Swimmers in Oxford have had a wide choice of pools, both indoors and outdoors, to enjoy swimming and bathing.

Oxford Mail photographers were frequently on hand to record the happy occasions, as in Picture 1 taken in September 1976.

The Mail reported: “It may be getting a bit wintery for outdoor swimming, but aquatic activity is thriving at Temple Cowley indoor baths.”

READ MORE: Painting recovered in Oxford's unsolved heist

It was the second weekly session for mothers and toddlers, with 43 mothers, children and even some fathers turning up.

There were more happy faces in Picture 2, dating from May 1979 when temperatures in the city and county hit an unusually high 25.9C (79F).

Among those who took advantage of the good weather were Oxford College of Further Education students Deborah Mills and Susan Heritage.

Oxford Mail:

Picture 3 shows five newly-qualified life-savers, all from the Oxford area, who had won Royal Lifesaving Society bronze medallions in 1986.

They were, left to right, Catherine Spiers, of Kingston Road, Terry Burke, of Swinburne Road, Wayne Melrose, of Bullingdon Road, Stuart Ford, of Foxcombe Road, Boars Hill, and David Baker, of Kingston Road.

They all qualified for the award after taking part in a training scheme organised by Oxford City Council, which employed them as swimming pool attendants.

They were presented with their awards at the Ferry Pool in North Oxford by Nigel Thomas, chairman of the council’s recreation and amenities committee.

The Ferry Pool also features in Picture 4. Pupils at St Michael’s First School in New Marston took a break from swimming instruction to watch a life-saving demonstration by Lorraine Greenwood who is seen ‘rescuing’ John Kiefer, eight.

Picture 5 shows members of the City of Oxford Swimming Club at the Ferry Pool with new swim bags they had received from sponsors Unipart.

Unipart marketing manager Brian Warland is seen presenting them to young swimmers in 1984 alongside junior squad coaches Ken Young, left, and Bill Yates.

In Picture 6, we see Dennis Kelly, Stephen Day and Lee Gibbons enjoying themselves in Wolvercote bathing place on the Thames in 1976.

Help support trusted local news 

Sign up for a digital subscription now: oxfordmail.co.uk/subscribe 

As a digital subscriber you will get: 

  • Unlimited access to the Oxford Mail website 
  • Advert-light access 
  • Reader rewards 
  • Full access to our app 

About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning. 

You can also read his weekly Traffic and Transport newsletter.