Armley Baths

billy the buffalo · Post by **billy the buffalo** » Thu 06 Nov, 2008 1:00 pm

A neighbour asked me a question last night while we were chatting about where she could find out a answer to a question that is puzzling members of her family and i said i knew the right place to find the answer...2 members of the family seem to remember visiting Armley Baths to see a show that involved live dolphins !!! They seem to think that it was in the 70's ..thats the 1970's any one any info on it Thanks

fred1935 · Post by **fred1935** » Thu 06 Nov, 2008 11:08 pm

If it wasn't in the 1950's I know nowt about it. LOL. Just swimming and Dancing then.

simonm · Post by **simonm** » Fri 07 Nov, 2008 10:22 am

Armley baths was always the one we'd go to, I don't remember the dolphins. Not saying it didn't happen, but I don't know anyone who remembers it.

Si · Post by Si » Fri 07 Nov, 2008 10:54 am

That's where we used to go, too. Learnt to swim by being thrown in the deep-end!I've asked around about the dolphins without luck, also. I can't imagine how they got them there. Having swum with them in Key Largo, I can attest that they are big animals!

simonm · Post by **simonm** » Fri 07 Nov, 2008 11:10 am

Learning to dive off those steps going up to the top of the diving platform. I remember as a kid being on the second step and papping missen..

Loiner Paul · Post by **Loiner Paul** » Fri 07 Nov, 2008 11:30 am

I remember the dolphins at Armly Baths. It was definitely in the 1970s as we were taken from school and it was before 1974 when I moved from junior school, i'd have been about 10 years old.I also remember that a boy and girl were chosen from the audience and sat in a rubber dinghy. A rope was attached to the dinghy which had a ring on it, which in turn was placed on the dolphin's snout and they were pulled down the length of the pool. Not much health and safety there that I can remember!!!!! One of the trainers with the dolphins had no fingers on one hand and us kids reckoned she had had them bitten off by a man eating dolphin!!!!!!!!I'd almost forgotten about that whole event

Chrism · Post by **Chrism** » Fri 07 Nov, 2008 11:55 am

Well I'll go t'foot of our stairs... ... I never knew that. I went to Armley baths nearly every week from 66-74 and I'd never heard of dolphins there. I learned to swim there too, also by being lobbed to the deep end, from about the middle of the big pool, by my mates dad who just presumed could swim. I certainly learned very quickly!! What was that lifeguard called with one short leg??

Loiner Paul · Post by **Loiner Paul** » Fri 07 Nov, 2008 12:32 pm

I learnt to swim at Bramley Baths, but do remember a guy with a short leg at the International Pool in the late 70s, think he was the manager there.

Si · Post by Si » Fri 07 Nov, 2008 12:58 pm

Loiner Paul wrote: I remember the dolphins at Armly Baths. It was definitely in the 1970s as we were taken from school and it was before 1974 when I moved from junior school, i'd have been about 10 years old.I also remember that a boy and girl were chosen from the audience and sat in a rubber dinghy. A rope was attached to the dinghy which had a ring on it, which in turn was placed on the dolphin's snout and they were pulled down the length of the pool. Not much health and safety there that I can remember!!!!! One of the trainers with the dolphins had no fingers on one hand and us kids reckoned she had had them bitten off by a man eating dolphin!!!!!!!!I'd almost forgotten about that whole event I'm amazed! I thought dolphins would prefer sea-water (salty) and I assume they must have refilled the pool with clean (ie: unchlorinated water) otherwise it would have been a Health & Safety issue for the dolphins! I would love to know how they were transported, and how they got them from the street and into the pool.

Chrism · Post by **Chrism** » Fri 07 Nov, 2008 3:01 pm

Si wrote: Loiner Paul wrote: I remember the dolphins at Armly Baths. It was definitely in the 1970s as we were taken from school and it was before 1974 when I moved from junior school, i'd have been about 10 years old.I also remember that a boy and girl were chosen from the audience and sat in a rubber dinghy. A rope was attached to the dinghy which had a ring on it, which in turn was placed on the dolphin's snout and they were pulled down the length of the pool. Not much health and safety there that I can remember!!!!! One of the trainers with the dolphins had no fingers on one hand and us kids reckoned she had had them bitten off by a man eating dolphin!!!!!!!!I'd almost forgotten about that whole event I'm amazed! I thought dolphins would prefer sea-water (salty) and I assume they must have refilled the pool with clean (ie: unchlorinated water) otherwise it would have been a Health & Safety issue for the dolphins! I would love to know how they were transported, and how they got them from the street and into the pool. Me too!!