Memories of Pont Baths

As soon as School was out for the summer and we had 6 weeks of freedom, most of my days were spent at Pont Baths with my friends; these were some of the happiest times of my youth. Mr. Musselwhite ran it like a dictator, enforcing very strict rules to keep people safe. There were a group of us and we all good swimmers and we thought we were the cool guys When we got up to go into the pool we would wait for Mr. Musselwhite to disappear and then all 5 of us would run down to side of the pool and do very flashy dives with arms outstretched and make humongous splashes. Of course all this was against the rules and sometimes we got caught and chucked out, but we would be back the next day, rain or shine. It was still fun in the rain; even though the Baths would be fairly empty, we would shelter in the corridor and just hang out with the girls.

I remeber if Mr. M. spotted an infringement, his whistle would blow and it would immediately go very quiet, he would point at the offender and simply say You Out! and that was it no second chances, the lifeguards would escort them to the changing rooms and the noise would start all over again. He was tough but fair and everybody respected him. One of the duties of the lifeguards was to staff the locker room; this would mean taking money and handing out crates for people as they arrived. These crates would be what they put all their clothes and stuff into, they were numbered and handed back in. When you wanted to leave you would go up to the window and shout out your number and the crate would be fetched by one for the lifeguards. There were no locks or anything everything was based on trust and very rarely was anything lost or stolen as normally it was extremely rare for anybody to take anything worth stealing with them. We didn t have cell phones, iPods or even Walkmans in those days. Sometimes people would forget their numbers and would be escorted through the crate rooms looking for the crate by recognizing their clothes and this could take some time as there usually a lot of crates. My summers at the Baths left me fit and tanned deep brown; when I first started going there it was only threepence to get in which was a fair portion of your pocket money. It was great when I could afford a Season ticket, I thought I was the bees knees. When it was sunny and then it rained the smell of the rain on the warm tarmac which bordered the grassy area was great, and whenever I smell that today, it immediately takes me back to those Glory Days of being 16.

I remember the thrill of diving off "top board". When people climbed to the top and walked out, the whistle would blow and people would have to clear the area under the boards. Of course this was an opportunity to show off because everybody would be looking. As not many people used the top board as it was scary as you looked down from up there.It felt good being one of the "brave guys" and I felt like a King of my own little world.

On the way back from the Baths my friends and I would always call into the shop on the corner of Llanarth Road, can't remember the name now, to get a Jubbly which I loved, this was an orange flavored drink in a strange pyramid like shape which was frozen. You would tear off the top and suck all of the orange out until there was only ice left. It would normally last all the way home.

I remember getting my first kiss at the Baths; it was certainly an important part of my youth as I grew up in the late 60 s and early 70 s. For me the smell of chlorine in the changing rooms, and rain on warm tarmac will bring back those wonderful long summer days.

Colin Watkins, Rochester Hills, Michigan, USA

"What a great web-site! So lovely to see pictures of my late dear sister Carol Humphrey (nee TRACE) in the life saving team! I loved Pont Baths as a kid, we lived opposite in Cwmalise Crescent so Mam could call us home for tea from the garden and we'd hear her! Heard from my cousins - the Shaw family about the reunion - our Carol would have loved that!"

Catherine Steed (nee TRACE), Glasgow

"Hi Paula, I work in Barclays Bank in Blackwood and someone from our business team left a booklet laying around with local ads and numbers in it. Low and behold there was an article about the baths with the email address. I was mesmerised as i read it because it took me back to my childhood, when we lived in Woodfieldside, in the late 60's through 70's. My mother and i would walk down the old tram road, past the chicken factory, and the excitement would well up in the pit of my stomach every time we did this trip. In the distance peoples shrills and squeels of delight could be heard. My mother would carry a tesco carrier bag laden with tomato sandwiches and a couple of packs of crisps, and as we neared the entrance, i used to babble, incomprehensively, with excitement.

The long, hot summer days spent emerged in water until i resembled a shrivelled prune as we were all asked to get out because it was nearly closing time.................

I have two daughters aged 13 an 11 who both looked at me blankly the other day when i told them of ther article i'd read in work and try as i might i don't think anyone will ever fully appreciate the whole thrill of it all unless they'd been there. Thankyou with all my heart for taking me back to when i was 7 and onwards, them were the days eh!!!! "

Jane (Watkins) Baxter, Blackwood

"Hello Paula
I think your web site is a great idea. It was only today I was told about the PONT BATHS reunion. Had I known earlier I would have come along.
I lived in Pembrey Gardens from 1950 to 1970 a stones throw away. I remember those days. Home from school you could already hear the screams of laughter from the baths. 7/6 for a season ticket not a big price for a whole summer of fun. So well run no bullying every one having a great time. Those summer days were always hot and long.....
In our small street nearly every one went to Mr Mustlewhite's swimming lessons. I'll name all those I remember, there was Charlie Peck, Kelvin Jones, John Morse, Kieth Hancock, John Hancock, Barry Millington, Tony Griffiths, Gareth Griffiths, Clive Read, Peter Williams, Brian Rees, David Rees. Anyway it was great to be around at that time."

Michael Carey

"I joined Pont baths in 1955 and worked with jack in the years 1967-8. I ran several learn to swim classes. I also ran the Life saving club. Jack proposed myself and Owen Price to become R.L.S.S examiners. Jacks reference to Monmouthshire County Council was instrumental in me aquiring the post of Advanced Swimming teacher and Manager of West Mon Grammer school swimming pool.
Could you let me know if you have any info on Owen Price ie, phone no. address etc? We are in the photograph dated 1968 I am on the left and Owen is on the right."

