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Leesw
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Langley Swimming Baths
replied on: 12/21/2004 9:16:55 AM What I remember from the baths was the reckless "dares" we used to inflict on each other. One was being able to dive off the high wall into the shallow pool (many a bloody nose for a boy doing that for the first time) or diving off the rail from the back of the diving board. Both were instant "chucking out" offences from Mr Evans the guy in charge. But probably the scariest was having to swim under and round the steps at the shallow end of the big pool. I think the best I did was three times without comming up. There was a narrow gap where the steps abutted the pool wall you had to squeeze through. Probably couldn't even fit now! |
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Azzabuv
Quote | Reply | This message was updated on 12/21/2004 11:08:10 AM by Azzabuv |
Langley Swimming Baths
replied on: 12/21/2004 11:04:39 AM Hi, Leesw. Ah yes, those steps. I didn't care for it much, especially at the times when all manner and forms of dead or alive flotsam and jetsam congregated round and under them. You never knew what you were going to meet underneath there. Somehow, to me, that large pool always seemed cold and distant somehow. The other pool with the high diving board. Quite a few poor souls did their first dive/drop or belly flop off it unintentionally, helped by a bit of this, or an accidental bit of that. Good fun though. The panic stricken screams, howls and shrieks made it so. At least, it took your mind off where you were, for awhile. Azzabuv. 
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suzard
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Langley Swimming Baths
replied on: 12/21/2004 11:04:44 PM Mr Evans-the guy in charge! I had forgotten his name! We were always led to believe he was an ex policeman-was this true or just a rumour to make us afraid of misbehaving? He used to have a motorbike and sidecar-and he introduced"baskets"-instead of leaving your belongings on the murky wet changing room floor, you could put them in a wire basket-and have a numbered disk to pin on your cozzie!The height of modern technology! |
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Azzabuv
Quote | Reply | This message was updated on 12/22/2004 1:40:04 PM by Azzabuv |
Langley Swimming Baths
replied on: 12/22/2004 1:37:54 PM Hi, Suzard. Speaking for myself, i honestly never knew, nor never cared who ran what and when at the Devil's Dyke. All i was concerned about 90% of the time was getting out of there as quickly as possible. Do you remember the metal hooks which some of those 'cubicles' boasted. They were supposedly fixed securely to the wooden dividing 'wall', so that you could hang you're clothes on safely. They were, till some bright spark(s) had the idea of unscrewing some - hang your clothes on it and watched in high amusement as the weight of them stretched the chewing gum, stuck on the back, to its limits and hook and clothes descended to that dreaded seething floor of? The little wooden seat/bench at the back of the cubicle became the safest place for clothes shortly afterwards. Azzabuv. |
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suzard
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Langley Swimming Baths
replied on: 12/22/2004 2:12:37 PM I'd fopgotten the little wooden benches- like skirting board nailed to a frame-2inch gaps between the wood-the sleeves of your jumper always seemed to dangle between the latts onto THAT floor! I remember my first cozzie -mum made it-the top was all shirring elastic and the bottom was sort of Francis Drake style ! When I got into the water the bottom used to blow up like a barage balloon-no wonder I never had any trouble learning to float! it was however far superior to the hand knitted cozzie-usually favoured by the boys-when they got out of the water, the waistband remained in place but the rest stretched until the gusset was below the knees-they must have been really heavy when wet-no wonder Langley produced strong swimmers. |
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Azzabuv
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Langley Swimming Baths
replied on: 12/22/2004 7:50:51 PM Well, there's one comforting thing about that swimming costume of your's then, Suzard, you obviously couldn't be dragged under by whatever. No sweat. As for those lad's outfits.... are you sure something black and squeaky hadn't hitched a lift un-noticed by them? As for mine. The nature of the narrow elastic top, must have been designed by someone called De Sade. It was alright for a short while when wet, then suddenly it just abruptly contracted. If it had been excessively sharp, i could have swum in two directions at once. I never did find out what caused that to happen. Weird. But when in the Devil's Dyke -just 'enjoy' - don't ask. Azzabuv. |
