DOUBLE Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington is the most successful British woman swimmer of all time. But if the 19-year-old Mansfield girl who stormed to success in Beijing ever found time to trawl through past records she would find the name of another great competitor.

Connie Jeans was the best swimmer from a family of five sisters who were members of Nottingham Ladies' Swimming Club around the time of the First World War.

Connie's fine record – she was fourth in the 100 yards at the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games – was mentioned in dispatches when an exhibition of stories, photographs and memorabilia was centrepiece of the successful Heritage open day programme at Victoria Leisure Centre on Saturday.

Among the people who drew on their memories was Jill Russell, former secretary of Nottingham Ladies SC and Nottingham Victoria SC.

Jill, who spent many hours at Victoria Baths, recalled: "I first swam there when we visited Nottingham in 1945 and then when we came to live in the city in 1946 I used to go to general swimming sessions and swim length after length."

When Jill joined Nottingham Ladies SC, which met on Tuesday evenings at the Baths, it opened up a new life and swimming would play a prominent part.

The next year she was selected to swim for the county and while still in the sixth form at Mundella Grammar School she became club captain.

Two years later she took over as secretary, a position she held for 25 years.

Nottingham Ladies eventually changed its name to Nottingham Victoria SC so they could compete against other clubs with mixed memberships.

Nottingham Ladies was founded in 1909 and the old minute books record the achievements of Connie Jeans.

Jill said: "As well as competing in the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, she also won races in the River Thames.

"And, if I remember correctly, Connie was fifth in a race in the River Seine in Paris, beating men swimmers.

"Today, the only spectators at galas are the parents and friends of the competing young swimmers.

"Not so in Connie Jeans' day. I was told that when it was announced that she would be swimming in a gala at her home pool, the whole of the balcony at the Victoria Baths would be full to capacity by members of the general public, who came to see the great swimming star of the day.

"Unfortunately I never saw a photo of her."

Nottingham Victoria Swimming Club folded in the 1980s.

But the exhibition underlined how many people have happy memories of the Baths and want the historic centre to remain open.

Norma Nicholson's parents met in 1939 while attending a wrestling match – they were held on Thursday nights – at the Baths.

She recalled: "My father had just come to Nottingham and was lodging at the house of my aunty's boyfriend.

"My mother went along with my aunty to meet the boyfriend and my father. My parents were married in 1941, just after my father joined the Marines.

"My parents used to take my sister and me to the Post Office Swimming Club on a Thursday evening at the Victoria Baths from about 1961, when I was about eight, until about 1965.

"I learnt to swim there. The instructor was a Mr Oliver."

Norma added: "I think it will be a great shame if the Victoria Baths are demolished. It is an unusual and attractive building. I expect the facilities need a lot of improvement."

There were three swimming pools at the Victoria, the exhibition pool, the ladies pool and the oval pool.

Brenda Wright remembers Victoria Baths during winter months when a wooden floor was placed over the oval swimming pool for roller skating. "The precise dates elude me but I would say it was the late 1940s and early 1950s.

"We had a roller hockey team, who played matches with teams from other roller skating rinks and when away games were organised they played at other rinks with a dedicated team of home supporters following them. There was also speed skating."

Brenda added: "I think it would scandalous to demolish any part of the building. Part of it could become a roller rink as before."

The heritage fun day and the exhibition was organised and funded by Save Victoria Baths in partnership with Sneinton Alchemy.

Matt Anderson, chairman of the Save Victoria Baths campaign group, explained the aims of the event.

"Whatever happens to the Baths in the future, it is clear that there will be changes to the buildings and we feel it is important to celebrate the existing leisure centre and all that it means to people.

"But we also want to show that throughout its long history the Baths has continued to play a key part in the life of the local community."

If this article evokes memories or if anyone has a photograph of Connie Jeans, write to David Lowe at the Nottingham Evening Post, Castle Wharf House, Nottingham NG1 7EU or email david.lowe@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk