area, a sunlamp room for individual use - 3d for three minutes, and slipper baths.
There was a covered seating area for swimmers and 300 hanging clothes baskets.
All down one side of the pool building were doors that opened onto a sunbathing area, with shrubbed area for privacy. Members were allowed to bring in two non-members but were responsible for their behaviour. There was allocated Junior membership sessions and times.
A few years after it opened, there was a big fire in the Youth Centre after a late night Christmas party.
After repair, it was taken over by Slough Industrial Injuries Clinic, run by Dr Eager. The Youth centre was moved to the stadium.
II started an injuries club with the support of Dr Eager, one of my staff - Gerry Ricardo - and the senior P.E. Master at Eton College - Eric Blackman. We were highly successful but in some cases the water was too cold. This led to the building of Farnham Park Recuperative Centre, and their first remedial gymnasts were Gerry and Eric. There was also an Infantile Paralysis Club.
Charles (L) with his Youth Swimming Club, which included Stanley Bell (R) - the 1936 Commonwealth 100 yards breastroke record holder and 1948 Olympic representative.
Extra TEAM PICTURE
Slough Community Centre - opened by King George VI and Queen Mary 1937 - the largest Community Centre in the British Isles consisting of five buildings, built on factory lines, with Youth centre, Concert Hall, Main Hall, Skating Hall, Indoor/open swimming pool, Sports/football stadium and ground.
Sir Noel Mobbs of Slough Trading estate was awarded the O.B.E. for providing the Centre. It was opened as a Registered Charity supported by Slough Trading Estate.
All now demolished and redeveloped.
Before the war, my father - George William Burt, also an Olympic level swimmer, became the Baths Manager at the new Slough Community Baths. I was employed as a Lifeguard and Swimming Teacher.
The pool had two large Hanovia sunlamps hanging from the roof
I took private schools, factory clubs and life-saving classes. I was then called up for War Service in March 1940. When I left the forces I took on the role as Baths Manager - my father had left his position shortly after I’d been called up.
The state of it when I returned indicated that it must have been out of use for some considerable time. I had a real mess to sort out. When it was opened it was like the monkey house at the zoo - no control and electrically dangerous.
In some high risk air raid areas, pools had been considered as fatal injuries centre, but this never happened to Slough.
In 1939, a start had been made constructing a Learners Pool. This had been filled in however, and used as a Blood Bank during the war, and later became a Boxing Club Gym. Charles Burt
