Steven Brown
Brookfoot
Wednesday, December 19, 2018 05:59 |
Sutton Mill Institute
I have always been curious about Sutton Mill Institute especially the fact that it had a swimming pool. There doesn't seem to be much detailed information on the interweb just a broad outline.
Does anyone know when it closed?
Sutton Mill Institute Mill Street Sutton-in-Craven, used to be the Institute for Sutton Mill, which stood just across the road. The small portico-like structure at roof level over the main door gives the date 1906. In her History of Sutton-in-Craven (written 1927) Nellie Stell said, 'An institute was built by T & M Bairstow [the owners of Sutton Mill]. There is a billiard room, a reading room and a swimming bath.' When the mill was demolished in 1996 the Institute was saved and converted into flats.
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Ronald Walton
Sutton in Craven
Wednesday, December 19, 2018 08:41 |
Hi Stephen I think it closed in 1970 when T&M Bairstows closed down
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Denis Marshall Pickles
Norfolk
Wednesday, December 19, 2018 15:16 |
As a boy, in the 40's, I and my pals used to spend a lot of time in the swimming pool at the Institute. It was superior to the pool at Glusburn Institute - quite a lot bigger and the changing facilities were better too. I learned to swim there but even before I could swim, I would jump off the 'top box' into the deep end aiming towards the side so that when I surfaced I could grasp the side, lever myself out and run round to the box again and repeat the process. Great fun! An incident occurred one day when I as playing this game. My cousin, John Hargreaves, who lived at New Laithe Farm, older than me, came into the pool to watch what was going on. He wasn't clad for bathing - just wearing his 'civvies'! One time as I emerged from the pool after one of the jumps, John grabbed me and threw me back into the middle of the deep end. He thought I could swim but I couldn't. I couldn't swim to the side. I was in trouble. Up and down gulping water and gasping for air. Fortunately a 'big boy' whose name was Howard Brooksbank, dived in and rescued me. I soon came round but I don't think I did any more top box jumping until I had learned to swim. I'm not sure whether I ever did thank Howard, but if not, I thank him now. The incident was all of my own making and I didn't blame John.
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Alan Smith
Sutton
Wednesday, December 19, 2018 17:36 |
My wife Glenys and l both learnt to swim at the Institute baths, the water was never as warm as that at Glusburn. There was also slipper baths for those who didn't own a tin bath in what was Sutton Mill end of the village (the up Sutton people would have proper baths with H&C water of course. |
Steven Brown
Brookfoot
Thursday, December 20, 2018 16:45 |
Thank you for the memories, I had always wondered why we went to swim at Glusburn Institute from Sutton County primary rather than Sutton Institute in the early 70s .
I know I'm being greedy asking a supplementary question but does anyone know when Cross Hills Cinema actually closed? it's just that I remember going as a child (on a Saturday mornings) however the date given on the internet is before I moved into the area so in theory I couldn't have done, but I did! |
Alan Pickles
Bingley
Thursday, December 20, 2018 19:29 |
Steven,
Look at the pre1970's pictures in the Gallery section. The Picturehouse programme for the final shows is there. It shows January/ February 1968.
Alan |
Paul Longbottom
Sutton
Friday, December 21, 2018 10:01 |
Charlie's must have reopened in the late 1970's as I remember going on Saturdays |
Ronald Walton
Sutton in Craven
Friday, December 21, 2018 10:27 |
It did reopen in the seventys but not for long
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Steven Brown
Brookfoot
Friday, December 21, 2018 19:11 |
Yes I saw the 1968 closure date. However I didn't come to the area till 1969 so either the final date is wrong or my memory is playing tricks. Thank goodness someone else remembers going on a Saturday morning after that date. I can remember it was dark, packed with kids and on the edge of chaos, perfect! |
Elizabeth Cooke formerly Eastwood
Rotherham
Friday, December 21, 2018 20:52 |
I learnt to swim at Sutton Baths in the 50s whilst attending the Church School and jumping off the top box feeling very brave. I also remember the caretaker at the Institute played a euphonium in a Brass Band and we could hear him practicing regularly. Anyone else remember that? |
Isobel Stirk
Silsden
Thursday, January 3, 2019 20:27 |
Yes, I remember that too! I think it could have been Mr Appleby. His daughter Pauline was in my class at school and I think they lived at the Institute. |
Robin Longbottom
Oakworth
Monday, January 7, 2019 08:36 |
The Institute was built by James Bairstow 1906/7 and consisted of the institute rooms, the swimming baths and a caretakers house. The opening ceremony took place on the evening of Thursday, 25 April 1907. Three hundred work people from the mill attended a dinner in the Institute dining hall with Mr & Mrs Bairstow, and heads of departments, at the top table. The remaining six hundred employees were invited to dinners over the following two evenings.
The Institute was open to all villagers, however, those families that worked at the mill had a reduced entrance charge.
I too had my first swimming lesson at the Institute, but our family then went to the baths at Glusburn Institute because they provided better access for my father who was disabled. Despite his disability he was a very strong swimmer. |
