Alexandra Park Open Air Swimming Bath

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Peter on February 16, 2020 at 16:48

Another fascinating piece of research, Hugh!

Permalink Reply by Geraldine on February 16, 2020 at 17:49

Most interesting, Hugh.  Thank you!  How many elephants would it take to close a swimming bath? 

Permalink Reply by Lesley Ramm on February 16, 2020 at 20:48

Great  info Hugh. My mum, born 1924, used the derelict pool as a kid along with others on Campsbourne estate. They bunked in, didnt pay. She said it was dirty, concrete sides all broken. By 1970s it was filled in bit the concrete edges still visible

Permalink Reply by Hugh on February 16, 2020 at 20:57

That's interesting. You say derelict. Both the photos I have (above) and Kelly's have the pool as still active up to the war. So, I take it that it was derelict but still open when your mum used it?

Permalink Reply by Hugh on February 16, 2020 at 23:14

I posted a link to this discussion on the AP Neighbours forum. Forum member Alex King added this photo of the remains of the Baths, shot in 2015. I repost a colour-corrected version below with Alex's permission.

Permalink Reply by Richard Woods on February 21, 2020 at 11:22

Brilliant piece of work. Fascinating that Ally Pally was at one time in Tottenham Borough! Did Wood Green no exist at that time?

Good to see Hornsey pool get a mention - I spent a lot of time there in the late 50s and early 60s. And Tottenham Lido.

Thank you Hugh.

Permalink Reply by Hugh on February 21, 2020 at 12:00

Thanks, Richard. Yes Wood Green is an old Village. Local historian Albert Pinching gives its origins as being in the 12th Century.

Permalink Reply by Renato B on February 21, 2020 at 16:56

Thank you Hugh for a very interesting piece. I did not know there was a swimming pool in the grounds of Alexandra  Palace park.

Permalink Reply by Lydia Walter on February 21, 2020 at 18:17

Great research and, as always, interesting background history Hugh.  I also had no knowledge of the Alexander Park swimming baths.  However, I spent many happy childhood summer holidays at Crouch End Lido (as we called it) and Tottenham Lido.

Crouch End Lido was the smaller of the two and I have fairly vague memories of the lay out.  It was a mainly concrete affair.  Once entering the turnstiles and bearing right one noticed the "sunken gardens" literally two areas, sunk into the ground and accessed by concrete steps.  Here there was a modest amount of grass where sun bathers would lay their towels and relax in the sun after a swim.  Being the only grassed areas around the pool, these sunken gardens became crowded during busy summer holidays.  The sides of these two areas were at an angle to the base and covered in rocks and fairly colourful, but sparse, rock plants.  

Sometimes, not wanting to climb the stairs out of the gardens a "youngster" would climb up the sides using the rocks to help ascent - I think I tried it once and stubbed my toe causing pain, a small blood loss and huge embarrassment.

Further to the right there was a "paddling pool" for younger children and this had wooden bench seats around it - this was where my Mum used to sit and chat with her friends while we, the children, played in either of the pools, depending on our age and swimming ability.

Tottenham Lido was the lido of choice: it was approximately double the size of Crouch End, offered a choice of two chutes (slides) and varying height diving boards.  Each end was about 1 metre deep and the "deep end" was actually in the centre of the pool.  The chute at the shallow end was suitable for less confident swimmers as was the diving board.  But the piece de resistance was the tiered diving platform in the centre of the pool: the higher the climb the more experienced the diver.  I think there were three diving platforms and I may have managed once, as a dare, to climb the stairs to the second height, before climbing back down again!  I remember watching much braver souls than I "belly flop" from the first  or second platform.  Clearly the top diving board was for, almost, olympic style divers/swimmers.  I remember it as an experience worthy of an audience as if one of my friends used the diving board, we all watched.  

Like the Park Road pool (visible in the photo), Tottenham Lido also had a fountain near the inside entrance. This was purely for ornamental purposes and clearly stated: "Do not climb into or stand under the fountain" - but there was occasionally someone who would flout the rules and once caught by the life guard would be removed from the pool.

There were huge concrete areas at either end of the pool, along with areas around its length and it was here we would lay our towels and leave our bags and packed lunch.  It was pretty uncomfortable laying on a towel with concrete underneath it - we used to use our bags as a pillow; we didn't notice the discomfort: we were in the open air, with friends, young and carefree.

I remember the summer of 1969 being particularly sunny and I visited Tottenham Lido every day of my six week school summer holiday.  Besides the entry fee, I took 1 shilling: 6d for a bag of cheese and onion crisps and 6d for an ice lolly.  It was my final school summer break as in 1970, at the age of 15, I began work.

Permalink Reply by Geraldine on February 22, 2020 at 7:32

I enjoyed reading this, Lydia.  What a memory you have for detail!

Permalink Reply by Lydia Walter on February 22, 2020 at 9:04

Thank you! 

Permalink Reply by Lindsay Fowler on March 1, 2020 at 7:17

Thanks for putting my memories into words. We had fabulous summer days at Tottenham Lido in the 60/70s, where "muscleman" Eddie Pengelly could be seen parading himself by the fountain. 

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