This pool was built on the site of Daws Farm in 1934-5. The land for the 2.5 acre pool complex had been bought by Hendon Council 1924-1925. The exact date of closure isn’t known but the pool was filled in and the site transformed into a garden centre. This was around for some 30 years after which the site was purchased by a school. This caused some local issues as the garden centre cafe was a popular meeting place for the areas senior citizens.
The building work was carried out by Kier Construction and I work for one of the subcontractors on the project. We went on to carry out some additional work over the following years including the astroturf pitch that you can see to the south of the site where the aereator and paddling pool previously stood. It was with mixed feelings that I worked at the site but the people that run the school are lovely so if anyone deserves this place then they do.
I do remember having a really good look around and there was absolutely nothing remaining of the pool (apart from the buildings, obviously). The internals had been altered comprehensively whilst a garden centre and the pool area covered in Tarmac.
| Name | Mill Hill Open Air Swimming Pool |
| Built | 1935 |
| Opened | 4th May 1935 |
| Cost | £17,000 |
| Dimensions | 165′ x 75′ |
| Capacity | 365,000 gallons |
| Depth | 2′ 6″ at each end to 8′ 6″ in the centre |
| Diving | |
| Second pool | |
| Designer | A O Knight, Borough Engineer and Surveyor for Hendon |
| Address | Daws Lane, London, NW7 4SD |
| Date closed | 1945 or thereabouts |
| Status | Closed 1980’s |
| Notes | |
| Links | |
| Last updated | 28th August 2024 |
Article from Baths and Bath Engineering, August 1935
THE open-air swimming pool at Daws Lane, Mill Hill, was opened on May 4 by the Mayor of Hendon (Coun. Brook Flowers, J.P.).
The pool, which is 165ft. by 75ft. has a capacity of approximately 365,000 gal. The maximum depth of the water, which is 8ft. 6 in., is in the centre of the pool, and with the minimum depth, 2ft. 6 in., at each end.
Filtration Plant.
The filtration plant, which includes all the most up-to-date details, was installed by Messrs. Bell Brothers (Manchester, 1927), Ltd.
The plant is capable of dealing with the whole of the contents in the pool in a period of 6 hours when two filters are in operation and in a period of four hours when three filters are in operation.
The plant is self-contained arid comprises electrically driven pumps; horizontal type pressure filters; electrically driven air compressor; chemical apparatus; chlorination plant and ammonia gas apparatus, and the cycle of operations is briefly as follows ·:
The pumps draw the water from the deep end of the pool which first of all passes through a specially designed strainer box for removing all the larger impurities, such as leaves, fluff from costumes, etc. The water then passes on to the filters and at the same time the suitable quantities of chemicals are added which coagulate all the finer particles of suspended matter to assist in the process of filtration.
After leaving the filters the water is absolutely clear, but before being returned to the shallow end of the pool it is sterilised by means of ammonia and chlorine gas and is finally aerated by means of a cascade aerator, there being one at each end of the pool. The water returns to the shallow ends of the bath through specially designed adjustable inlets, and the cycle of operations is then complete.
During the process of filtration, the filter gradually becomes choked by the dirt it extracts from the water, and pressure gauges are provided to indicate when the filters require washing. This operation is carried out very simply by the manipulation of the necessary valves and consists first of all in the thorough breaking up of the filter bed by means of compressed air supplied by the compressor, and this breaking up thoroughly loosens all the dirt, which is then washed away by means of a reverse flow of water.
In all “Bell” filters particular attention is given to the design of the collecting system at the bottom of the filter in order to ensure that when filtering the whole of the filtering medium is equally efficient, and when washing it ensures that the air and wash water are equally and evenly distributed to all parts of the filter bed.
The cycle of operations is, of course, carried on continuously while the plant is in operation and the result of the treatment is that the water is returned to the pool absolutely clear and free from suspended matter, and at the same time is bright. and sparkling in appearance and thoroughly sterilised in order to render the water absolutely safe for bathing purposes from a bacteriological point of view.
The chemical apparatus is so designed as to ensure that the amount of chemicals being added will vary directly with the amount of water to be ·treated and incorporates flow indicators which indicate the quantity of chemicals passing at any time.
In addition to the filtration plant there is a suction sweeper provided which is coupled into the main suction pipe from the pool to the pump; the sweeper consisting of a patent nozzle together with the necessary length of armoured suction hose fitted with floats. By means of the suction sweeper it is possible to remove from the bottom of the pool all the leaves and debris which find their way into the pool.
General
The dressing arrangements are based on the system of a cubicle in connection with which are a number of lockers. Users of the pool place their clothes in a numbered locker, which is self-locking, and are given a rubber band bearing the number of the locker. In order to obtain the clothes the owner must get the attendant to unlock the locker, which is only done on production of the rubber band bearing the appropriate number.
The surrounds of the pool consist of three shingle beaches provided for sun-bathing purposes. The equipment of the pool includes diving stage, springboards and two water chutes.
Contractors and Sub-Contractors.
The following were the contractors and subcontractors for the construction of the pool:
Contractors:
General, Bolton and Lakin, Birmingham.
Filtration, Bell Brothers (Manchester, 1927), Ltd.
Sub-contractors:
Dress lockers, Milners Safe Co., London.
Steel partitions and turnstiles, Messrs. Garton and Thorne, London.
Sanitary fittings, John Bolding and Sons, Ltd., London.
Electric installation, C. E. Keates, Ltd., Hendon.
Loudspeaker, Phillips Lamps, Ltd.
Cascades, Patent Victoria Stone · Co., Ltd., London.
Paving, Patent Victoria Stone Co., Ltd., London, and John Ellis, Ltd., Leicester.
Diving stage and chutes, Messrs. Spencer, Heath and George, Enfield.
Mr. A. 0. Knight, M.C., M.Inst.C.E., the borough engineer and surveyor of Hendon designed the scheme.
