04/05/2023
History of Aldershot Lido
A personal take from Keith Bean – Historic Aldershot Military Town
When I first started looking into the history of The Lido, I had no idea that the journey would take me back nearly a 1000 years. Let’s be honest, how many in the room WOULD think that…..? But if you knew that……Would you also know that the story would involve two kings…., a Queen…., the Olympic Games,….and a crystal bowl full of Goldfish……? The land where the lido sits forms part of Aldershot Park…., I can trace the Park back as far as 1154;…..when a new hunting lodge was proposed for the coronation of King Henry II…….The park was constructed as a venue for hunting, then known as “the sport of Kings”………..There was to be built a mansion for the entertainment of the hunt……Aldershot had found itself….and I quote….. A “Pretentious”….. almost castle like structure, complete with Moat! There was a portcullis, loophole towers, drawbridges and a gamekeepers lodge. King John is said to have stayed here on the night before the signing of the Magna Carta. Elisabeth I is also said to have been a visitor. One of Aldershot’s greatest families, the Tichborne’s, lived here for many generations. By the early 1800’s though….. it had become dilapidated and run down…., so much so that it was pulled down in the 1830’s by Charles Barron, who built a Georgian style mansion on the grounds. The site of the Lido was originally a lake, which was situated close to the house that Charles built in 1842. The lake is fed by an underground spring, this spring had supplied fresh drinking water since around 1200………The Council purchased the estate in 1920 for £21,000…… The lake, which had deteriorated since the 1880s, and had been described as a “fine sheet of water” – had become overgrown with weeds, the banks had crumbled…… and it was overhung with trees. The Borough Council decided to convert it into a bathing pool and this was one of the council’s major improvement projects of the 1920s. So we all know what happens next then…..The Council knocked down a fine landmark in Aldershot, and set the precedent for the next 60 odd years…..The Hippodrome, The outdoor Market, that sort of thing……But I digress…. Back to the Lido, …….the lake was drained, considerable excavations were made, and the pool connected with the necessary filtering plant, dressing rooms and other amenities, including lawns and terraces around the pool, at a cost of nearly £6,300….. In 1948 Aldershot helped host the Olympic Games. In fact, Aldershot Lido hosted three of the five events in the modern pentathlon . The swimming was held at Aldershot Lido, Maida Gymnasium hosted the fencing, and the cross-country
equestrian event was held at Tweseldown. In fact, all of the Olympic equestrian events, were held at Aldershot. The pentathlon event was won by a Swedish army Captain. The Aldershot Lido was reputed to be “the largest and finest open-air bathing pool in the country”. And opened in the spring of 1930, it contained one and a half million gallons of water and covered some 10 acres of leisure area, with one acre being underwater. OPENING Printed on Wednesday 28th May 1930 The Lido Officially opened on Saturday 24 May 1930, so now 85 years old this year it was quite a star studded event, with many of our, and Europe’s, leading swimmers in attendance….The Royal Artillery Mounted Band provided the music. Quote Aldershot News; “There is every prospect of Aldershot becoming prominent in the near future as a great swimming Centre, capable of providing the county association with an abundance of talent. whatever has been accomplished in the past has been due to the efforts of the army swimming Association, but with the march of years and the public demand for swimming facilities, the Aldershot Borough Council has realised the necessity of a public bath.” “The result of their enterprise was revealed on Saturday 24th, with a gigantic bathing pool of an open-air type was officially opened by the mayor and Mayoress, in the presence of a large gathering of people” Throughout the course of the day, as the band played, various aquatic sports took place in the shape of exhibitions and contests. To quote the Aldershot News at the time; “to commemorate the occasion the southern counties amateur swimming Association, in conjunction with the Hampshire and army associations, provided an interesting display of swimming, diving and water polo. Edward Harry Temme, of channel swimming fame, gave an exhibition swim, whilst members of the amateur diving association, including Miss Belle White, the champion of Europe, gave a display of high and fancy diving.” *Mr Temme was 22 when he became the first man to swim the English Channel both ways in 1927. He was also in the British Olympic water polo team of 1928 and 1936. …..the shape of the pool was to cater for many watersport activities. The diving platforms were of Olympic standard, 4 in total, with the highest being 5 metres. The straight length of the pool, 55 metres, with a depth of six feet, provided a full sized water polo pitch. The opening ceremony was conducted by the mayor, Councillor Edwards, and at his request the Mayoress introduced the first swimmers into the pool…….by emptying a crystal bowl of Goldfish into the water……. quote “A particularly charming act to inaugurate the latest amenity to the borough'”……… although that’s probably not what the Goldfish were thinking….. Lastly I’d like to leave you with the words of Mr H E Fern, secretary of Aldershot amateur swimming association; “Swimming is an unequalled physical exercise, and is within the means of everyone. Suitable for both sexes of all ages, and has not to be given up at middle age. I hope you will regard it as your duty to take up this wonderful and exhilarating exercise, and to see that your children do the same.”‘
