Hillsborough Baths

[nosy nellie]

Yes I remember Bullerboy,Having the little white tickets and paying a small amount I thought it was twopence but you could be right.

I only lived across the road (Rudyard)so myself and my brothers went quite a lot and if you went Saturday morning early you were allowed to stay in until they got busy.

I also went to the slipper baths because no bathroom in our house,my grandchildren think it was disgusting that everyone in the area got bathed in the same bath,not altogether I may add.

I like the bit about the biscuits.

[milee]

I used to go to Hillsborough baths from the 50's right through till my teens, Boys on one side and girls cubicles on the other with the canvas door curtains. I remember seeing the lads feet under the curtains on the other side. Afterwards I was always hungry and thirsty so I went to the Herbalist just round the corner on Holme lane and had a hot fruity drink. There was a little wooden form to sit on in the shop,. Does anyone remember the Herbalist?

[mitzy]

I learned to swimm at the baths two , remember my first 25 metres, felt like a mile lol.

 

We used to go from fir vale school on a bus and used to have a packet of walkers snaps after.

 

Happy days!!!!

[sheppydog]

FetishFairy,

you must have been in the same year as me. I remember the teddy boy lifeguard, and the other (blonde) one had crew cut we used to call him action man.

I remember Mr lindley too he was older and a bit scarey looking.

I was one of the last in my year to actually swim. We used to go with Mrs Allison, our class teacher. When I got my certificate for 100 yards our school won a cup for 100% swimmers, the best in the city. When I was doing it, there were a few other pupils following on the side cheering me (and therefore the school) at every turn.

 

haha that life guard with the teddy boy hair cut is my next door neighbour now he hasnt changed a bit his name is chris

[sheppydog]

The teddy boy sometimes used to call himself Chris and sometimes Ricky....

 

He was a nice bloke actually. Anyone know what became of him? It's not like I ever see him at Ponds Forge or Hillsborough Leisure Centre..?

 

I used to love getting a hot chocolate and a packet of crisps after a swim, and walk home with wet hair (only to get "done" off me mum)!

 

hi chris the teddy boy is my next door neighbour he hasnt changed one bit lol

[hillsbro]

I also learned to swim at Hillsborough Baths, and like nosy nellie and others I was a regular client of the slipper baths, rather than fill the old tin bath with water from the "copper".

... Afterwards I was always hungry and thirsty so I went to the Herbalist just round the corner on Holme lane and had a hot fruity drink. There was a little wooden form to sit on in the shop. Does anyone remember the Herbalist?

I think this must have been Mrs Styran at 27 Middlewood Road - I don't remember a herbalist in Holme Lane apart from Daubney's right at the other end at Malin Bridge. Here are scans from a 1940s directory showing Hillsborough Baths and some of the Middlewood Road shops. Apart from hot and cold fruit-flavoured drinks, Mrs Styran sold Horlicks, Ovaltine and peppermint-flavoured drinks, also Horlicks ice lollies at 4d each.

 

Mrs Styran retired around 1964 and died aged 95 in February 2000. Her name was actually Elsie - the "Mrs Curtis Styran" shown in directories was her widowed mother-in-law who had retired from the business in the 1940s. Elsie had married Walter Styran Jnr, the original herbalist (Walter Styran Snr.) having died as long ago as 1918.

[harvey19]

There used to be an herbalist amongst the shops at Hillsborough opposite Proctor Place. If I remember rightly you went up a couple of steps.

[hillsbro]

There used to be an herbalist amongst the shops at Hillsborough opposite Proctor Place. If I remember rightly you went up a couple of steps.

Yes - that was Mrs Styran's in Middlewood Road. It's now a ladies' clothes shop.

 

I've remembered the name of the lady who taught children to swim at Hillsborough Baths in the 1950s - it was Mrs Earl. She was an expert at overcoming children's fear of deep water, and also getting the best out of the competition swimmers she trained.

[wasa1]

I too remember Mrs Earl she was really attractive if i remember right, i think she died a many ago she must have been quite young.

[RJAY]

I remember we would dive of the balcony rail when the atendant was't looking at Hillsborourgh after they lowerd the diving bourd.

Went there when it was too cold at Longley Baths.