This video has brought back so many memories. My family used to live in A.U.L in the 1960s. I used to swim in this pool. Thank you for this video recording.
Hi Vanessa, ignore the detractors. I was born about 500 yards from the baths in a two up two down, with one coldwater tap, tin bath and outside tippler toilet. Not shown in your vid is the baths upstairs where we would be taken occasionally for a bath for a treat. What a wonder it was, turn a tap and unlimited hot water, no waiting for the pans to boil on the range and gastove to fill the tin bath and no dragging it across the kitchen floor to the kitchen door to tip it out into the yard. Then again, as a kid, there was now't better than a bath in the tin tub in front of a roaring fire. Also not shown is the laundry, the enterance was at the back of the baths, at the side of the boilerhouse, at the side of the coal shute. No home washing machines then unless you were posh. From memory, there were giant, to me as a child, industrial washing machines and driers where mum would take the weeks washing in the bassinet, an old pram, I can still see in my minds eye all the women gossiping and helping each other to fold sheets etc on the wooden tables, the smell of OMO and Lanry pervading the air. The ' gang ' ( school pals and neighbours ) used to all go to the baths on Saturday morning, then across the road to Burrills ? Cafe for a hot pot, with that thick piece of crust and tasty gravy, that's if we had enough money, anyone who was skint wasn't left out, we all shared out whatever we had. Then a walk to Ashton market for a penny Hovis, a packet of broken Smiths crisps, lots of bits and pieces, possibly sweepings, but you got far more than a proper bag, then into the Market Hall for a steaming cup of hot Vimto, hot Bovril, hot OXO or Horehound, at the stall where they had bar type stools, but I can't remember the name, again, anyone who was skint wasn't left out, we all shared whatever we had, be it food, drink or germs. Keep up the good work, Ashton is changing so quickly, that any and every item of our by-gone days, or modern days, recorded for future generations, is wealth that can't be replaced when lost.
Thank you so much for making this video. I spent many many hours trying to swim in that place in the 1960s and 1970s. My dad first took me there when I was about 3 years old in the 1950s, and the last time was in about 1973 when I was in the 6th form of Audenshaw Grammar School - me and a classmate used to go there for our mandatory PE lesson on the way home once a week. The water was always too hot and full of chemicals. The far end where the no running sign is located was next to the toilets, which by 1973 were always blocked and overflowing out into the deep end! It was well past it's best by then and must have been extremely expensive to run. I went in the boiler house once - it was infested with cockroaches.
It's been a long, long, time since I swam in this pool. Sorry to see it has fallen into such disrepair. Glad to know though that you guys back in England are going to restore the building and make it into something nice. I believe it deserves it. In spite of it being a bit 'Satanic Millish', it is still a fine example of Victorian style architecture. The roof alone from the inside is very interesting. Well done lads, keep up the good work!
I grew up in this area in late 50s and used to go with the washing with my mum. I also went swimming and having a bath there. My nanna had a shop on Portland Street and I used to go to a Tobbaconist shop in Chester Square for cigarettes and Tobaco for the shop even though I was probably only 10 years old (how times have changed). Stamford Street was fantastic, with all the different shops, Timothy Whites was on the corner, I got my Scholls sandals from there, there was Hat shop, fancy goods, a pet shop, a piano shop, jewellers, Shipleys Caravans, such an assortment.We used to take chairs and watch the Whit Walks come down Stamford Street and the sound of the Bands playing gradually getting louder. Such happy memories. Thanks for your video it was fantastic. Did you go to Mossley Road girls school, I recognise the name.
@@CrowhillCrazy Were you a nurse, because when I was in the process of giving birth to my son I'm sure I saw you, I remember seeing you and saying with surprise "Oh Vanessa Dixon".
I visited the interior of this building in the early 90's (didn't have to wear a hard hat, and no scaffolding inside back then). I have a VHS video of the experience somewhere packed away in storage, including the footage of the baths upstairs that Joseph Goodman talked about, plus photos. It was one of the most amazing experiences I have to say. I hope those old boilers were kept too? Didn't see them in this video. Walking up those stairs in the main pool area and looking across the length of the pool was a memorable experience to say the least! Tameside Council were so helpful back then (thank you TMBC!). I have old architectural drawings and other interesting stuff that I copied from the Ashton-u-Lyne council offices at that time. I must try to find it all, although I am sure THAT treasure can still be found sat in an old filing cabinet for many more years to come. The problem sadly, one could argue, is that this building is Grade II* listed, which means not much could be done in terms of altering it's structure internally and externally. A shame because I've read various comments from people who have slagged-off the interior wooden cabin design who probably have no idea of what Grade II* listed means! The rules are very clear...*I found that out a long time ago, for richer for poorer in sickness and in health.* Thankfully the building did get a new lease of life! Thanks for sharing Vanessa, if I find my videos and photos, I will upload.....
