Would you be tempted to copy these brave souls seen diving into a Tamworth pool 92 years ago?
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Not easy these days with none of our public pools having diving boards.
Water holes in the Peel River were popular swimming spots before we had public pools.
Tamworth Municipal Council had plans for a pool as early as 1919.
Our first instructed swimming lessons took place in the river downstream from the main bridge, adjacent to Bourke Street, with 116 children passing the test.
Our first public pool was the Sandbag Weir just upstream of Paradise Bridge, which opened in 1921.
This was replaced in that location by a better Concrete Weir, which opened in 1925 with Olympic Swimming Champion Boy Charlton and Olympic Diving Champion Dick Eve giving demonstrations at the opening.
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The next development was an enclosed pool, initiated by contract rabbiter Frederick Chinnery at the corner of Peel and Darling Street, this being the one in the picture. Chinnery's Baths were underway by 1928, incorporating two diving towers and later lights for night swimming.
This pool remained in use until around 1951. By then the Tamworth Olympic Pool was in opposition, having opened as early as 1937, which led to Chinnery's Pool closing.
The grandstand remained until well into the 1990's, with the concrete wall facing Kable Avenue being demolished in 2000.
Scully Pool opened in 1968 and a future Aquatic Centre is now on Council's agenda.
Would you be willing to give a diving demonstration at the opening?
Got more like it?
If you have similar photos you'd be willing to donate or have them copied, contact 0407 789 894.
- Mike Cashman, Tamworth Historical Society