Hilsea Lido aka Hilsea Lagoon

Currently undergoing a major multi million pound restoration, this 1935 lido will form part of the longest park in the UK when works are complete.

Hilsea shares the record for deepest lido with Broomhill, both 15′ at their diving pit. Hilsea has suffered from some movement in the pool bed so additional concrete has been laid to increase the weight. Hopefully they dug it out first to retain the depth!

The pool entrance was set away from the nearest main road so, in 1938, a dramatic kiosk and entrance surround was built in concrete.

The long lagoons that ran along the northern length of the pool were mostly filled in with concrete in 1973 as part of cost cutting measures, leaving only a small section at either end. These have been uncovered during the current restoration works and will be reinstated as an easier means to enter the water. The lagoons are shown on the old ordnance survey maps by two lines within the pool. Between the two lagoons was the diving board and deep diving pit. Part of the pit also appears to have been filled in at some point. The overall measurement of the width (60′) includes the lagoons so the actual swimmable pool would have been around 44′.

Baths and Bath Engineering, October 1935

Hilsea Open-air Swimming Bath and Children’s Paddling Pool.

PORTSMOUTH COUNTY BOROUGH COUNCIL SCHEME.

A scheme comprising the construction of a sea wall and promenade along the bank of Port Creel and embodying an open-air swimming bath and children’s paddling pool, was prepared by the Portsmouth city engineer (Mr. J. Parkin, Assoc.M.Inst.C.E.), and received the approval of the Ministry of Health about a year ago.

The swimming bath and paddling pool were officially opened by the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth (Coun. Frank J. Privett, J.P.) on July 24, in the presence of a large gathering. The Lord Mayor congratulated the city engineer and his staff on the pleasing design and lay-out of the scheme and all the contractors on the excellence of their work He made special reference to the fact that the whole of the scheme was completed in the record time of nine months.

The city engineer, in describing the scheme, paid a well-deserved tribute to the teamwork of the various sections of his staff, and in particular mentioned the deputy city engineer (Mr. W. E. C. Chamberlain, M.Inst.M. and Cy.E), the chief assistant (Mr. F. W. Taylor, Assoc.M.Inst.C.E.), and the chief architectural assistant (Mr. J. Burton, A.R.I.B.A.).

The swimming pool is 220 ft. by 60 ft., the minimum depth of the water being 2 ft. 6 in. and the maximum 15 ft. 6 in. at diving pit; 3 ft. 6 in, at ends in racing area. The water polo area is 90 ft. by 45 ft., with a minimum depth of 6 ft. Six guidelines are provided for racing swimmers.

The diving tower has 3 m. springboard and 5 and 10 m. rigid platforms and is to the requirements of the Amateur Diving Association. There is also a 1 m, springboard at the diving pit. Water chutes for adults and children as well as other springboards are placed at convenient places around the pool.

A public address system has been installed enabling announcements in connection with events to be made as well as the radiation of music. Floodlighting is installed for night bathing.

Pumping and Purification Plant.

The purification plant supplied and installed by United Filters and Engineering, Ltd., London, has to treat both the large swimming bath, approximately 530,000 gal., and the paddling pool, 44,000 gal. capacity, making a total capacity of 574,000 gal. of sea water to be dealt with once every six hours.

All the water for initial filling and making up is drawn from the sea into a settling tank before being passed through the purification plant. A suitable combination of valves permits the use of any of the three centrifugal pumps for various auxiliary duties. Normally the water is drawn from the deep ends of each pool and delivered into two large horizontal self-cleansing pressure filters of a special design to ensure the thorough cleansing of the filter beds. The air agitation during cleansing is supplied by an arrangement which eliminates the air compressor generally used for the purpose.

The filtered water is discharged into cascades and receives its quota of chlorine after aeration.

The injection of chemicals is done by the shunt feed method with visible and positive meters. Sterilisation is by means of chloramine, the gases being dispensed by machines made by Wallace and Tiernan of London.

