Romford swimming baths, Mawney Road, sometime around 1905.

Opened in 1900 at a cost of £9,000 they were at first known as 'Craig's White Elephant'. But Councillor J. J. Craig, the well known market place shopkeeper and chief supporter of the project, was vindicated quite soon when local people began to realise what an asset to the town the baths were.

The baths were in the charge of Mr. Charlie Green, a very dedicated superintendent. Together with local schoolteachers such as Arthur Drury from Albert Road and Frank Edwards from the Mawney Road school opposite, Green taught the basics of swimming to several generations of children. When they left school they usually returned to join Romford Town Swimming Club and learn life-saving as well as playing in water polo matches or competing in team racing.

A Grand Gala took place annually in October and the baths were covered over in the winter months, providing a function hall. Early cinema sessions were held on Saturday mornings for the children. The baths were fed by a well on the site.¹

They were demoished in 1975.²

¹ From the Introduction to Bygone Romford, by kind permission of the author.
² Britain in Old Photographs: Romford, page 77.

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