Mexborough & Swinton Times, January 17th 1925
The trustees of the Miners’ Welfare Institute are to be congratulated on their attempts to cater for the younger end of the mining community, and Mr. Tom Hill has taken a very active part in the latest commendable enterprise which is the provision of a gymnasium for the use of the 500 or so youths who are employed at the collieries.
When it was found that the original intention of turning the swimming baths into a cinema theatre for the winter brought with it enormous difficulties in complying with the West Riding regulations, such as involving the provision of a more or less solid concrete reinforced floor, which would be exceedingly expensive to provide and also to move as occasion demanded, the committee turned its attention to other uses for the baths and decided to open a gymnasium. In adopting this attitude the main object was physical fitness and the making of better citizens by healthy recreation, and already some apparatus has been installed.
Boxing and Swedish drill are to form portions of the scheme, and an instructor is being engaged to superintend the gymnasium in winter and to instruct in swimming in summer. Such a place is ideal for the purpose, being fitted with dressing and other amenities, such us shower baths, so that the youths should reap the fullest reward for their exertions.
A boxing ring is to be fitted, arranged so as to be movable, and there is to be an opening tournament on the 24th instant. Now that the bath has been covered in the place is hardly recognisable, the wooden floor is 30 feet by 90 feet and the hall is one of the finest for miles around.