School Swimming Lessons

A Memory of Dagenham.

I remember learning to swim here whilst at Triptons school. The best swimmers/divers used to be in the galas every year. You either moved or stood about shivering. When I was a bit younger (about 7 years) I kidded myself I could swim in the paddling pool outside and once I tried to swim in my baggy underpants only to leave them behind. In the summer you had music/variety and punch & judy in the bandstand and playleaders organising games in the park. In my teens we all used to gather at the hut and fool around till very late. I also remember the Dagenham Girl Pipers performing on the green outside the pool.