Memories of pupils’ weekly trip to the baths

Dr Ian Dungavell, director of The Victorian Society, describes the Manningham swimming pool in Bradford as “the most important of its time in the country” (Yorkshire Post, April 9).

In the early 1950s, when my teaching career was beginning at Daisy Hill Primary School, Bradford, it was known as Drummond Road bath. I taught Standard 4a – dare I mention it – the scholarship class of 11-year-olds.

On a Wednesday, midway through the afternoon, we used to walk in procession half a mile to Duckworth Lane trolley bus terminus, and scramble onto the top deck of a bus. I would have a travel warrant for, say, 40 youngsters.

We rode about a mile to Carlisle Road and walked on to the bath.

Here, a swimming instructor took over, while I, a non-swimmer, (whose wife has been awarded life-saving certificate in her high school days), stood by with my whistle in case of emergency.

After the lesson, the children, with wet costumes and towels, were allowed to make their own way home.

I remember one unauthorised end to the swimming day. At the end of Carlisle Road there was then an iron foundry. We had been learning in science lessons about the Sheffield iron and steel industry.

I took a group of interested lads into the foundry, where we stood and watched glowing molten iron being poured into moulds. No health and safety regulations then.

Will any former pupils, now in their early 70s, remember those trips to the now renowned swimming pool?