Stirchley Baths – do you have a tale to tell?
![IMG_2143[1]](http://www.birminghamconservationtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/IMG_21431.jpg)
Birmingham Conservation Trust are working with Birmingham City Council – Selly Oak District – on their stage 2 funding application to the Heritage Lottery Fund to bring the former Stirchley Baths back into use as a Community Hub. More about this project can be found at www.stirchleybaths.org
We are writing the Activity Plan – which covers all the activity that the HLF will fund which is not capital works to the building (so anything that involves people!). Over the next 2 months we will be running a series of events, workshops and opportunities for local residents to help shape these plans, but we are also keen to hear from any of you who live outside the area if you would like to share your memories of using Stirchley Baths before its closure in 1988. We’d love to hear from you, so please respond to this post, or come along to one of our events in March!
I attended stirchley school, late ’50’s and learned to swim in Stirchley baths. Loved it so much we, as a group of friends, always went swimming for pleasure on Saturday mornings all through the 1960’s, and any evening we could in summer. Those changing rooms were a laugh, boys peeping under or over the doors… We always came out of the pool dressed hurriedly and went up Bournville Lane to he chip shop and get a 6 of chips (6 old pence)!! Or some potato scallops. Then walked home well satisfied….
I drove past there last Friday, having not been that way for many years, and was shocked at the state of the lovely old building.
Great memories! Good news is that work on the building’s restoration starts very soon indeed! follow http://www.stirchleybaths.org for up to date information.
the summer of 1976or 1977 i think,, it was that busy at the baths they had to have what they call sessions were you had to wait for an hour to get in ,, to many people wanting to cool off in the heat use to use it regular as a kid but im sure they put to much cloreen in the water as when you came out into the fresh air your eye,s would sting even more so if you had chips from the chipy just by the library i think it was the vinegar… anyway great memories
Hi Mart. Great to hear from you. I’m so pleased the Baths have got their funding. I wonder whether being back in the building (with no pool) will trigger even more memories. Best wishes Suzanne
lots of memories of stirchley baths can remember first time I saw the pool year would be approx. 1970,
I went to Primary school in Stirchley during the ’60s, a crocodile of us wending our way on foot every Friday for swimming lessons at the baths. I have stories. We are running our own HLF project in Digbeth/Highgate ATM, oral history-inspired (see url) – we should talk!
Hi Lee
Thanks for getting in touch.
Would you mind if one of our volunteers, Jane (photo-journalist), got in touch and arranged to meet you? She has been asked to gather people’s stories and thoughts about Stirchley Baths. If so please drop me an email suzannecarterBCT@gmail.com or contact Jane – details are on her website: http://www.jane-baker.com. Best wishes – love the idea of a crocodile of children…
I think I still have my free swim passes from childhood. I learnt to swim there in the long hot summer of 1976. And did my Duke of Edinburgh Award sports bit in the gym there. Awesome old pool.
Hi Fiona
Would love to see swim pass if you are able to find it – can you scan it and email? cheers, Suzanne
Hi Fiona,
I’m working with BCT and Suzanne to gather people’s stories and thoughts about Stirchley Baths. Would you be willing for me to get in touch with you? I can’t see your email address so if you’d like to get in touch with me that would be wonderful.
My contact details are on my website: http://www.jane-baker.com – thanks, Jane
I used to go to Stirchley baths every Saturday with my cousins and my uncle. He taught us all how to swim there. That would of been about 73-76. Fond memories. I also went with Stirchley school, remember being forced to dive for a house brick and being so chuffed when I’d done it. Often drive past and think of the happy times I spent in there.
Maxine Shanahan (was Madeley)
Thank you for posting Maxine. Can you remember anything about the smell, sounds, heat or anything like that too?
Hi Maxine,
As you may have seen on the Birmingham Conservation Trust website, I’m working with them to gather people’s stories and thoughts about Stirchley Baths. I loved reading your reply to their blog! Would you be happy for me to get in touch to find out more? If so please drop me an email/call. My contact details are on my website: http://www.jane-baker.com
Many thanks, Jane