History of Southampton Swimming Pool

Round my uncles and we're talking about the Central Baths as he took part in the opening gala in 1962 (water polo).

We are trying to work out when it closed. Found out The Quays opened in 1999, but can't find when the 16ft 6 close?

Also did Central baths have a refurb in 80s (flumes put in???) or was there anew pool in between Central Baths and The Quays??

Centre 2000.

I remember going swimming there in the early 90's. It definetley had flumes put in at some point as I remember that crazy almost vertical one.

they called that vertical one the hydro whip

I think it went in early nineties (91?) - I last swam there in 89, I think, but then left the area.

Blimey I'm old enough to remember the swimming baths before then! And the Lido.

I took my grandchildren to an open-air pool last Thursday and I was telling my SiL about the Lido. What a wonderful place it was.

Blimey I'm old enough to remember the swimming baths before then! And the Lido.

 

I took my grandchildren to an open-air pool last Thursday and I was telling my SiL about the Lido. What a wonderful place it was.

I to can remember the old swimming baths before the new one opened, we used to go their with the school, you either learned to swim or drown at 10 because it was to deep to touch the bottom.

Blimey I'm old enough to remember the swimming baths before then! And the Lido.

 

I took my grandchildren to an open-air pool last Thursday and I was telling my SiL about the Lido. What a wonderful place it was.

How cold was the Lido!!? Didn't seem to bother us when ewe were kids though!!

I to can remember the old swimming baths before the new one opened' date=' we used to go their with the school, you either learned to swim or drown at 10 because it was to deep to touch the bottom.[/quote']

 

I learned to swim there (my uncle used to play water polo and he basically just threw me in) and when I was a bit older I used to train with the swimming club but I gave up when I 'discovered' boys and the state of my hair mattered

 

Do you remember the hot blackcurrant drink and penny buns you could get at a little kiosk at the entrance (it may have been the ticket office as well)?

The lido was built 1854, reconstructed 1930, closed 1977.

Indoor central baths built 1892 demolished 1960s after quays built, which was then demolished and replaced by the present pool.

Central baths, I loved the windows as you walked in, think every little git tried to break them at some point!

There was a drinks machine that did hot Bovril, problem was the plastic cups were to thin to hold.

Learned to swim there, dont forget there was a nursery pool too. I never had the courage to jump off the top board, not sure how high it was, but if you did a belly flop, guess you were good as dead....

Guaranteed a verruca, also went to the LSU loads on a Sunday morning

Didnt realise it was built in 62

Link here to the Lido,

http://www.jakesimpkin.org/ArticlesResearch/tabid/84/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/15/The-Lido.aspx

ps link to central

http://www.soyouwantto.co.uk/southamptoncentralbaths.html

Central baths, I loved the windows as you walked in, think every little git tried to break them at some point!

There was a drinks machine that did hot Bovril, problem was the plastic cups were to thin to hold.

Learned to swim there, dont forget there was a nursery pool too. I never had the courage to jump off the top board, not sure how high it was, but if you did a belly flop, guess you were good as dead....

Guaranteed a verruca, also went to the LSU loads on a Sunday morning

Didnt realise it was built in 62

Link here to the Lido,

http://www.jakesimpkin.org/ArticlesResearch/tabid/84/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/15/The-Lido.aspx

 

ps link to central

 

http://www.soyouwantto.co.uk/southamptoncentralbaths.html

Happy Days

Used to go there every Wednesday evening when I was around 14 with mates from school and test our metal on the diving boards. It used to be chaos, people flinging themselves of left right and centre, landing all other the place, it as like frogger

The Central baths I had to got to every day before school for a couple of hours training, then 3 evenings a week on top of that, so it was like a factory to me.....The Lido however was simply what you get if you mate awesome with magical. I can just about remember peeking into the ladies indoor pool when I was little. It's a crying shame that there is nothing to replace the Lido these days.

Love the fact that when you went into the central there was the big glass window showing the 16'6" end underwater. remenber diving dow holding your breath looking at the people coming in.

I did an almighty big wee in there when I was little.

The hydro whip was nuts. Also it had 10m diving board!

Love the fact that when you went into the central there was the big glass window showing the 16'6" end underwater. remenber diving dow holding your breath looking at the people coming in.

I pulled many a moonie into that window.

The hydro whip was nuts. Also it had 10m diving board!

I never liked the hydrowhip

Centre 2000.

...knocked down long before the millennium though!

Was sh i tscared of the Hydrowhip as a lad. Did in the end though. Aint no pansy or nothing.

