Hallo friends out there,
How many remember going to the Qrmeau Baths? They were situated on the Ormeau Rd, near the BBC. No mixed bathing then. The boys were given a little red triangle to cover their particulars which displayed more than it hid. My thinking going a stage further it,s possible this was the forerunner of the Tanga as the Norniron people were always known as trendsetters ? and a tea towel to dry off with. 3d ( old ) entrance for 1 hour. The unlockable changing cubicles were situated around the pool, no one had any fear of losing anything or being robbed as we had nothing to steal!
I heard once that during the Belfast Blitz the bodies of killed people were stored there, but took this with a pinch of salt like I hope you take this about the discovery of the Tanga
Donald

Donald
Not much I can add, except: Been there, done that, wore the triangle.

Hi , remember it well, used to get train at Hilden Halt to Belfast ,cross the road down Amelia St., which we heard had a bad reputation for ladies of the night, we laughed all the while going to the baths, man those suit should have been banned, wonder how many perverts were there?, and coming home again freezing still wet from the baths. Fraser.

Hi fraser
if you got the train at Hilden Halt then you must remember Ned Close and Charlie Stewart who worked there, Charlie lived in the yellow houses where Brigit Watters lived before moving to Hughenot Drive facing the 41s, I remember him telling me his father fought in the war and brought home a German flag as a war trophy, . He or one of his brothers constructed a toy parachute from the flag and it caught in a tree at the other side of the wall going down the 41s and hung there for years. I remember something hanging there, perhaps you do as well?
Another name comes to mind, John Flanigan from the Lowroad, an ardent blues supporter, nicknamed " Fart", I think he also served an apprenticeship in Hilden Mill? does the name ring a bell?
Donald

Hi, John Flanagan did serve his time in Hilden as aFitter, he worked under Billy Dornan, man they had some fights, Dornan was his journeyman and he and John had many a tussle, Dornan used to duck Johns head in the grinding wheel water, also Joe Boy Collins was a fitter in Hilden.

Hi Donald,
You mentioned Tommy McCaughey some time ago and I meant to reply but forgot. Tommy was a really harmless soul and never deserved his fate. The story as I knew it was that he had dived into the Point and stuck his head in one of the many dead dogs that floated down the river and apparently he got some of the remains in his head via his ears and that was the reason he went the way he did. I actually remember Tommy working on the old GNR. He was fireman.

Hi Lowroader / Fraser
Knew both well, Billy Dornan and Tommy McCaughtery. Billy kept pidgeons with his brother Bob. After Hilden he worked in Fafnir as Machine shop boss. Their Dad was Tam Dornan , a timekeeper in Mackies, then caretaker at the Hilden rec club
Tommy I remember worked in the GNR engine sheds at Adeliade. I remember the police coming and taking him away, quite a frightening experience for a boy . He could turn violent very suddenly, but as you say it was due to his illness.
have a nice week everybody
Donald