My dad took me there every Sunday morning, first of all into the Slipper baths where I seem to remember you got a bar of soap for 6d before going into the big pool, dad was a fantastic swimmer and could swim 2 lengths under water, also when he was 16 and working as a rope boy on the mid tyne ferries he saved a man’s life who, when the ferry was pulling into the Walker landing jumped off too soon and fell into the river, he couldn’t swim and dad jumped in and saved him. He was awarded with a Certificate and an engraved pocket watch as well as a pair of boots from the man’s parents.