It would be great to see your video and photos, there were areas we couldn't go in because of safety, for instance the upstairs of the baths area was a no go because a leaking roof had rotted the floors, though I did get to get up there when renovations were underway but nothing remained of the baths. The boilers had long gone but they did find 5 cellar rooms they didn't know about. I love what they have done to the building at least now you can get up and see in detail the wonderful roof structure in the swimming pool area and all the old signs have been kept on the brickwork. Please try very hard to find your videos and photos, I know a lot of people would love to see them.
My grand Mother Annie Dean used to take loads of children to the baths to teach them to swim. I remember the hot water showers at the shallow end. Then we would walk home to Pickford Lane in Dukinfield after going for chips and beans at the chippy round the corner from the baths. Our walk back was always via the canal.
That name rings a bell....did he have a small neat white mustache? Reminded you of Mr Pastry? I obtained my 25 yard certificate there!....I did the backstroke if I remember.
I taught myself to swim here. I always remember the showers were rubbish! Upstairs the cubicles were better and cost a bit more.. the deep end wasn't really deep. The attendant " jimmy" with his white jacket was always making sure us kids obeyed the rules, ie no larking about! Me and my mates once smuggled an airbed in, which lasted about one minute before Jimmy pounced an threw us out. I remember the smell of the water on the pool, it was quite pungent. School swimming lessons were highly controlled affairs , with no messing about. There were two entrances, one for boys another for girls, which led into just school changing rooms and not for normal changing. I remember going for a swim with my family and distinctly remember my dad having a smoke near the steps at the deep end! I was saddened when the baths closed, it was the end of a part of my formative years. Happy memories.
@@CrowhillCrazy agreed vanessa, I remember it being warm when I walked in to get changed, after that it cold In the water and even colder when you got out. I seem to remember someone saying there was once a springboard, never saw it myself, it had gone before my time. I am surprised they ever had one as the deep end didn't seem deep enough!
Thank's Vanessa. It's not the building is it? It's about the memories of all the people who spent time there. I wore a cossie that was shirred elastic and when in the pool my friend would pop the bubbles. It was always cold but somehow we coped, my brother Jack had lost his leg in a trolley bus accident and he would be on the balcony and dive into the deep end. I remember walking through a shallow pool on the way in (probably to wash our feet). The upper level cost more because there were little cabins. I learned to swim and dive there and later took my own children and said to them when they complained about the cold I would say "It's all in the mind". It's a very strong memory as an Ashton Girl.
When the building reopened after the renovation I was interviewed by the local radio, I told them that it was a building of memories, if you mention Ashton Old Baths people will always have memories of it as a swimming pool, new ones being made now but the old ones will always be there and treasured.
***** It is a beautiful building architecturally, but it has been stood like this for many many years, and as such it's become an eyesore which isn't good, especially for those who are visiting the town for the first time. The fact that this building has been left to deteriorate is another example of the lack of investment in Ashton-under-Lyne and why the town is dead on it's feet.
Nathan Hulme It's being renovated, work starts in October. It'll be used for business use with an high speed broadband connection, the rents will generate income to maintain the building, part of it will be for community use. The outside is to be cleaned up and repaired, it is now owned by Placefirst, look at their website. The Tameside Hippodrome will reopen next year too.
Vanessa Dixon Thank you for the updates Vanessa and let's hope that Ashton starts to see more businesses investing in the town now that you have the Metrolink.
This video has brought back so many memories. My family used to live in A.U.L in the 1960s. I used to swim in this pool. Thank you for this video recording.
Hi Vanessa, ignore the detractors. I was born about 500 yards from the baths in a two up two down, with one coldwater tap, tin bath and outside tippler toilet.
