A factory window, double decker, and school boy giggles!


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We used to have school swimming lessons at the Sneinton Baths and the double decker bus from Clifton took us down London Road. When we got to junction at the bottom the bus turned right (was it onto Lower Parliament Street?), and on the right hand side there was a factory that had topless/nude pictures pinned up over all the walls inside on the first floor.

As school boys from Fairham Comp we all used to clamber to that side of the bus upstairs and make an unruly noise and giggle as we got a few seconds to glimpse the half naked ladies as the bus went by. Occasionally the bus would have to wait at just the right spot to give us an extended viewing! It was the highlight of the journey provided we had a teacher with us who wasn't so strict as to tell us not to look!

This was my first glimpse of such pictures and suppose that's why its stuck in my mind, does anyone else remember?

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Welcome btb11.

Reading your post was almost spooky, because I could have written it about myself. I also went on the buses from Fairham - and Greencroft Juniors - to the swimming baths. And I think the ones you are referring to were Victoria Baths, next to Sneinton Market.

I remember going there, but until today I had never thought about those pictures on the wall which everyone wanted to look at.

It ain't brilliant, but this is the best photo I can find so far of the building in question, and the wall where the photos were

pics.jpg

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hi btb11, I went to fairham school in 62-63-left in 64, i remember going on the bus to go swimming i went to victoria baths and also the baths in the meadows was it called portland baths? , i did not see any nude pictures, but when i left school i made up for it.

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Thank you for the welcome.

Victoria Baths, yes that's them in Sneinton by the old market, though sometimes we went to the baths down the Meadows, what were they known as?. And I think you are right, swimming lessons began at juniors, I went from Milford and can now picture the buses lined up outside there too.

I'm glad someone else remembers (though wonder if I should worry that I didn't need reminding!), and how brilliant to see that photo, the junction has completely changed now, as we can see back then the bus went close to the building in both directions.

By the way, it's good to have found this site, and amongst other things been interested in looking at the old maps - though just goes to show how quickly we adapt as I was looking for the 'orange man' to drag across so I could have a look at the street view! Now if you could just manage to sort that out you'll really be onto something.

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I went to Noel Street Baths once in the 60s

I remember the metal bar around the pool being rusty.

Certainly not as clean as Portland Baths that we used from Trent Bridge school.

From where you would walk back to school on a winters day, tingling and warm and

smelling of bleach.

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Portland Baths still there, what a surprise, the road out front has changed a bit though! You're right about the smell of bleach, what with all us mucky kids using them, the chlorine levels they must have had then would see them closed down now.

I remember the hair drying machine too, me and my brother used to go down to the Portland Baths in the school holidays, and always had a penny for the hair dryer.

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Super little video of Noel Street Baths: 'Noel Street Baths is a portrait of a faded Nottingham beauty' . . .

Memories of being 'dunked' as a child by my 'friends'? and being put off swimming for some time.

Memories of School Swimming Galas and the Baths being packed with chairs and at regular intervals packed with cheers!

Memories of my son (aged 2) being taught to swim and being watched by me,holding his sister (aged 6 months), from up in the Gallery.

I love Swimming Baths: the vastness, the stretch of water, the pungent bleach smell, the light hitting through the windows. the Splash!

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Portland still operates as a swimming baths/leisure centre though it's future is under discussion due to proposed council cuts I understand.

Every Robin Hood Marathon/Half Marathon I've run, I've used it as a really useful facility to change in and stay warm with a cup of tea before nipping down the road to the embankment for the gun at the big event.

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Great memories of noel Street baths. in the early to mid 70s i swam for Falcon swimming club. trained at Radford baths, Noel street, beechdale and hucknall. Also remember across the road from Noel Street was a 'baby pool' where the infant members of the club first learned to swim. When i used to go to Hucknall baths for recreation rather than training, we used to pay 10p and have a hot bath afterwards. no idea why, but they were huge baths and the water was red hot. Best bit was the chicken soup out of the machine afterwards as we walked up baths lane Hucknall with wet hair.

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Portland Baths Muskham street, can anyone remember the washhouse tagged on the end of the building, entrance on Bunbury street, large boilers towards the back of the building and some old boilers gossiping outside whilst waiting for their washing

Rog

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I do indeed Rog.

But it was not attached to the Baths AFAIR there were houses between it and the baths,

It was on the corner of Bunbury Street. A scary place with big steam heated drying racks.

And even scarier women, with their hair covered by tubans. My mates mum was one of them.

Mrs Pat Dawkins. Who was always very good to me, and like a mum to me as well..

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I used to visit a friend as a kid, down the Meadows, and we'd walk past Portland Baths, and remember the smell of washing being done. I also remember for a few pennies you could have a bath there. I don't remember either facilities being at Nole 'ole though.

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Just spotted the pics above my post and I see that Noel Street did have the facilities, but I can never remember seeing them.

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We used to go to Noel 'ole with our school, St Teresa's in Aspley 1960/61, vividly remember the 'floats' that non-swimmers clung to like grim death!! (I was one of 'em)

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