and me to the Post Office Swimming Club on a
Thursday evening at the Victoria Baths from about 1961when I was about 8 to about
1965. I learnt to swim there. The instructor was a Mr Oliver. I seem to recall
hearing that my brother got a certificate there but he was about 12 years older than
me.
I think it will be a great shame if the Victoria Baths are demolished. It is an unusual
and attractive building.
NORMA NICHOLSON
Nottingham
I remember being 7 years old in 1958; my mum took me from St Anns Board School
to see my sister Sue aged 10 in the swimming gala. It came to Sue’s race: the
butterfly. We screamed, shouted and cheered. You’ve guessed – Sue won. My aunt,
Eliza Richardson (dad’s sister) worked at the wash house and Victoria Baths. She was
an attendant at the pool. She was there 15 years. Sadly Eliza died 2 years ago, aged
90. Her 11 children are all well.
My uncle Alf (dad’s brother) Alf Morley was well known in the boxing circle, so I
imagine he must have boxed there. I’ve got lovely memories, walking from school
over Bluebell Hill with all the kids in my class all excited about going swimming. My
dad had the same experiences from Sneinton and my mum from Carlton Rd.
Victoria Leisure Centre memories live on,
JEAN TAYLOR
Arnold
I have special memories of Victoria Baths (as it was called then) when during the
winter months a wooden floor was placed over the oval swimming pool for roller
skating. The precise dates elude me but I would say it was the late 1940s early
1950s.
During this period many young people from all over Nottingham and beyond would
come to skate there. We had a roller hockey team, who played matches with teams
from other roller skating rinks and when away games were organised they played at
other rinks with a dedicated team of home supporters following them. There was also
speed skating which if I remember correctly only the lads did that, but it would be
interesting if anyone remembers if girls did take part in these events.
My favourite of these roller skating years was the roller dancing, I remember there
was a tall, well built fellow who I believe was a previous skating dancer from another
rink, but I recall that all the young girls just waited and hoped that he would choose
them to dance with him in the dance sessions. Another good roller skating dancer
was a fellow called Stan Fowler, he came from a rink in London, Streatham I think,
again he was in great demand. I was so proud when he chose me to take to
Leicester Granby Halls rink on a Sunday to be his partner. We travelled on his
motorbike but unfortunately we had an accident on the way there, Stan was killed. It
took me awhile to get back to skating after this but because there always a strong
knit of skater friends they all help me to get up and go again. I can only recall a few
names, Dave Parker, Graham Ward, the Poxon brothers, but it would be good if any
of them are still around to get in touch, via e mail, with me so perhaps they can fill in
the gaps of that time. One of my first ambitions was achieved also at this time, I had
always wanted to have my own skates and boots, (having skated with the hire ones
for a long time) so I worked all through the school summer holidays and saved my
money to buy them, and, I still have them!!!
Hope this fills a little gap in the history of the baths, I may add I think it would
scandalous to demolish any part of this building, part of it as before, could become a
roller rink!!!
BRENDA WRIGHT
Nottingham
I spent many happy hours at the Victoria Swimming Pools. I first swam there when
we visited Nottingham in 1945 and then when we came to live in the City in 1946 I
used to go to general swimming sessions and swim length after length. Eventually, I
asked the pool attendant if there were any swimming clubs at the Victoria Baths.
The attendant suggested that - as I was a shy young school girl - she thought the
Nottingham Ladies' SC on Tuesday evenings would be most suitable. I joined the
very next week. This was the start of a whole new way of life for me, which lasted
for many years. The very next season, I was selected to swim for the County. While
still in the Sixth Form at Mundella Grammar School, I became the club's captain and
two years later I took over as the secretary - a position I held for the next twenty
five years! While still at school I started to take the ASA Swimming Teachers'
Awards, gaining the Advanced - so I became the club's head coach at the same time
as becoming the secretary. Two sisters also joined the club and also took on
positions on the committee and qualified as coaches. In due course we all married
and had families - each of us having a girl and a boy. We had to join the boys into
other clubs. Eventually, this all became too much - and the Nottingham Ladies' SC
changed into the Nottingham Victoria SC so that our sons could join as well. This
made it much easier to arrange friendly galas against other clubs - which all had
mixed memberships.
Of course when I became secretary I became the holder of the club's Minute Books and they went right back to the founding of the club in 1909. (Unfortunately for
various reasons, the club closed in the 1980's - I was no longer attending, although I
was a Life Member). All the Minute Books have been lodged with the County
Records Office, Wilford Road. They can be read - on their premises. They made for
very interesting reading. I remember that the first Committee wanted a uniform
costume (of course the members were all 'ladies' - not children and teenagers as
with most of today's clubs). They received a sample from a manufacturer, but sent it
back complaining that it needed more 'embellishment'. They invited the Duchess of
Portland to be their Patron.
There was a family of five sisters in the club from around the time of the first World
War, by the name of Jeans. The best swimmer of this family was the famous 'Connie
Jeans' who was fourth in the 100 yards in the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games. She
also won races in the River Thames and was - if I remember correctly - fifth in a
race in the River Seine in Paris, beating men swimmers. Today, the only spectators
at galas are the parents and friends of the competing young swimmers. Not so in
Connie Jeans’s day. I was told that when it was announced that she would be
swimming in a gala at her home pool, the whole of the balcony at the Victoria Baths,
would be full to capacity by members of the general public, who came to see the
great swimming star of her day. Unfortunately, I never saw a photo of her.
(Foot note: When I returned to work once my children started school, I began my
second career - as a Schools' Swimming Teacher, a post I held until I retired in
1999 - so you can see that joining a club at the Victoria Baths all those years ago,
was to play a big part in my life.)
JILL RUSSELL
Nottingham