Swimming Across The River Severn

A Memory of Worcester.

I remember at the age of twelve 1957 swimming across the river from Hylton road over to the racecourse to watch the racing on a Saturday afternoon. Five of us used to swim out to the pleasure steamers as they went up to turn below the weir and come back . Passengers threw sweets to us and waved. Another practice was to swim to the middle and duck dive for mussels. Back ashore they would be cooked over a wood fire on the bank , very good. We all swam like fish and were very strong swimmers and during the summer there was never much of a current. There used to be a concrete swimming pool in the river right by the rowing club on pitchcroft. I believe it was in use in the 20's to 40's . I remember my mum telling me of swimming gala's on the river in the 1920's . I have a photo of her and my uncle walking on the frozen river and throwing snowballs .