This lido was the 12th and most expensive (£34,000) of the 13 built by the London County Council (LCC) between the early 1920’s and 1939 and thus represents the ultimate expression of their vision of an urban lido. Along with Victoria Park Lido, it was one of two “super-sized” lidos built by the LCC in the late 1930’s, reflecting the projected high demand in these densely populated suburbs.
Dumbed down to a leisure pool, in the opinion of user groups, in 2005, by the reduction in depth, the lido received the first stainless steel lining for an outdoor pool in the UK. The lining is only 2mm thick and has a dimpled surface.
| Name | Parliament Hill Fields Lido Gordon House Road, Camden, London, NW5 1LP |
| Built / opened | Opened 29th August 1938 by by Mr S.F. Rous, the Secretary of the Football Association. |
| Cost | £34,000 |
| Dimensions | 200′ x 90′ |
| Capacity | 650,000 gallons, reduced to approx 430,000 in 2005, 2,000 bathers |
| Water type | Freshwater, chlorinated |
| Depth(s) | 2′ 6″ to 9′ 6″, reduced to 1m to 2m in 2005 |
| Diving boards | Originally 5m diving board and 3m and 1m fixed and springboards were available but most were removed in 1976 following a fatal accident and the last removed in 2003. |
| Changing facilities | 178 cubicles and 1072 lockers, 952 wire clothes baskets. |
| Second pool | N/A |
| Spectator seating | |
| Designer | Harry Rowbotham and TL Smithson |
| Date closed | N/A |
| Status | Open |
| On site now | The pool |
| Notes | Grade II listed in 1999 |
| Links | Parliament Hill Lido is 80 (youtube.com) Parliament Hill Lido Parliament Hill Lido | Facebook |
Feature article from Baths and Bath Engineering November 1938
Metropolitan Swimming Pool – LONDON’S MODERN LIDO AT PARLIAMENT HILL FIELDS.
The new lido at Parliament Hill Fields, opened on August 29th, is one of the largest the London County Council has provided. It is planned to accommodate over 2,000 bathers at any one time. The enclosure covers an area of about 2 and a half acres.
Swimming Pool
The pool, which is lined with blue glazed brickwork, is 200 ft. by 90 ft., the water being 2 ft. 6 in. to 9 ft. 6 in. deep.
A special trough has been fitted along the whole width at the deep end. This trough is designed to effect the continuous withdrawal of the top water, down to a depth of 12 in., and is connected to the main section of the purification plant.
The pool surround is paved with buff, handmade, pre-cast paving slabs. A 5 m. diving board, 3 in. fixed and springboards, and 1 m. fixed and springboards, as well as an ordinary spring diving board and chutes for adults and children are provided.
Water Purification Plant
The purification plant is specially designed to meet the very heavy bathing loads that will undoubtedly be experienced. The capacity of the pool is 650,000 gal., and this volume of water is purified in five hours at the rate of 130,000 gal. per hour. The water is drawn from the deepest point of the pool through an outlet grid which connects into a suction main by which it is conveyed to the filter house. In addition, 15 surface water outlets are provided at water level in the deep end wall ensuring a rapid surface water draw off to remove floating impurities. In the past it has been the custom to remove floating impurities by hand, or alternatively to skim them off over the scum channels to drain. With a pool of this size, however, skimming the water to drain would entail considerable wastage so the surface outlets are connected to the plant and water is purified and re-used.
Circulation of the water is by duplicate pumps each driven through a flexible coupling by a 15 h.p. electric motor.
Immediately on leaving the pumps the water is treated with coagulating reagents sulphate of alumina and soda. These are administered by the Permutit venturi controlled proportioning apparatus which ensures a dosage of chemical in proportion to the flow of water. Reagent flow indicators are provided giving the rated addition of the coagulating chemicals reading directly in thousands of grains of chemical per hour. A water flow indicator is also provided, and the three instruments are mounted on a control panel of neat and attractive design.
The water is delivered to two horizontal pressure filters each measuring 8 ft. diameter by 28 ft. 6 in. long, having a total filtration area of 236 sq. it., and operating at a filtration speed of 275 gal. per sq. ft. per hour.
After filtration the water is re-oxygenated by passing over a cascade aerator which forms an attractive feature of the pool.
Sterilisation is by the chloramine process. The water is delivered back to the pool through four inlets spaced for even distribution. Specially designed Permutit suction sweepers, having a powerful suction, remove foreign matter with great rapidity from the floor of the pool.
The purification plant which was installed by The Permutit Co., Ltd., London, is specially designed to ensure economical running, and the materials of which it is constructed are selected for durability so minimising the maintenance costs.
Dressing Accommodation
Provision has been made for 178 cubicles and 1072 lockers. The cubicles are constructed with jointless, glazed walls, and self-opening flush doors. In addition. there are two large storerooms for wire clothes baskets, each having a capacity of 476 baskets.
General
Foot and shower baths are installed. Access to the pool itself can only be obtained through the wading pools on each side of the attendant’s observation room. Provision is made for issuing towels and bathing costumes. Two terraced areas, on either side of a cafe, have been provided for spectators, and stepsdown from the terraces can be used by the bathers for sunbathing.
The cafe, which is on the north side of the swimming pool, measures 60 ft. by 22 ft. 6 in., and has a servery, kitchen, etc., with provision for heating of water, cooking by electricity. It is so planned as to be available for the general public using the terraces as well as for the bathers.
The other buildings for service purposes consist of ambulance and committee room. staff mess room, filter house and stores.
A separate entrance for spectators is provided on the north-west side of the pool, giving direct access to the spectators’ terraces.
The whole of the work has been carried out from plans prepared in the parks department of the London County Council and under the supervision of the chief officer of the parks department. The total cost of the work, including filtration plant, will be approximately £34,000.
Contractors
Messrs. Gee, Walker and Slater, Ltd., were the general contractors for the work and the following firms were amongst the subcontractors: –
Sir W. H. Bailey and Co., Ltd. Salford – Turnstiles
British Reinforced Concrete Engineering Co. Ltd. Stafford – Reinforcing fabric
Dorking Brick Co., Ltd. Dorking – Facing cast stones
Flexo Plywood Industries Ltd. – Metal faced plywood doors
Granitese (Great Britain), Ltd., London – Jointless cement, wall glazing and partitions
Lilleshall Co. Ltd., Priors Lee Hall, near Shifnal – Glazed brickwork
Milners’ Safe Co. Ltd., London – Lockers
Nicholls and Clarke. Ltd., London – Paint
Noelite, Ltd., Borough Green, Kent – Pre-cast paving slabs:
North British Rubber Co. Ltd. Edinburgh – Rubber flooring to cafe, etc.
Rownson, Drew and Clydesdale, Ltd., London – Wire baskets
Ruberoid Co. Ltd. London – Steel roof decking and lead-lined damp coursing
Shanks and Co. Ltd. Barrhead, Glasgow – Drinking fountains
Shaws Glazed Brick Co. Ltd. – Scum trough
Tarmac Ltd. London – Terrazzo aerator
Ten Test Fibre Board Co., Ltd. London – Ceilings
Chas. Wicksteed and Co. (1920). Ltd. Kettering – Diving stage and chutes. etc.
