105 replies to this topic

[Phyll]

Being a newbie, I was reading this old thread and glad it resurfaced, (get it)
Anyway, I remember the shop opposite, where we used to get lots of nice sweets afterwards.
Does anyone remember the Flying Saucers and Sherbet Dips. What a shame it's all gone.
As for the Pimbletts Pies. I lived on those and was so skinny back then! Love Phyll.

[DEVON BOY]

I remember the BARMS from across the road big as dinner plates best i ever tasted

[Phyll]

Oh Yeah, they were good too. Hey Devonboy, I used to live in Plymouth.
I heard that's all changed too. Do you know? Thanks, Phyll.

[Griffin]

I passed the baths site yesterday. The new building is substantially complete. It's amazing how quickly they build nowadays. I wonder if there will be a swimming pool in the new building? They seem to carry out all these plans without any consultation or discussion.

[Phyll]

Welcome back Griff, I missed you. Yes it' such a shame they couldn't leave
well enough alone. Any Photos of the new site?

[Griffin]

At present, there's quite a high fence around the site, so you couldn't see very much. I can take some when the fence comes down. Incidentally, for those who remember the Haven across the road, it's now been demolished for a flats development. It was an old people's home in the seventies, then the offices of a housing association.

[llanyb]

My understanding is it's a new baths and leisure centre - but what would I know, I'm 60-odd miles away.

[Google maps has Boundary Road labelled as Cowley Hill Lane ! How do we get this sort of thing corrected ?]

[Dave]

Google have been told a few times about that but they've never bothered to fix it.

[thebongomaster]

Le200, on 26 January 2010 - 11:50 PM, said:

The baths.
Have they been demolished?
If it has, did anyone get any pics?

It was a nice building

hello my name is lindon i love local history. i went and took photos and videos of the baths also st helens hospital and the brick works on chester lane

[Le200]

Hi Lindon, welcome
Have you uploaded your videos and picture to Youtube, Photobucket etc?

I and I imagine others would like to see them if you have.

[SWIMMER]

Hi swimmer here, I couldn't believe that the powers that be had decided to demolish the baths. I remember it when I first went with my auntie as a child, I think I would have been around two or three, and from then on it was the place I spent a lot of time in. I remember the cubicles around the baths and the balconies upstairs where the poor boys were consigned to. They did however improve it with the revamp I forget what year that was but it was probably around the sixties some time. I do remember going to a swimming competition in an open air pool, it was teaming with rain and I was really glad when the return meet was Boundry Rd. Maybe this latest revamp will be a further improvemment but they could have kept the facade to show future generations.

[Olliebeak]

In 4th year juniors we always went into the 'big pool'/men's plunge with Rivvy School. The lads used to run upstairs to the balcony, till the teacher realised they were trying to perv over the cubicle doors at us girls getting changed .

I remember that there were concrete steps in the corners of the pool and there were little 'hidey spaces' underneath them. We used to try to go to the bottom of the pool and under the steps and see how long we could remain under - doesn't bear thinking about these days!

The entrance to the 'old baths' was all shiney, polished wood and brass with a proper queueing lane and old-fashioned turnstile - and of course, that all-pervading pong of chlorinated water.

Edited by Olliebeak, 10 June 2010 - 12:16 PM.

[Phyll]

Yeah, I used to hate that smell and no matter how many showers or baths you took, it permeated into your skin for days!

[Handsome Johnny]

brunty, on 27 January 2010 - 06:38 PM, said:

it would be nice to know who had the final say on its demolition,anyone know who the coucillor
is for that ward.

our esteemed council leader..............piggy rimmer.

[SWIMMER]

Hi swimmer here, I remember all those things and I think that I had a continual smell of chlorine around me because I was never out of the pool. I remember the stone steps very well and the hiding place beneath. It was lucky none of us ever got stuck under there lol. I used to swim a length under water to avoid the flailing arms on the surface. When I tell my four grandchildren that they look at me and laugh can't blame them, I don,t think I could hold it for ten seconds now lol.