Capturing Olympian memories of golden girl Lucy
August 24, 2008 12:00 AM
Reading Shelagh Parkinson's article on Blackpool's 1924 Olympics swimming gold medallist, Lucy Morton, brought back many happy memories of my childhood at Arnold School in the 1950's. The highlight of the school syllabus, in those days, was the weekly swimming lesson at the Derby Baths with none other than Lucy Morton. A group of us, who were keen cyclists, used to race down Lytham Road and along the Promenade to the Derby Baths,every Wednesday afternoon, to see who could be first in the pool - usually a good five minutes before the school bus arrived with the rest of the class.
Miss Morton was a strict disciplinarian who insisted that we all took a shower and went through the "freezing" foot bath before entering the pool,but she ensured that every pupil from Arnold was a competent swimmer before they left school to embark on their chosen career.
I recall the Fylde area produced several other Olympic swimmers and medallists in those far off days, including Judy Grinham and Margaret Grundy and feel sure that dear Lucy would have turned over in her grave, had she witnessed the shameful closure of the St.Annes pool by Councillor John Coombes and his Conservative cronies at the end of last month. This is particularly disappointing in the run up to the 2012 Olympics, where, as usual, there will be no further Blackpool and Fylde swimmers on display, due to the distinct lack of modern present day facilities.
This scenario is a far cry from the Blackpool Council of 1924 which specially opened up the old Cocker Street baths,throughout the winter months, to support Lucy's Olympic training schedule.
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