Dagenham Swimming Pool

It was my best friends little brother Tony Bailey that drowned at the new indoor swimming pool. I remember Tony singing a Elvis song a couple of hours before. He got into trouble in the deep end and his other little brother ran for help, the swimming guard was drinking tea and said he would come once he is finished and when he did come Tony was gone. I still to this day remember how cold he felt that same night when I touched him at the morgue. It's true it would have never had happened at Valence Swimming pool. At Valence was so much fun and yet so much safety too... I was one of the boys that looked into the girls lockers too....

My mother also worked in the Buffet at Valence Swimming Baths. She used to serve the Oxo/Bovril and packets of crisps. The water was always freezing, and did not make for swimming being a very pleasant pastime. Terry Venables (Football pundit) used to visit frequently on his bicycle, he was about 12/13 years old at the time, lived locally I think. Since leaving Dagenham in 1965 I have never returned, like to keep my memories intact! (could be I don't like change)!