Ginnels, cows, and where wealthy people eat chips.

Story 3: We are Bramley

This first track is from John Battle talking about the amazing People Powered Pool that is Bramley Baths.

John lead the community as chair in gaining community ownership & saving the baths from closure.

Hear about its original use as a foundry, the time that the baths was used as a dancehall when they couldn't afford to heat the pool. And at a time when Harehills was the 'posh' area of Leeds.

John actually sat in the steam room and talked to the community for the duration of this immersive installation.

c. Yorkshire Life Aquatic
Mermaid Tales/ Bramley Memory Aquarium 
Kindly funded in 2015 by Heritage Lottery ( now National Lottery Heritage Fund) & Arts Council England

Recordings captured by the community. Interviewee in this instance Lucy Meredith. Edited by Annabeth Robinson

More from John Battle

About his role as MP, and how the community collectively came together to save the baths ownership of Bramley Baths happened in 2010.

Bramley Baths is celebrating 10 years of Community ownership this year ( 2023)Get in touch with them to find out more about events they are putting on to celebrate this huge success.

Photo: Simon Cullingworth from West Leeds Dispatch

John Battle

Hear from Rachel Reeves about the award winning Bramley Baths, the people powered pool and how the community came together collectively to save the pool from closure.
"...it really represents what is great about this town."
c. Yorkshire Life Aquatic 
Mermaid Tales / Bramley Memory Aquarium
Funded by Heritage Lottery & Arts Council England

Rachel Reeves on Bramley Baths, the people powered Pool

Hear from Jean Major ( 'no relation to the former PM')
Hear about dancing at Bramley Baths & the slipper baths

Photo from Mermaid Gala 2013, taken by MERtographer Lizzie Coombes aka @BettyLawless 

Jean is listening to her story on a conch shell artwork that contains sound.

c. Yorkshire Life Aquatic
Thanks to Arts Council England, Bramley baths & Bramley elderly Action for their support & belief in this project.

Dancing at Bramley Baths - Jean Major

About the dancehalls that used to happen at Bramley Baths & other pools across Leeds. Stories of some of the romances, the songs that were played from local Bramley folk.

Bramley Baths is the only surviving heritage pool of this era.
Sound design: Zoe Parker

DanceHalls at the pool

Allan talks about when he swam at Bramley Baths. Threppence to swim. Good days.
Part of the Memory Aquarium/ Mermaid Tales heritage lottery & arts council funded project in 2015. Do take a listen.
c. Yorkshire Life Aquatic

Swimming at Bramley Baths

About spending most of their childhood at Bramley Baths and all about the famous Mr Pearce, manager / trainer/ resident of Bramley Baths.
He could be very stern! Who remembers Mr Pearce

Part of the heritage stories collected for Mermaid Tales 2015
Funded by Arts Council England & National Heritage Lottery Fund 
¢.YorkshireLifeAquatic

Swimming Training at Bramley Baths

Generations of families swimming at Bramley Baths
Learning to swim at Bramley Baths
c. Mermaid Tales
Heritage stories collected thanks to a NLHF grant( National Lottery Heritage Fund)
Interviewees: Ann & Michelle
Interviewed by: Jordan Keighley

Learning to swim at Bramley Baths

Roger talking about the history of Bramley Baths including talking about when the dance floor was put down, and more about the saving of the baths by the community.
Image of Lucy Meredith & Roger Cliff
c.Yorkshire Life Aquatic - Mermaid Tales/ Memory Aquarium 
Heritage & Arts Council Funded Project

Photo taken by Annabeth Robinson

People Powered Pool - Roger Cliff

Dancehall at Bramley Baths - Elaine

Yorkshire Life Aquatic are a social enterprise that use creativity and performance to promote health, heritage and environmental causes.

Yorkshire Life Aquatic

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