SEEMS swimming baths in Bolton hold very fond memories for many Looking Back readers.

After the story about High Street Baths, we were inundated with information about the pool, with people recalling going there with family for a swim – or even a wash in the baths – while others enjoyed lessons.

It got us thinking about the term many of us still use today about swimming pools.

They are still commonly referred to as baths and this, no doubt, is explained by the fact that many people did not have baths at home in the early 20th century and would go to municipal pools to wash – before enjoying a swim in the pool.

We had plenty of people remember swimming teacher Jim Grimshaw who had a fascinating approach to the subject. Reader Lynda Rands (whose maiden name was Wallace) remembered lessons at High Street Baths going back 40 years.

She said: “I just had to write as I remember my lessons with the incomparable Jim Grimshaw,” – of whom she was “absolutely terrified” as a three and four-year-old and would often try to hide from him in the corner of the pool.

She added: “But I also have the fondest memories of his big booming voice shouting “Swim to Jim” throughout the more than 70 lengths I swam in order to complete my mile – which would be 1,500 metres in ‘new money’ – at the tender age of four.

“In fact, the Bolton Evening News even wrote a little article about ‘Lynda the Water Baby’ in the early 1980s,” she says.

This was in early 1980, she adds.

Swimming was a popular pastime in Bolton and there used to be many different swimming pools in the town and surrounding districts, including the very popular Bridgeman Street Baths seen in our picture in 1937.

Many children learned to swim at school and weekly lessons were held for primary school youngsters.

Perhaps you can recall walking through the little freezing cold foot bath before you got to the main pool?