Balliol Road Baths

[kevmc]

Jeff,
June died some years back.
Can get you further details if you wish.
Kev Mc.

[Jeff]

Jeff,
June died some years back.
Can get you further details if you wish.
Kev Mc.

Kev, thanks mate, very sad to hear aunty June has passed away, she was just a year younger than my mum. Would be grateful for more info please, especially where her grave is and date of death,etc. I found her Dads war grave in Bootle Cem awhile ago whilst doing the family tree, have visited it many times, I would be very grateful too for any details on aunty June's Mum Emma Yardley nee Blackwell. I seem to remember mum saying that aunty June never had kids, but not certain. kind regards Jeff

[daddyfixit]

i also learnt to swim there, in the little green pool! holy ghost school went every week and we would be scared in case miss barnes was taking us... she nearly drowned my mate by standing on his shoulders to make him duck his head underwater!!
i also watched it being demolished, and i have photos somewhere of a digger in the deep-end of the big pool, tunneling down to the 2 floors underneath it. it was sad looking in where the gable end wall with the windows was meant to be, they simply colapsed it downwards into the destroyed pool and then put tarmac on top of it.

[kevmc]

Ok Jeff,
Will be back in touch.
Kev.

[jim.g]

Hell's teeth, Harry! That takes me back...Mr Dyke was the (much feared by little boys - 'cos he shouted at you!) swimming instructor when, aged 8, I first dipped a nervous toe in that pool...

[rivermersey]

Come on daddyfixit you can't leave us in suspension...please put the demolition pictures of Balliol rd baths up !!

[kevmc]

Hello again Jeff,
Found out some further info.
June lived on Gorsey Lane with husband Billy.
Billy died some years ago and June eventually went into a nursing home
Balliol Lodge.Balliol Road.
The house was (for the use of a better word)stolen by the government to pay for her keep.Although she had worked most of her life.
She died sometime in may 2008 as my wife has a card from one of Billys relatives dated 22nd june 2008. The name on the card was Jean,but no surname etc.
June was cremated at Thornton Cemetery and her ashes buried in The Spring Section.Garden of Rememberance.
For more info,you could try Balliol Lodge or Thornton Crem.
Our involvement with June was because my mother in law worked with June in Balliol Road Baths for 30 years and our kids always refered to June as auntie June.
My wife Wendy used to visit her every week up until she died.
If i can help in any other way please get in touch.
Best regards,

Kev Mc.

[Jeff]

Hi Kev, many thanks for all the info mate. wish I knew more about aunty June's predicament at the time, I would of visited her , but my dad never really spoke much about his family, it was more my mum who told me things. It is nice to know your good wife Wendy was there for aunty June. Dad passed away too in 2008 my mum died 1991.
Aunty June had a brother and sister William b.1930 and Florence b.1933, pressume both have gone now, her mum was Emma Blackwell. Great uncle Bill Yardley b.1905 died in 1947 as a result of his WWII injuries, really that is all I know. My grandad Charles Yardley1902-1975 was Bills brother. He too was a man of few words but we did connect on a one to one basis when I visted him at Pinfold Close Sefton by myself as a small boy after playing footy at Buckley Hill playing fields. Sadly he died soon after and mum said I was too young at !!yrs to go his funeral.
Well , many thanks again for your time and help Kev, please send my best wishes to you wife Wendy
Cheers Jeff

[kevmc]

Will do Jeff.
Incidentally,i note that you live or lived in Keble Road.
Do you know Brian Russell,he used to live in No65.
Brian used to work for me,but has now retired.
Kev.

[Jeff]

Hi Kev, yes I know Mr.Russell, he moved awhile back, a few years after his wife passed away, his son Eric carried on living there but as all the odd numbered houses in Keble Rd are due for demolition , Eric too moved out last year. Jean his daughter lives at no.72 just 4 doors down from me. A real nice man Mr.Russell, very into his pigeons.
cheers Jeff

[beardedpapa]

First photos I've seen of the baths, I learned to swim there when I was going to Bootle Tech in the early 50's.

I could have sworn it was four times bigget than that, It certainly seemed so at the time.

I still remember the smell of chlorine and yes I did jump off the balcony but only once, I thought I was going to die.

beardedpapa

[tipster]

I was taught to swim by Billy Tidman, We lived opposite the baths, and one of the lodgers, was the boiler man in the baths (albert dick).