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At the Lido

Published on July 10th, 2023

For many of us childhood summer days were often spent at the lido or local outdoor pool. The heydays of the British lido were in the 1930s when they were so enjoyed by the masses.

Join us in a little indulgent summer nostalgia with this selection of photographs and memories from the Collection of folk having a splashing great time at the lido!

"As kids my brother Ray and my sister Jan and myself spent every weekend and all the summer holidays at the lido, we used to take our food and stay for the day. We had season tickets and I must admit the summers seemed warmer.
A memory by Sue Marriott (Rockford).
"

Photo: Aldershot, The Bathing Pool c.1955.
Memory: Aldershot Lido


"I remember walking to the Lido from Earls Barton, with my sister May. We would take a picnic of cheese sandwiches and a bottle of water and stay there all day. As we got older it was the ideal place to eye up all the boys. Happy days!
A memory by Isabel Marchant (then Wilson).
"

Photo: Wellingborough, Wilby Swimming Pool c.1950.
Memory: Wilby Lido


"I stayed at the Lido, Mallon Dene when I was 5 in 1955 with my Mum and Dad. It was run by the WTA - Worker's Travelling Association. We booked the holiday quite late and had to have 2 separate rooms; one with one bed and one with two beds. I was too scared to sleep on my own so I slept with my Mum and Dad slept on his own in the other room. The chalets were in 2 floors and we were upstairs. My Dad worked out that he could knock on the wall of his room and that we could hear it in ours. Dad's wash basin had a small chip in it, so I remember he filled in the gap with a piece of his red Lifebuoy soap! I loved the camp as I could hire a horse styled bike for 6p a go. I was very lucky and was allowed 2 goes. I had a gold gathered up style swimming costume - I have a photo of me in the paddeling pool there - and I took my teddy bear "Teddy Chum" away with me. Nice memories of 53 years ago.
A memory by Thelma Doyle.
"

Photo: Rustington, Swimming Gala, Mallon Dene c.1955.
Memory: The Lido, Mallon Dene


"I remember moving to Dagenham when I was 4, I lived at 46 Boulton Road. After school me, my sisters (Mandy and Sally) and friends would go over to Valence Park and when supper was ready my mum would come and get us. We used to call the big swimming pool 'the lido'. You had to pay to get in so one would pay and go and open the gate at the back of the Lido for friends to get in if they never had the pennies to pay. One weekend I was chucked in the pool in the hope of landing on the rubber tire. I fell through it and panicked, from that day I never went back in the pool. I would sit on the edge, quite happy enough to dangle my feet in the cold water - I was 6 at the time.
A memory by Sharon George.
"

Photo: Dagenham, The Swimming Pool, Valence Park c.1960.
Memory: The Lido (Big Swimming Pool)


"I lived the war years in Gloucester and at weekends when the weather was great, my friends and I would take the bus to Cheltenham and spend the day at the lido. I thought it was a wonderful place.
There were massess of American service men stationed in the area at that time awaiting the assult of the D-day landings. Well, they would love to show off on the high diving boards and we girls in turn loved to watch them. I suppose to us, they were the equivalent of todays super stars.
A memory by June Jackson.
"

Photo: Cheltenham, The Lido 1937.
Memory: War Time Memories


"I remember spending many hours at the lido with my sister and my friends, and the memory of buying cups of hot bovril from the hut, warming up and enjoying it so much. And the endless hours of fun spent there.
A memory by Vera Brindley.
"

Photo: Eastleigh, The Swimming Pool c.1955.
Memory: Swimming Pool.


Photo: Earlswood, Lake, The Lido c.1950.


This post has the following tags: Archives,Memories,Nostalgia.
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