The Southport of Yesteryear Remember those glorious summer days at our sea bathing lake?
WARM days and bright sunshine in Southport only meant one thing in years gone by – an excuse to visit our open air pool.
Southport Sea Bathing Lake was a magnificent attraction which drew many thousands of visitors in its heyday.
The building stood by Southport Beach, not far from other popular seaside attractions such as Southport Pier, Peter Pan’s playground and pool, Southport Pleasureland, and the Lakeside Miniature Railway.
Any appearance of sunshine saw it packed with swimmers of all ages.
A national poster campaign in 1932 was unstinting in its praise: “Swimming pool is far too prosaic a name to describe the magnificent temple that Southport has built to the goddess of air and water and sunshine.
“Here the youth and beauty of the town disport themselves in the most elegant surroundings and men and maidens meet in the pleasant cafes surrounding.”
Sadly, the landmark was controversially demolished by Sefton Council in the 1990s, as it made way for the Ocean Plaza development.
Here members of The Southport of Yesterday Facebook group share their memories of golden days out at a stunning attraction we all miss.
SanSan Field said: “Pretty much every summer in my childhood revolved around the pool, so many fantastic memories, Wish my kids could have enjoyed it.”
Martin Greenwood said: “Remember spending many school summer holidays here in the ’70s from first thing in the morning when it opened ’til last thing at night ’til it closed. Miss it so much. Pity will never see anything like this place ever again.”
Debbie Porter said: “Always there in the summer holidays, was a great place and greatly missed.”
John Kitching said: “Best place ever when you went everyone you knew was there.”
Lisa Anne Bullough Fowler said: “Loved it there. The slides seemed so high.
“We had a Dutch student to stay one summer to learn English and she dived in with her glasses on. The staff managed to get them out in the evening when the pool was closed.”
Jo-Anne Lewis said: “Used to love climbing from the bottom to the top of the rock waterfalls – it felt like I’d conquered Everest when I got to the top!
“One week we were stood in the queue when our Dad disappeared leaving us with Mum. He got back before we entered and was carrying a four man dinghy that he’d just bought from House of Holland – great times we had.”
Carol Leddy said: “Absolutely fab, used to be there in the queue for opening time, leaving when they kicked us out!
“Our parents knew we were ok and us too, used to get a season ticket for the summer holidays!”
Nicola Crook said: “Loved it. Spent my childhood and early adulthood there, lived in Ormskirk and stayed at my grandparents in Birkdale during the summer holidays so we could go there whenever the sun shone.
“My sister and I had contracts / passes so we didn’t have to queue to get in. Loved walking straight in when there was a massive queue.”
Shirley Hartill said: “Who wouldn’t love a beautiful place like that. We were so very lucky.
“I went to Meols Cop school in the late ’40s early ’50s, was a bit naughty though. My friends and I used to to bunk off school and spend our day at the pool. We had a truants man on a sit up and beg bike who used to try a catch us! Happy days.”
Chris Phillips said: “Loved this place. Remember the smell and the excitement as you exited the changing rooms. The thrill of trying to swim to the island, loved the rock pools the best. Thought I was so daring climbing up them.”
Wendy Entwistle said: “Best ever place. Kids could play while mums sunbathed. Loved the place.”
Pauline Hadfield Graham said: “I was there nearly every in the schoool holidays... loved it and the English Rose contest. Sad it had to close.”
Nicky Pimlott said: “Came to work in Southport in 1976 at the Scarisbrick Hotel and spent my days off at the outdoor pool. What an amazing year!”
Angela Brew said: “Went as much as possible with my friends throughout the school summer holidays. Summers always seemed hotter in the ’70s.”
Barbara Miller said: “I used to spend whole days there with my children. We would take a picnic have a great day in the fresh air and because of the sand pit all ages were happy.”
Sid Rosenthal said: “Hanging out with the lads all summer, learning to swim then dive, watching the girls go by, Happy days, Sadly denied to our grandchildren.”
Neil Stanhope said: “Loved the place. Time stood still. I can still hear Erol the DJ playing When Doves Cry by Prince or his other favourite White Lines. Happy Days.”
Gilly Forrester said: “I remember going there in the late ‘70s summers when it was so hot. Used to meet friends at the train station and head to Southport for the day.
“I also remember going to watch It’s A Knockout there – they did a pirate themed show. My Mum met Cliff Richard there in the ’50s.”
Eileen Cromwell said: “We used to sneak in, stay all day, used to love swimming under the pontoon.
“We all used to take the Coke bottles which people gave us back to the cafe and got 6d back on each one.
“The ladies end was always cold, as the sun hardly got that end.”
Mary Hughes said: “Really lovely, in the 1940s, nice shallow end for young children, flowers, geraniums I think, on some sort of terrace, colourful and sunny. One year we weren’t allowed to go because there was a polio scare.”
There were other dangers too – not least the deep end.
Wendy Butler said: “Fifty years ago, I was eight years old. I was playing in the shallow end, happily splashing in the sunshine, and the crowded bathing lake was crammed full of others having a great time too.
“I clambered up onto one of the floats, slipped in the crush and fell off into the deep end! Not a swimmer!
“I was plunging into the depths, coming up for air, plunging down again, gulping and spluttering in terror. All around me people were enjoying the water, the noise of voices and water drowning out my cries for help! I was drowning. Unnoticed in the hundreds