Not shown in your vid is the baths upstairs where we would be taken occasionally for a bath for a treat. What a wonder it was, turn a tap and unlimited hot water, no waiting for the pans to boil on the range and gastove to fill the tin bath and no dragging it across the kitchen floor to the kitchen door to tip it out into the yard.
Then again, as a kid, there was now't better than a bath in the tin tub in front of a roaring fire.
Also not shown is the laundry, the enterance was at the back of the baths, at the side of the boilerhouse, at the side of the coal shute. No home washing machines then unless you were posh. From memory, there were giant, to me as a child, industrial washing machines and driers where mum would take the weeks washing in the bassinet, an old pram, I can still see in my minds eye all the women gossiping and helping each other to fold sheets etc on the wooden tables, the smell of OMO and Lanry pervading the air.
The ' gang ' ( school pals and neighbours ) used to all go to the baths on Saturday morning, then across the road to Burrills ? Cafe for a hot pot, with that thick piece of crust and tasty gravy, that's if we had enough money, anyone who was skint wasn't left out, we all shared out whatever we had.
Then a walk to Ashton market for a penny Hovis, a packet of broken Smiths crisps, lots of bits and pieces, possibly sweepings, but you got far more than a proper bag, then into the Market Hall for a steaming cup of hot Vimto, hot Bovril, hot OXO or Horehound, at the stall where they had bar type stools, but I can't remember the name, again, anyone who was skint wasn't left out, we all shared whatever we had, be it food, drink or germs.
Keep up the good work, Ashton is changing so quickly, that any and every item of our by-gone days, or modern days, recorded for future generations, is wealth that can't be replaced when lost.
Thank you so much for making this video. I spent many many hours trying to swim in that place in the 1960s and 1970s. My dad first took me there when I was about 3 years old in the 1950s, and the last time was in about 1973 when I was in the 6th form of Audenshaw Grammar School - me and a classmate used to go there for our mandatory PE lesson on the way home once a week. The water was always too hot and full of chemicals. The far end where the no running sign is located was next to the toilets, which by 1973 were always blocked and overflowing out into the deep end! It was well past it's best by then and must have been extremely expensive to run. I went in the boiler house once - it was infested with cockroaches.
It's been a long, long, time since I swam in this pool. Sorry to see it has fallen into such disrepair. Glad to know though that you guys back in England are going to restore the building and make it into something nice. I believe it deserves it. In spite of it being a bit 'Satanic Millish', it is still a fine example of Victorian style architecture. The roof alone from the inside is very interesting. Well done lads, keep up the good work!
It's all been renovated now
I grew up in this area in late 50s and used to go with the washing with my mum. I also went swimming and having a bath there. My nanna had a shop on Portland Street and I used to go to a Tobbaconist shop in Chester Square for cigarettes and Tobaco for the shop even though I was probably only 10 years old (how times have changed). Stamford Street was fantastic, with all the different shops, Timothy Whites was on the corner, I got my Scholls sandals from there, there was Hat shop, fancy goods, a pet shop, a piano shop, jewellers, Shipleys Caravans, such an assortment.We used to take chairs and watch the Whit Walks come down Stamford Street and the sound of the Bands playing gradually getting louder. Such happy memories. Thanks for your video it was fantastic. Did you go to Mossley Road girls school, I recognise the name.
Yes I did, from 1966 then my last year was at Stamford.
@@CrowhillCrazy Were you a nurse, because when I was in the process of giving birth to my son I'm sure I saw you, I remember seeing you and saying with surprise "Oh Vanessa Dixon".
@@annepayne9134 yes, I was a midwife 1975 to 1978
I visited the interior of this building in the early 90's (didn't have to wear a hard hat, and no scaffolding inside back then). I have a VHS video of the experience somewhere packed away in storage, including the footage of the baths upstairs that Joseph Goodman talked about, plus photos. It was one of the most amazing experiences I have to say.
I hope those old boilers were kept too? Didn't see them in this video. Walking up those stairs in the main pool area and looking across the length of the pool was a memorable experience to say the least! Tameside Council were so helpful back then (thank you TMBC!).
I have old architectural drawings and other interesting stuff that I copied from the Ashton-u-Lyne council offices at that time. I must try to find it all, although I am sure THAT treasure can still be found sat in an old filing cabinet for many more years to come.