I remember that glass window looking into the deep end, also a fine view of the Ocean Liners in dock through the huge glass windows at the end.

Love the fact that when you went into the central there was the big glass window showing the 16'6" end underwater. remenber diving dow holding your breath looking at the people coming in.

Are you Len Fairclough?

I discovered masturbation at the central baths. Spent hours in the toilets. In my defence, I was there an awful lot, and I had to do it somewhere!!

Anybody go cub swimming? It was also scouts as well. Lots of boys lined up in their speedos while an 'attendant' sprayed us from a hose pipe with ice-cold water, he also whipped the odd lucky one with his rubber hose; this was all in the pre-CRB days of course, and with hindsight it was proper dodgy.

Anyway, I learnt to swim in the little pool and progressed to the big pool; hot bovril and pickle flavour crisps afterwards, remember hearing the New Seekers and Slade on the jukebox/PA like it was yesterday!

Southampton were a top swimming club at that time but were slightly derailed by a scandal surrounding a certain high-ranking coach.

Completely coincidentally was watching the Olympics today and asked my boys their memories of swimming in a 50m pool - they had both swum in a 50m pool in France and one had in Germany ... despite being a fairly sporty family neither of them had swum in a 50m pool in the UK. 16 foot 6, jumped it once, fair play to anyone that has dived it!

I was told that the old pool was just short of 50m and could not be used for international events and that this was deliberate as the council did not want to bother with big events

 

Southampton were a top swimming club at that time but were slightly derailed by a scandal surrounding a certain high-ranking coach.

 

 

Jebus! I never heard this before! Please tell me it wasn't Dave Haller! I realise it is difficult with legal implications and all, so if it was, just say "Penguin"

I was told that the old pool was just short of 50m and could not be used for international events and that this was deliberate as the council did not want to bother with big events

True fact, that.

I was told that the old pool was just short of 50m and could not be used for international events and that this was deliberate as the council did not want to bother with big events

I do recall that also, but was told the builder co-cked up with meters and yards ?

I discovered masturbation at the central baths. Spent hours in the toilets.

I am sure the other boys were very grateful for your services

Southampton were a top swimming club at that time but were slightly derailed by a scandal surrounding a certain high-ranking coach.

 

 

Southampton was definitely a top swimming club in the 1960's & into the early 70's.I was thinking about this watching the Olympics the other night. Whenever swimming featured on tv there would always be someone from Southampton involved during that time. Must have produced plenty of swimmers for GB over the years.

I don't remember a coaching scandel, but there was often some controversy surrounding one or two of the swimmers, p!ss ups at Blackpool galas, and then Ray Tyrrell I think who was in trouble re allegations of illegal substances before the Munich olympics.

In 1994 no one died

I used to go to the swimming club (along with my brother and sister) in the early 70's. A special coach was laid on from Eastleigh.

I didn't go to the Lido (unfortunately) but spent most of my summer holidays in the outdoor pool at Bishopstoke - until it was closed.

There is an excellent outdoor pool here in Minsk, filled with mineral water, that I go to quite a bit in the summer. They have a couple of bars, have a BBQ constantly on the go and the scenery is fantastic (if you get my drift). In fact, I may go tomorrow as it is forecast for a hot 33 degrees in the shade here.

I do recall that also, but was told the builder co-cked up with meters and yards ?

That's what I heard too, would be interesting to know if it's true, on the subject of possible urban myths, I also heard that someone belly-flopped from the 10m board & died, spilling their innards across the pool surface, does anyone know if it actually happened.

The things I remember about the old baths is the big windows (often with young boys exposing themselves to the customers in reception), the racks you put your clothes in before handing them to the attendant & I once jumped off the 10m board, it's the scariest thing I've ever done, I've got the utmost respect for the likes of Waterfield & Daley who do it for fun.

I also had a hand in designing the new pool.

That's what I heard too, would be interesting to know if it's true, on the subject of possible urban myths, I also heard that someone belly-flopped from the 10m board & died, spilling their innards across the pool surface, does anyone know if it actually happened.

.

Don't know about anyone dying but when at junior school a girl in our class was called out of a lesson, her younger brother a year or so below was on school trip to the baths and had split himself open doing a belly flop from the top board.. Had a full torso length scar which he was proud to show to all when he eventually returned to school.

Also pleased to see from this thread I was far from the only one that was too scared to jump or dive from the top board. Always thought that would be a shameful secret I would have to take to my grave

Where abouts was the Bishopstoke pool?

I used to go to the swimming club (along with my brother and sister) in the early 70's. A special coach was laid on from Eastleigh.

