The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Dive into past with swimpool memories
Do you remember your childhood holidays? Thousands of people would spend their annual vacation in Arbroath when the town was one of Scotland’s top holiday resorts in the 1950s and 1960s.
Sun, sea and smokies brought the masses flocking to the Angus town!
In the early days of tourism, it was only the well-to-do who had the spare time and money to spend on holiday travel.
By the late 19th Century, thanks to extended holidays and a rising standard of living, an increasing number of working people could now experience speedy travel to places that were different and exciting.
People would travel to the quiet coastal towns to escape the hustle of busy cities.
Town councils invested in facilities that would attract tourists.
In 1935 Arbroath opened a new outdoor bathing pool at the western entrance to the town beside the tennis courts and the putting green.
Competition between coastal towns was high and to attract tourists the pool was advertised as “the finest filtered sea-water bathing pool in Scotland” and was equipped to please all its patrons.
There were 800 lockers, 700 baskets and 123 cubicles.
Around the pool there were tiers of teak wood seating which could accommodate more than 5,000 spectators.
Swimming galas drew large crowds, as did bathing beauty competitions, and, by the 1960s, 4,000 people were queuing up for the Miss Arbroath competition.
In 1965, Arbroath attracted more than 70,000 holidaymakers between June and September and the bathing pool was highly popular despite the chilly weather.
The Arbroath Official Guide from 1965 set out more detail.
“When the weather was good, which was frequent, you only had to go through the railway underpass across from the caravan site and there was all the safety and freedom you could wish for, you had the beach, the model train, the fire engine, swings, slides, putting, tennis, paddling pool, swimming – everything for a holiday.
“If you felt more adventurous you could go boating… the children were infatuated with the water tower built like a castle.”
This summer visitors to the Signal Tower Museum in Ladyloan have been enjoying a free exhibition that celebrates the glory days of seaside holidays of the past.
Wish You Were Here showcases a prize-winning oil painting by Michael Cox, created in 1969, of Arbroath outdoor bathing pool, together with archive photographs of the pool, including the regular beauty contests.
And if you were wondering what the fashion of the time was, on display are two bathing costumes, one knitted and one which ensured the bather’s modesty by covering legs down to the knee.
The exhibition captures the essence of a traditional family holiday at the seaside and runs until October 31 from Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm.
Visitors can also take part in a summer holiday postcard design competition.