Learning to Swim

First learnt at the Lido baths in south shore in the 90's, school lessons were at St Georges baths, neither of which are still there.
 
Here's me as usual, thinking about Dave. Dave's great, he can do anything, he's super, he really is. Then, up pops my fairy Godmother with her, "I'll grant you three wishes," routine. Wish one is easy. Next I wish we were both at the seaside. "Come on Dave let's swim," I say. But he says,"sorry man, it's just not my scene." What he really meant was, he couldn't swim!
Still got one wish left remember. Meet Mike. "Hello." He swims like a fish.
 
Norbreck Hydro ( early 60s) . Can't remember the name of the 'coach' but I believe he was quite famous/infamous!
 
St George's Saturday mornings mid 70s. With Junior school back there again late 70s early 80s and also Thames Rd. You had to climb up a step ladder to get in to the Thames Rd pool. With High School to the Lido. Sadly never went in the Derby Baths ever.
 
Cocker St. My mother encouraged us to swim, she had lifesaving certificates and I believe she used to be one of the swimmers in the ring at the end of the circus show in the Tower.
 
timaruseasider said:
Cocker St. My mother encouraged us to swim, she had lifesaving certificates and I believe she used to be one of the swimmers in the ring at the end of the circus show in the Tower.
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Neither of my parents could swim. Strange really but a different generation I guess.
 
As a child I was swept away in the sea as the large wave retreated. Terrified of water, I was always the odd one out. A friend took me to the 10 metre pool in Carlton to help launch me into the deep. Tangerinemoss many thanks for bringing back to life happy memories.
 
Miss Tate for me at St Georges. Bloody task master, had to bail me out with the long hoop more than once.
I was a runner not a swimmer 😁
Taught myself breast stroke in Benidorm age 32, first time I took my girls abroad alone. Came naturally without all the pressure 🧐
 
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Limechase said:
That was Mrs Nichols , she taught me to swim mid 1960s, and I went on to swim for England (once😒)
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I was prob 67 ish, I could survive, but no more. Really learnt to swim at the end of University, waiting for our degrees, we went swimming every day.
 
Tangerinemoss said:
The 10m pool in farm buildings in Carleton, probably a housing estate now
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Same for me moss & Norbreck with school.
We bought a house off Arundel Drive around 1993 & when I went out exploring there was one older house that stood out amongst all the 70s builds.
At the back was that pool & lessons were still going on. I believe they stopped a few years later. Not sure if the pool's still there?
 
Either Cocker St or Derby. My older Brother and Sister were both very good swimmers.
My Sis, 6 years older than me would take me in, on her back and gradually introduce me into the water. I could swim before I was 5.
Used to go regularly to all three baths, Cocker, Derby & Lido. Also Open Air in summer.
 
Dave62 said:
Another for Purley Pool (went to Cocker St when Purley was unavailable so we could swim with the cockroaches), then the Lido at High school.
Took up swimming as a hobby in my mid 20's and found I was OK at it, but I couldn't keep up with the bloke from Limechase Close.

As for the o/p question about diving for plastic rings whilst wearing PJ's, I think that only applied to people taking swimming badges?
I might be wrong, but schools doing the basic syllabus probably just did the basics plus a bit of diving.
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Dave 62.. Do I know you?
 
Limechase said:
Dave 62.. Do I know you?
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Only by sight. I used to swim (slowly) about a mile and a half after work each day.
We briefly spoke at the Tranmere game but we hadn't seen each other for a while because I haven't been swimming for a long time.
 
My wife still can't swim. Never failed to amaze me that one how she went through her whole early life and somehow avoided swimming lessons of any description. Still won't go near a pool and says she is not interested.
 
Another one for the 10m pool in Carleton. Then Derby baths with school. Or maybe the other way round.

Still totally crap. Can’t do crawl (could never get the breathing right) and breast stroke is a sort of a slow, regal, head out of the water style. Ok at back stroke until my head hits the side of the pool, which can hurt.
 
FedoraExplorer said:
My wife still can't swim. Never failed to amaze me that one how she went through her whole early life and somehow avoided swimming lessons of any description. Still won't go near a pool and says she is not interested.
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FE, I've had two wives and neither of them could swim. It's very strange because I've always gone in the water wherever we've been.
 
Also at the Carleton pool and the Norbreck Castle pool. l remember getting Bobby Charlton and Dennis Laws autographs after a swimming lesson. Man Utd. must have been playing Blackpool.
I think the Carleton pool was owned by the Bradleys, who emigrated to Aussie.
 
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