Summer days … Footscray City Baths on a hot summer’s day, circa 1940. By Christine de Kock
FOOTSCRAY Swim Centre might have a limited future, with its closure expected next year, but its glorious past as a “hot” summer recreation spot will live long in the memories of its many users.
Known in the 1930s as the Footscray City Baths, it was where champion diver Gwen Fawcett (now Hopcraft), developed her skills.
She became Australia’s 10 metre diving champion in 1949 and won the title four times in the next five years.
Mrs Hopcraft also won the silver medal at the 1950 Auckland Empire Games and five Victorian championships.
Her career came to an end in 1952 at the national championships when she performed badly after competing while recovering from an illness.
But it was the break she needed to marry her long-time boy friend, Clarence Hopcraft.
Mrs Hopcraft was recently nominated for a spot in the Commonwealth Games Queens Baton Relay but missed out.
Mrs Hopcraft, 79, lived in Bunbury St, Footscray as a child and was taught to swim by her sister at the Footscray City Baths.
“They had a one metre and three metre spring board,” she said.
She was coached by a regular at the pool, Arthur Streckfess, who was willing to take on “anyone who was interested and never took a cent”.
“He really was a wonderful man, ” Mrs Hopcraft said.
She remembers the Footscray pool with fondness.
“In summer that was all we knew.
“There was nothing to do except go to the baths.”
Although she has “gotten on in years” Mrs Hopcraft still likes to get her feet wet.
“I go up past Murrimbula, New South Wales, to surf.”
Her husband Clarence Hopcraft chuckles. “I sit on the shore and watch that the sharks don’t get her”.
The couple now live in Clayton.
Fun at the Footscray City Baths is one of the images found in the Footscray Historical Society’s book ‘Footscray and Yarraville a Pictorial Record’, which is available from the society.