Ivor Bennett

"I was quite surprised to see the photograph of my brother Greg and my good self on your website!   It brings back cold memories!
Greg and I started doing our Christmas dip in the late 70's, and between us we carried it on until the late 80's. I cant remember why we stopped to be honest as we are both still more than capable of doing pretty stupid things (swims at Ogmore on Xmas day a couple of years ago in our boxer shorts etc!), but may be we just expected others to carry on with the tradition, or may be one year there just wasn't any water in the pool? I honestly cant remember.
Pont baths always meant a great deal to Greg and I. As we only lived in Islwyn terrace our play ground was the baths in summer, the welfare and the mountain.
Joe [Vernell] will always live with as it was due to him I used to spend my summer holidays from college, and then university, running up Mynyddislwyn mountain! And Xmas day drinking a brandy with Stephen and then a quick dip, or sometimes a length or two, in the baths."

Roger Murrow, Nottingham

"Many great memories:coming down from Brynhyfryd Street on Blackwood Road as a youngster was one of my first steps towards independence; the pride of being able to say 'season' and stroll to the front of the enormous queues that existed on those endless summer days; forcing my self to dive off the top board and never walk down the steps; swimming my first length underwater; passing my 'Advanced' and being someone who did it in proper outdoor temperatures not the indoor Cefn Forest heat that Mr Musselwhite sneered at; playing water polo with what seemed like the whole Shaw family; dips with Joe Vernal which have given me a crazy love of cold water at Xmas time ever since. Indeed Roger and I peeled off at Ogmore the other year in response to him looking at me and saying...'you want to go in don't you?!' Both well past 40, naked and the water in the sea at Xmas nowher near as cold as the ice breaking days with Joe. Pont was a great place to grow up in!"

Greg Murrow, Chesterfield, Derbyshire

"I lived opposite Pont Baths when I was younger, and I loved the place. As I lived so close to the baths I was usually first in the cue in the mornings to get inside. There was a particular smell about the changing rooms that will stay with me forever. No matter what the weather my brother and sister would be there. I remeber on the rainy days sometimes the staff would get a canoe out and paddle it up and down the pool. The diving boards were not there when I was a child, but it did not stop the older boys performing all sorts of tricks on whatever else was available. The black pitch that surrounded the pool was great to lie on when you got out of the pool as it would almost burn your skin when the sun was out. I have very fond memories of the baths as do many others, it is really missed and I for one think that another outdoor swimming pool should be built."

Steve Lindon, Blackwood

"Sorry I can't make it on 23rd May. Have many happy memories of days [Morning to night, May -September, in all weathers]spent at Pont Baths.Have enjoyed seeing the photos. Best wishes to all life savers and crate room helpers approx 1967 -68-only 40 years ago!!!!! "

Marion Fraser [Lawler], Pickering, N. Yorks

"Hi paula, brilliant idea, just read dereks comments and could'nt agree more best days of my life i reckon, i'm just frightened now that having read this i will wake up tonight screaming hearing a loud whistle and saying ok Mr Musslewhite sorry."

Clive Williams, Onchan, Isle of Man

"i have great memories of pontbaths every summer hols i spent down there with my mum and 3 sisters (that where we all learnt to swim.)we would walk down from oakdale and meet my mothers 2 sisters,2 brothers and their families it was a great place for families,we would be waiting for the gates to open and would be leaving just as they locked them,there was nothing better than having a splash around with the summer sun shining on your face and fresh air in your lungs.then at lunch time my grandparents who lived in woodland road would appear with a mass of food for what they called they ARMY.pitty we dont have summers like we used to have has i would be the first in an outdoor pool you just cant bet it just wish in away todays children had the chance to experiance the joy me and my family had all those years back thanks to pontbaths."

Hazel Watkins, Blackwood

"My first experience of Pont Baths was when my mother carried me down the steps at the shallow end. I was probably about 3-4 years old: 1939-1940. I bawled my eyes out because of the coldwater. I never went near the pool again until Summer 1947. My cousin was on holiday with us from London. My father said Freddie better teach you to swim before you start at Grammar School because when you have swimming lessons they'll probably throw you in to get on with it! You have a week and I'll give you half-a-crown if you can swim a width by the end of the week. I did and got my 2/6p.

Afterwards I spent every summer at the pool. I joined the Life Saving Club and during the holidays I helped giving out the crates. I almost lived at the pool, just going home for meals. I remember at school doing my honours swimming test and part of it was Life Saving. I had to tow someone and the examiner told Alan Pask (who became famous as a Welsh rugby player) to jump in. When I tried to turn him and tow him he struggled and made life difficult. I said "Hey! What's up Alan?". He said "The examiner said I had to make it realistic."

Mr Musselwhite, as I always called him, was great to me like every one else at the pool. I practiced a lot with those free swims. One rainy day there was nobody but me there, so Mr Musselwhite, or Jack as I shall call him from now on, said "Go and have a swim". I swam over a mile non-stop that day.

The times I spent at Pont Baths were some of the best days of my life. I always got a good suntan, so this bronzed Life Guard strolling round the pool did a lot of flirting. Jack! I could never thank you enough for the opportunity you have given me in life."

Derek Miller, Bideford, Devon

"I have great memories of Pont Baths in the Summer, we would be there every day, especialy the school holidays - we would be there from opening time till closing. Some days I would go with my sister and other South Wales Switchgear employees before opening.

Saturdays & Sundays would be family days, and you could not find a space on the grass or the roof of the changing room!

There was no messing about with Mr Musselwhite. If you went up on the top diving board and took too long to jump off, Jack would come up and give you a helping hand! I actualy learned to swim when I was pushed in the deep end at the age of 5 - it was a matter of sink or swim!"

Rhys Davies, Newport