The problem sadly, one could argue, is that this building is Grade II* listed, which means not much could be done in terms of altering it's structure internally and externally. A shame because I've read various comments from people who have slagged-off the interior wooden cabin design who probably have no idea of what Grade II* listed means! The rules are very clear...*I found that out a long time ago, for richer for poorer in sickness and in health.*
Thankfully the building did get a new lease of life! Thanks for sharing Vanessa, if I find my videos and photos, I will upload.....
It would be great to see your video and photos, there were areas we couldn't go in because of safety, for instance the upstairs of the baths area was a no go because a leaking roof had rotted the floors, though I did get to get up there when renovations were underway but nothing remained of the baths. The boilers had long gone but they did find 5 cellar rooms they didn't know about. I love what they have done to the building at least now you can get up and see in detail the wonderful roof structure in the swimming pool area and all the old signs have been kept on the brickwork. Please try very hard to find your videos and photos, I know a lot of people would love to see them.
My grand Mother Annie Dean used to take loads of children to the baths to teach them to swim. I remember the hot water showers at the shallow end. Then we would walk home to Pickford Lane in Dukinfield after going for chips and beans at the chippy round the corner from the baths. Our walk back was always via the canal.
I forgot to add in my previous post that there must be many hundreds or more oldies from the Ashton area who were taught to swim by Mr Lowe ?
That name rings a bell....did he have a small neat white mustache? Reminded you of Mr Pastry?
I obtained my 25 yard certificate there!....I did the backstroke if I remember.
The building is being renovated for small business and community use. This film was to document the interior before work starts.
I taught myself to swim here. I always remember the showers were rubbish! Upstairs the cubicles were better and cost a bit more.. the deep end wasn't really deep. The attendant " jimmy" with his white jacket was always making sure us kids obeyed the rules, ie no larking about! Me and my mates once smuggled an airbed in, which lasted about one minute before Jimmy pounced an threw us out. I remember the smell of the water on the pool, it was quite pungent. School swimming lessons were highly controlled affairs , with no messing about. There were two entrances, one for boys another for girls, which led into just school changing rooms and not for normal changing. I remember going for a swim with my family and distinctly remember my dad having a smoke near the steps at the deep end! I was saddened when the baths closed, it was the end of a part of my formative years. Happy memories.
I have the same memories, plus it was freezing in there too.
@@CrowhillCrazy agreed vanessa, I remember it being warm when I walked in to get changed, after that it cold In the water and even colder when you got out. I seem to remember someone saying there was once a springboard, never saw it myself, it had gone before my time. I am surprised they ever had one as the deep end didn't seem deep enough!
Thank's Vanessa. It's not the building is it? It's about the memories of all the people who spent time there. I wore a cossie that was shirred elastic and when in the pool my friend would pop the bubbles. It was always cold but somehow we coped, my brother Jack had lost his leg in a trolley bus accident and he would be on the balcony and dive into the deep end. I remember walking through a shallow pool on the way in (probably to wash our feet). The upper level cost more because there were little cabins. I learned to swim and dive there and later took my own children and said to them when they complained about the cold I would say "It's all in the mind". It's a very strong memory as an Ashton Girl.
When the building reopened after the renovation I was interviewed by the local radio, I told them that it was a building of memories, if you mention Ashton Old Baths people will always have memories of it as a swimming pool, new ones being made now but the old ones will always be there and treasured.
I hope it has the same success as Victoria Baths in Manchester for event use.
These baths have now been fully re developed into offices now I believe.
Yes, they have, see my other videos showing the redevelopment.
I was Anne Belfield.
This area around the baths is where all the prostitutes used to ply their trade, back in the day.
Yet another crumbling building in this small grotty market town. :-(
***** It is a beautiful building architecturally, but it has been stood like this for many many years, and as such it's become an eyesore which isn't good, especially for those who are visiting the town for the first time. The fact that this building has been left to deteriorate is another example of the lack of investment in Ashton-under-Lyne and why the town is dead on it's feet.
Nathan Hulme It's being renovated, work starts in October. It'll be used for business use with an high speed broadband connection, the rents will generate income to maintain the building, part of it will be for community use. The outside is to be cleaned up and repaired, it is now owned by Placefirst, look at their website. The Tameside Hippodrome will reopen next year too.
Vanessa Dixon Thank you for the updates Vanessa and let's hope that Ashton starts to see more businesses investing in the town now that you have the Metrolink.