Learning to swim in Worcester: where did you take the plunge?

This week, we’ve dug out a few images of places where local people either learnt to swim, or simply enjoyed dipping their toes!

The first corporation swimming baths for the city were based down on the river at the south end of Pitchcroft in two old barges, as recalled by Max Sinclair in a conversation a few years ago: “They were two of the old Severn Trows that had been opened up and demasted, and placed side by side and joined together to make a floating trough, with holes at each end so the river flowed in and flowed out. But you were safe inside the barge.”

Swimming at The Slip in the 1970s

Max also recalled how many people would learn to swim in the river at The Slip, Northwick, though it wasn’t without its dangers; in fact at the age of five he almost drowned when he wandered out a bit too far.

“We used to go for family picnics in the field there and take the blankets and Thermos flasks. Father was keen on swimming and we all went down in the water to play and he told us, stay on the shallow water.

“Well, of course, I had to experiment and walk out a bit further.” Luckily he lived to tell the tale!”

Pictures: Having a splashing time at Lower Wick pool

Several people have recalled paddling in Barbourne Brook, where it ran through Gheluvelt Park up until around 1960.

Sadly at this time, an outbreak of polio was linked to the brook water and from that time it was fenced off, much to the disappointment of local children.

It would be a while before the large paddling pool was installed in the park, which in turn was replaced by today’s splashpad.

Park’s Puddle as it was affectionately known (shown here in 1951), was opened in 1853 by F T Barber as an open air pool

Another popular place to splash about was the swimming pool commonly know as ‘Park’s Puddle’ originally built in the late 19th century as a Turkish baths, with an open air pool.

This was to be replaced in the 1970s by Sansome Walk Swimming Baths and the site of the open air pool was preserved as a feature in the landscaping of the ‘new’ baths, as a distinctive sunken garden.

Now of course, the Sansome Walk site itself awaits redevelopment after a new pool was opened at Perdiswell.

Those living on the west side of the city may well have learned to swim at the Lower Wick Swimming Baths in Weir Lane – opened in 1974 thanks to the sterling efforts of the Worcester Citizens Swimming Bath Association and a generous donation of land by John Bennett, with the pool ingeniously heated by methane gas from the dairy farmer’s herd of cows!

Worcester Life Stories is a collaborative project bringing local people together through shared stories of the City of Worcester. It is co-led by Dr Natasha Lord, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust and Sheena Payne-Lunn, Worcester City Council and funded thanks to National Lottery players.

For further information or to share your stories visit worcesterlifestories.org.uk, our Facebook page or Twitter @worlifestories.

You can also email worcesterlifestories@gmail.com or call 01905 721133. You can also share your memories on the We grew up in Worcester page on Facebook.