workshop

Today's workshop was focused on stories about place. We all presented to the group, in turn, with some images or memories of places in Wirral and allocated the story to the place on the map of Wirral with a pin.

I spoke to the group about living in Rock Ferry and in particular about Byrne Avenue baths. This building was erected in 1931 and is now closed to the public and is being left and negelected for want of cash.

This was not just a swimming pool, it had many lives.People went there to dance and play water polo, dive and play five a side football plus many other things.In fact for its age it was possibly one of the first community centres. This building was not just a swimming pool it also was a bath house for local people who did not have a bathroom in thier homes so had to use public baths weekly to get a bath.

My interest was aroused immediately because of the map Elaine produced; and secondly because of the stories everyone had to tell. For each story told I felt a connection, maybe because I have lived on Wirral all my life and moved around a fair bit. Secondly because as children my father taught us how to read maps and made the most wonderful games up for us on long journeys. He was a rally driver in the Police and we would help to marshall the events, usually in North Wales, and we would then have to naviagte for him our journeys home.

It was interesting today how we each took a line from each others story and then developed that line into our own story. It became apparent that a few people had the same ideas in mind and this was made clear once we all told our story.

Fifteen minutes wasn't long enough for any of us as our imaginations ran away the moment pen was put to paper.

Another good day!