Whipps Cross Lido


Whipps Cross Lido

This is where the muddy Whipps Cross Lido used to be!

Location: Snaresbrook Road, Walthamstow

Description: The Hollow Ponds Bathing Pool was dug out here in 1905 and fed by natural springs at this Southern edge of Epping Forest.

Despite works to progressively line the bathing pond with concrete in the 1920s, the pool remained renowned for its mud!

In 1932 6,000 was spent, in a joint effort by Leyton & Walthamstow borough councils, to further improve conditions for swimming. Four large dressing rooms were provided and a great deal of mud was reportedly removed from the bottom of the pool during the work to level and cleanse the pool. The pool was still described as irregularly oval at this stage, but with a straight 100 yard section for racing.

This very large pool, 300ft by 130ft, was also connected to a unique 63ft diameter and 10ft deep circular diving basin.

The pool was closed for 2 summers in 1970 and 1971, but was reopened after a 29,000 refurbishment. It was reported that the pool suffered from extensive vandalism during 1970-71 and 24-hour security was introduced when the pool was re-opened to combat this problem.

The pool was closed for good in September 1982 and was demolished in 1983.

Difficult to spot now, since it was filled in.


Themes: NatureNature Theme  Public AmenitiesPublic Amenities Theme
Whipps Cross Lido

This is where the muddy Whipps Cross Lido used to be!

Ranking This Month: 200/3069

Pages Hit This Month: 37


Credits: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/oliver.merrington/lidos/lidos1closed.htm

3» I used to love it here as a kid in the 1960s. Came here once in the late 1970s as a student with a few friends. Such a shame its no longer there. We used to enjoy climbing on the fountains. Another health and safety nightmare (Tom Doust)
Posted by Tom Doust on 2010-11-14
2» I used to swim here regularly during the 60s. If you gained your Bronze Medallion for life saving at this time you got a pass to swim in all swimming pools in Waltham Forest, I remember going here supposedly to revise for Olevels, not much ever got done! Can anyone tell me the height of the top diving board? It seemed huge at the time and probably far too high for the 10 foot depth of the diving pool! Health and Safety would have had a fit! (Alison Selfe)
Posted by Alison Selfe on 2009-09-04
1» 1960s - loved that pool despite numerous wasps pestering me for my ice lolly! (Christopher Wyer)
Posted by Christopher Wyer on 2007-12-18

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