A large suction sweeper operated from the main plant is used to draw the sediment from the bottom of the pools.

Dressing Accommodation.

There is accommodation for 768 men and women and 189 children, 957 in all and each is provided with a locked receptacle for clothes. The dressing halls include lavatory accommodation, foot sprays and showers.

General

The public are provided with a clear circulation around the bath surrounds, there being tiered deck chairs on the north, west and east sides and a promenade on top of the dressing halls on the south side. Lavatory accommodation is provided for spectators. A shelter for spectators is also provided on the north side of the sun-bathing area.

A fully equipped restaurant is situated at the east end of the bath for spectators, and a refreshment kiosk for the supply of light refreshments to bathers at the west end. A car park is situated to the south of the restaurant at the east end of the approach road, and the main entrance to the bath is from this car park.

Children’s Paddling Pool.

This pool is 150 ft. by 60 ft., and the depth of the water is 6 in. at sides and 18 in. at centre. The water in the pool is from the same source as that for the swimming bath and is subjected to the same filtration and purification processes.

Spacious concrete surrounds to the pool provide play areas for children. A cascade is provided at the west end upon which children are at liberty to clamber and disport themselves in the tumbling water.

The whole of the works, including the sea wall, cost about £40,000.

Contractors.

Among the contractors employed on the construction of the scheme were: –

• General contractors, Messrs. Bolton and Lakin, Ltd., Birmingham.
• Filtration plant, United Filters and Engineering, Ltd., London.
• Centrifugal pumps, Worthington Simpson, Ltd., Newark-on-Trent.
• Purification plant, Wallace and Tiernan, Ltd., London.
• Diving tower (to city engineer’s design) and springboards, T. M. Gardiner, Ltd., Hoddesdon, Herts.
• Chutes and bath steps, Spencer, Heath and George, Ltd., Ponders End, Middlesex.
• Swimming bath cascades and drinking fountains, Blokerete Co., Ltd., Southampton.
• Paddling pool cascade and precast stone paving, Atlas Stone Co., Ltd., London.
• Waterproof lining to swimming bath, George M. Callender and Co., Ltd., London.
• Wall tiling to swimming bath, Kerament Wall Floor and Tile Co., Newport, Mon.
• Bath coping, Marchetti Ltd., Portsmouth; scum channel, Stanley Bros., Ltd., Nuneaton.
• Floodlighting, Benjamin Electric, Ltd., London.
• Faience, Leeds Fireclay Co., Leeds.
• Teak clothes lockers, W. H. Barrell, Ltd., Portsmouth.
• Coloured cements to buildings, bath, etc., Cement Marketing Co., Ltd., London.
• Coinometers, Automaticket, Ltd., London.

Baths and Bath Engineering, December 1938

The above photograph shows the New Archway and Kiosk at the entrance to the Hilsea Lido, Portsmouth, which was described and illustrated in our October 1935 issue. The structure, designed by Mr. A. J. Sharpe, L.R.I B.A., City Architect, is of Brick, faced with Concrete, with Neon Lettering and Outline in Green. It has been the subject of much favourable comment, and has been the means of attracting a large number of Visitors this year to the Pool, which is situated a good distance from the main road, and often not observed by motorists and pedestrians,

The lagoons

An aerial image from 1951 shows the two lagoons either side of the diving pit with their bulkheads allowing people to walk into the pool down the slope. Janet Smith (Liquid Assets, 2005) describes these as booms and I would certainly defer to her greater knowledge.

Children can be seen standing at the shallowest end of the slope to watch the diving.

This image shows the truncated lagoon area where the majority had been infilled including part of the diving pit.

The slope can just be seen in this image of the current refurbishment works.

The paddling pool

The original paddling pool in full use

The sad and neglected paddling pool

Delightful(!) splash pads. The original perimeter of the paddling pool can still be seen.