A Coventry Kid's Tale

Chapter 8: 12 years old

At this point of time the child joined the Coventry Boy's Club. This was a timber hut on waste ground at the back of Whitefriar's Street. You could also get to it from Jordan well. Here the child spent many happy evenings playing snooker, table tennis and card games. Also there was a chip shop in Jordan Well which sold real nice chips. While on his way home one night from the Cov boys club, he walked down Gosford Street and took a short cut through the garages, which then led into Godiva Street. On the rubbish tip for the garages he noticed a pair of handlebars sticking out. The child hauled on the handlebars and a whole all steel "Raleigh" came out. He could not believe his luck, the gears worked, the chain went round, even the dynamo and lights worked. He could now ride home in style. On he jumped and pedalled away, until he came to the first corner. He found to his horror the bike did not like to turn corners. Hitting the handlebars he found he could get it to turn. When arriving home he put his new pushbike in the back yard. The next day after a bit of oil was applied the steering worked fine, what a find, the best bike he had ever owned!!!

One thing the child did not like about living in Raglan Street, there was no bathroom. So, every Saturday morning he would go to Priory Street baths. Now this swimming baths had had its roof blown off in the war. However the slipper baths were still intact. Paying his money he would enter where a man in white would take him to a cubicle with a bath in it. With a special key hung round his neck he would turn on the taps, when the man thought there was enough water in, he would dip his elbow into the water and say "That's the right temperature now". At this he would turn off the taps and walk out, then you could lock the door. Undressing and then very carefully trying the water with your foot you would attempt to have a bath standing up !! The man with the key must have had an elbow made of steel, the water was red hot. By the time the water had cooled down enough to sit in the bath the man was back hammering on the door saying "Time up, get out now", and he meant it for if you did not get out in a reasonable time he opened the door from the outside.
The child was very pleased when the new baths opened in Coronation Road by Primrose Hill Park, for there you could turn your own taps on and off, what bliss for the child.