Purley Lido

Museum of Croydon, PH-00-560

For those born after the millennium, it’s possibly somewhat hard to visualise joyous sunbathers on a shingle beech, swimming by floodlight in Croydon.  But that’s exactly what was happening after the new ozone seaside at Purley Way was opened by Mayor of Croydon, Alderman J Trumble JP on 20th July 1935.

Built by the Croydon Corporation, it was the borough engineer, Mr C. E. Boast who designed and carried out the scheme on a site of approximately 4 ½ acres. The grounds were laid out with shrubberies, flower beds and lawns, sunbathing beaches formed of shingle and surrounded by a raised shrubbery embankment. The 200ft long and 70ft wide ozone pool, was the first open air swimming pool to be heated, lit and sterilised entirely by electricity. 
An elaborate system of underwater lighting and ornamental cascades illuminated in changing colours.  An Art Decco café and restaurant for visitors was the icing on the cake for this magnificent lido. This idyllic haven of course could not have been completed without those who picked up a tool and wiped a sweated brow in this ozone pools creation, their names I do not know, however the people who co-ordinated the shovelling of dirt, the building of bricks and sawing of wood, I can tell you, hence Mr J. T. Oswald – foreman bricklayer; Mr H. Stewart – foreman carpenter and Mr H. King – foreman labourer, so represented by them, hats off to you.                                                     

The opening ceremony was followed by a spectacular show, with diving displays from Olympic gold medallists Pete Desjardins and Harold ‘Dutch’ Smith.  This was preceded by a parade of swimming clubs including the Thornton Heath club and the Bensham Manor ward Labour party.

WW2 saw the Purley lido used as a Gas-cleansing station and a Civil defence store, but it re-opened after nine years on 1st June 1948, albeit without its underwater illuminations as a concession to the ‘save electricity’ campaign.  There was no official opening ceremony this time, but a visit from Council members.

National events were held at the Purley Way lido and many Croydonians will recount fond memories of the place.  However, amongst the fond memories, the pool saw the tragic loss of 25 year old Herbert Hindmarsh of Ringwood Avenue, Croydon, who died in Croydon General Hospital after hitting his head on the bottom of the baths after sliding down a water-chute in July 1937.

By 1973, high costing repairs were needed and with more and more visitors
opting for the availability of cheap package holidays abroad, the lido finally closed in 1979.

by Mandy Smith, Collections Access Officer

 Sources
Museum of Croydon archives
Croydon Advertiser
Norwood News
West Sussex Gazette
www.lostlidos.co.uk
www.ancestry.co.uk