9:50am Saturday 20th February 2010
Fifty years ago Barnoldswick folk took on the council in a determined campaign for a swimming pool for the town – but it was to be another 20 years before their dream became a reality. Here, Reporter Lesley Tate looks back at the campaign.
Exactly 50 years ago, at the start of the swinging 60s, the determined folk of Barnoldswick were busily taking on their council representatives.
They were convinced that the town needed a swimming pool – and, on a very wet and windy day, 500 of them marched on the town hall.
The protestors, accompanied by a jazz band and led by a lorry transporting a bath filled with three “bathing belles”, were determined to present a protest letter to a meeting of Barnoldswick Urban District Council at the town hall.
They had been campaigning for a swimming pool and had been promised a referendum by the council. But now, they wanted it to be one person, one vote – not one vote per household, as suggested by the council.
The pool, which was expected to cost around £49,500, would have put 1s 6d on ratepayers’ annual bills – or around 6d per week.
But despite the protests, the angry letters to the Craven Herald and the referendum – which saw a majority vote in favour – the council was not prepared to put the cost on its residents.
The rise in rates was considered too much and the pool was not built, despite – infuriatingly for Barlick folk – nearby Skipton getting one built in Aireville Park.
In the end, the people of Barnoldswick had to wait another 20 years for their pool.
Finally, on October 3 1981, Olympic swimmer David Wilkie officially opened the town’s West Craven Pool.
Later, on August 23 1997, it became the West Craven Sports Centre and was reopened by Sir Bobby Charlton and on January 4 2004, Stan Ternent, former manager of Burnley FC, officially reopened the gym.
But back in May 1960, a meeting of Barnoldswick Urban District Council at the town hall was almost brought to a halt by the protestors.
An impressive 500 angry residents, accompanied by the Calder Valley Jazzmen, mounted a noisy protest outside the town hall.
Inside, councillors – including the newly re-elected chairman Edgar Wild – struggled to hear themselves over the chant: “We want baths”.
Outside, the Public Baths Committee had arrived with a letter of protest meant for the council.
But the protestors were refused an audience and the three ladies waiting outside the council meeting room – all dressed in swimming costumes – beat a retreat.
The waiting crowd greeted the news with loud boos.
Sweet shop owner Edna Craston, Myra Haworth and 16-year-old Sheila Demaine – fiancée of the chairman of the baths committee, Charles Neville Foster – had been sitting in a bath on the lorry, accompanied by the slogan: “We can’t swim in these”.
Mr Foster, speaking through a loudhailer, roundly criticised the council.
He accused councillors of being undemocratic and short-sighted and protested that everyone over the age of 21 should be allowed a vote, as it was their future.
Despite the poll going ahead as per the council’s wishes, an impressive 60 per cent turnout voted 1,270 in favour of the baths and 1,050 against.
A happy baths committee met to discuss the result.
Members agreed to thank the urban district council for agreeing to hold the referendum and to put all previous disputes behind them in the interest of public unity.
But despite the support of ratepayers, the council was still not prepared to take the plunge and following a very heated debate by members in the June it was agreed to put the whole thing off for five weeks – to allow everyone to cool off.
Arguments continued to go on for the rest of the year.
Councillors voted against pursuing the baths and then changed their minds.
There were accusations of political shenanigans and the opinions of Government ministers were called upon to determine whether the council could go against the public vote. Then, the council said the town could have its baths, but only if the public was willing to cough up half the cost.
It was more than twice what the campaigners had thought and a figure that they believed would be discouraging to the public.
Nevertheless, fundraising ideas included asking those willing to contribute 6d from their weekly wage packets, sponsoring candidates in the next urban council elections who were in favour of the baths and entering a tableau in the gala procession.
The baths committee also put forward the idea of holding a monster football competition with “industrialists” contributing towards the cost.
To cap it all, in November 1960, it was announced that Skipton was to have its own baths – to be built in Aireville Park.
The baths, which would cost a maximum of £120,000, would replace the outdated pool at Moorview and would mean an extra 10d on the general rate.
An angry Mr Foster, in a letter to the Craven Herald, wrote: “So, there we have it! Mighty Skipton (population 13,200) is to spend £120,000 on a new swimming bath, while poor, pathetic Barnoldswick (pop 11,000) is left high and dry, because its council claims it cannot afford £50,000.
“What a travesty of a council we have. What is wrong with these people that they cannot – will not – commit themselves to the schemes which they have and which is a bargain price?
“What short-sightedness these councillors display – they should be fitted with binoculars.”
Mr Foster continued that if the current councillors did not have the stomach to take Barnoldswick forward, then they should make way for more progressive people.
And then, just before Christmas, the prospect of swimming baths for Barnoldswick was effectively killed off.
The council agreed by a large majority to defer any discussion about a pool until the re-organisation of local government – in 1963.
It was also concerned about the prospect of having to spend £14,000 on its sewage works.
The baths committee responded with determination and pledged to continue the fight for progress.
But in reality, it would be another 20 years before Barnoldswick got its pool.
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