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richyg
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Langley Swimming Baths
replied on: 12/28/2004 9:40:49 PM I have enjoyed reading your memories of Langley Baths ... I had no idea of their existance ! I went to Langley infants from the late 60s, and had the relative luxury of Heanor Baths when it came to learning to swim. Could someone describe exactly where the baths were, and if anything is left of them ? |
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RMMee
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Langley Swimming Baths
replied on: 12/28/2004 11:23:48 PM If you go to the top of Aldreds Lane, where you turn left onto Laceyfields or right onto Hands Road, you go straight ahead. There was a track that went up and bent slightly to the left before you reached the pool, which had previously been a fresh water reservoir for part of the town. There's nothing left of them now. You only just missed them though! |
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suzard
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Langley Swimming Baths
replied on: 12/28/2004 11:29:38 PM The baths were at the junction of Laceyfields Rd and Aldreads Lane -opposite the site where Langley Pit used to be. I believe nothing remains of the baths now-a housing estate has been built on the site. Wonder if they called any of the roads "Devils Dyke"??? On a mound -overlooking the baths was a large house where the baths attendant lived-but I think that has gone too |
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RMMee
Moderator Quote | Reply | This message was updated on 1/1/2005 8:17:51 AM by RMMee |
Langley Swimming Baths
replied on: 1/1/2005 8:09:00 AM I notice that the Society's new book has a photo taken at Langley Swimming Baths. Not a lot to see, just a few kids swimming, but I'm sure it will bring back memories to the contributors of this page!!!!! For details of the book, see the web page. Can I repeat a question I posed some time ago - does anyone know for certain when the pool closed down? I'm sure there was a sizeable gap between Langley Baths closing and Heanor Baths opening. |
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suzard
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Langley Swimming Baths
replied on: 1/1/2005 4:51:49 PM If I'm on the pics I'll be noticed-with my "inflatable" cozzie and-I haven't revealed this to you yet!!!!!!!-my rubber swimming cap festooned with frills of Nottingham lace and pretty coloured rubber daisies! There weren't many of those about at that time!!!! I can't pin down as to when the baths closed-I think they were open throughout the sixties-because only girls had to wear rubber swimcaps-until long hair became fashionable for boys(60's) and then they had to wear caps too-but not like mine!!!I moved to South Wales in 70's(until late 80's) and seem to think it was during my stay there that the baths closed-I remember visiting my home area-and every time i came another part of my roots seemed to have been demolished or changed. |
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Azzabuv
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Langley Swimming Baths
replied on: 1/2/2005 9:42:42 PM You've convinced me i MUST have that new Society book now at all costs. As for that Devil's Dyke closing, yes, i believe it was in the -70s sometime. It's only a matter of digging............... Azzabuv. |
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RMMee
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Langley Swimming Baths
replied on: 2/22/2005 11:17:07 PM I'm sure you'll all be delighted to learn that I've just acquired a set of full-colour photos of the baths - I'll scan them in soon. For a fee I'll post them on here!!!! For an even bigger fee, I won't!!!!!!!!! |
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Azzabuv
Quote | Reply | This message was updated on 3/23/2005 12:15:31 PM by Azzabuv |
Langley Swimming Baths
replied on: 3/23/2005 12:14:23 PM There are a couple of photographs of this Langley Delight in the Society's latest publication -'Heanor then and now - 1900-2004'. It's quite obvious the 'happy' participants photographed, had no-doubt been given a very happy choice - "FORCE some kind of a reasonable smile and you'll all have a months GRACE from the 'Baths". Happy, happy days............... Azzabuv.
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suzard
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Langley Swimming Baths
replied on: 5/16/2005 4:47:13 PM On www.picturethepast there are photographs of Langley Baths-the "diving board" and also one before it became the baths! |
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