 

I didn't go to the Lido (unfortunately) but spent most of my summer holidays in the outdoor pool at Bishopstoke - until it was closed.

 

There is an excellent outdoor pool here in Minsk, filled with mineral water, that I go to quite a bit in the summer. They have a couple of bars, have a BBQ constantly on the go and the scenery is fantastic (if you get my drift). In fact, I may go tomorrow as it is forecast for a hot 33 degrees in the shade here.

We used to go to Bishy for school swimming lessons when I was at Derby Road (Cherbourg) primary school.

By god it was cold. Icebergs were as much a threat as drowning was!!

In the summer my gang would yomp over from Eastleigh and join the queues to get in.

Big fat bloke with Benny Hill specs telling people (us!!) off for depth charging from the diving boards and having towel flicking fights.

The journey home would first of all involve a quick trip round the back of the changing rooms to look through any cracks into the girls changing rooms. Unlike Ohio Saint we didn't get around to any masturbatory high jinks though!! Then we'd go into the newsagents across the road and buy a Jubbly for the trek back to Eastleigh.

Happy Days indeed.

The length of the pool was certainly not deliberate. It was 1. something millimetres short, of being an Olympic sized pool and hence the inability to hold proper tournaments. (One of the main reasons it was built).

But it had many redeeming features, not least the windows, which could provide hours on entertainment for young teenage boys who from the pool would still find their 10,000 moon as funny as their first and from outside the pool would appreciate the girls who choose to swim in Bikini's and jump from anything higher than the second board.

Where abouts was the Bishopstoke pool?

I remember it well, it was where the Merc garage is/was.

Does anyone else remember the vending machine at Central Baths that actually cooked a potion of chips and dispensed them too you? It was amazing and I think it was there around the mid 80's

Round my uncles and we're talking about the Central Baths as he took part in the opening gala in 1962 (water polo).

 

We are trying to work out when it closed. Found out The Quays opened in 1999, but can't find when the 16ft 6 close?

 

Also did Central baths have a refurb in 80s (flumes put in???) or was there anew pool in between Central Baths and The Quays??

http://www.soyouwantto.co.uk/southamptoncentralbaths.html

Where abouts was the Bishopstoke pool?

About a half mile or so after crossing the Railway bridge coming from Eastleigh direction. on the left hand side.

As said above is now a Car showroom of some sort.

I loved the baths, last went there in 1991/2.

I have dived off of the 5th board, schatt myself the first time having jumped off a few times in the past, the ceiling appeared to be pretty close from up there. I remember that the 3rd, 4th and 5th boards were shut off to in the latter years and you could only dive off them with approval from the life guard, understandable as it was total chaos on the 3rd and 4th board at weekends..They had a revamp there in the late 80's and opened a health suite with sauna's.

Like many others, I learned to swim in Southampton Central baths. Used to go before and after the revamp. The biggest changes were probably them halving the large pool and putting the flumes in.

During school holidays, would often spend the entire day there. Seemed to be no end of stuff to keep you busy ( basically because bombing never gets old ).

Oddly enough, don't think I've ever been to the Quays.

In 1994 no one died

I recognise this reference. Patrick Marber's security guard in The Day Today

I recognise this reference. Patrick Marber's security guard in The Day Today

Was it not from Coogan's Run, the Steve Coogan solo series?

They had a special way at our school of teaching you to swim, which was, shouting at you to take you feet off the ground and calling you a poof, if you did not! Great education!

If any of you are 'friends' with Southampton Memories and Places on FB, they've posted a great pic of the 'new' baths (Centre 2000).

Ah - recall fondly Friday nights - off the top board at Central, then over to the Juniper Berry for the strippers. Two thrills for the price of one bus ticket.

In 1994 no one died

I could go on...

Southampton were a top swimming club at that time but were slightly derailed by a scandal surrounding a certain high-ranking coach.

Jebus! I never heard this before! Please tell me it wasn't Dave Haller! I realise it is difficult with legal implications and all, so if it was, just say "Penguin"

I remember that name as coach, ans also Derek Snelling, although no idea that either were ever rumoured to be involved in any scandal. Dave Haller had quite a career after Southampton, and retired from Cardiff Swimming Club a couple of years ago.

Interesting reminiscing on this thread, lead me to do a bit of a google search and found the following links that might be of interest:

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/11248598.Swimming_club_celebrates_50_years/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Southampton_Swimming_Club

True fact, that.

Wasn't one of the boards 9 metres instead of 10 for the same reason?