This pool seems to have started life as West Ham Lido and changed its name to Beckton Lido or Canning Town Lido depending on what source you are reading. The site was called the Canning Town Recreation Ground and was, at one time, in Beckton Road so you can see the potential for confusion. Originally, the entrance would have been in Beckton Road but that section of the road was absorbed into the A13 Newham Way underpass and Freemasons Road.
The pool was opened in by Mayor Daisy Parsons, who was born in Poplar and became a suffragette, socialist borough councillor and West Ham’s first lady mayor.
The 1937 pool wasn’t the first on the site. An earlier outdoor pool was built by private subscription. It was demolished and replaced by the new pool.
Th epool seems to have had an uneventful existence and lasted until the late 1980’s as did so many other lidos. It was left derelict for many years and I recall standing on one of the pedestrian bridges crossing the A13 and looking down on the sad state. This was pre-mobile phone so no photograhps, just memories.
| Name | West Ham Lido aka Beckton / Canning Town Canning Town Recreation Ground, Prince Regent Lane, Newham, E16 3JL |
| Built / opened | Approx. 1915 then 30th August 1937 |
| Cost | £23,900 |
| Dimensions | 165′ x 90′ |
| Capacity | 472,000 gallons |
| Water type | Freshwater |
| Depth(s) | 6′ 6″ in centre 3′ either end 10′ 6″ diving pit, dims. 45′ x 45′ |
| Diving | Fixed boards, 1 x 5m, 2 x 3m. Springboards, 2 x 1m. |
| Changing facilities | 64 steel cubicles and 700 lockers. Two communal changing rooms. |
| Second pool | N/A |
| Spectator seating | |
| Designer | W Lionel Jenkins O.B.E., M.A.(Cantab.). M.Inst.C.E.. F.S.I. M.Inst.T., Borough Engineer |
| Date closed | 1986 |
| Status | Demolished during 1990’s |
| On site now | Grass |
| Last updated | 22nd June 2025 |
Baths and Bath Engineering, October 1937
West Ham Municipal Lido
NEW BATHING POOL IN CANNING TOWN AREA
Up to the end of last year, the only existing facilities for open-air bathing in the County Borough of West Ham were provided by a swimming pool in the Canning Town Recreation Ground. This pool, which was built for the corporation some 30 years ago out of funds privately subscribed, was open to the public free of charge. It had become out-of-date and, owing to the lack of a filtration and sterilisation plant, somewhat of a menace to health. The West Ham Council, therefore, decided in 1933 that the time had come to consider the question of the provision of a modern open-air swimming pool.
After the consideration of several alternative sites the council eventually decided to provide a new pool on the same site as the existing one. A scheme was prepared by the borough engineer and approved by the council in 1935, and the Minister of Health sanctioned the raising of the necessary loan in 1936. Construction on the new pool was commenced in December last and it was officially opened by the Mayor, Mrs. Daisy Parsons. J.P., on August 30. 1937.
Bathing Pool
Preliminary trial holes revealed that the subsoil consisted of roughly 8ft. of sandy clay over-laying a thin band of river silt with firm gravel below. During the sinking of these trial holes, it was found that large quantities of subsoil water entered as soon as the river silt was penetrated and rose up to within 5ft of the surface. When the main excavation was commenced, the difficulties which had been anticipated were realised to the full and large pumping plant for dealing with subsoil water was installed by the contractor and kept running day and night until the pool was completed and filled.
The foundations for the deep portions of the pool were carried down into the gravel, necessitating a considerable amount of additional excavation and hard filling which was placed by hand in 12in. layers and consolidated by rolling. In order to deal with the danger of uplift pressure under the floor. porous concrete pipes surrounded with clean gravel are laid at intervals of 20ft. under the concrete and connected into a main drain 15in. diameter at the deepest part of the pool. At this point a vertical pipe is connected and bought up to surface level thus enabling the level of the subsoil water to be inspected at any time. It was realised that the presence of subsoil water would constitute a serious danger to the safety of the floor of the pool during construction and when emptying for cleaning purposes and accordingly a direct connection is provided at the base of the 15in. vertical pipe into the pool at the deepest point, controlled by a reflux valve. The effect of this is to make it impossible for the subsoil water to rise higher than the level of the water in the pool, and on the occasions when the latter will be emptied the subsoil water will flow back into the pool and it will be necessary for the pumps to be kept running until it is again filled.
The floor is 6in. thick laid on a 2in. bed of site concrete and reinforced top and bottom with high tensile steel in square mesh sheets. The walls are designed as a continuous cantilever off the base slab and are capable of withstanding the full water or earth pressure. Expansion joints have been entirely eliminated but to reduce shrinkage special precautions were taken with the mixing and pouring of the concrete. The floor and walls were divided into bays la ft. wide, separated by narrow bays 18in. wide. The wide bays were poured first and allowed to dry out and fully contract before the narrow bays were filled in. The method adopted has proved satisfactory and no signs of cracking are visible.
Access to the pool for bathers is provided by a concrete stairway at each corner and by two recessed stairways on each side. The inside of the pool is lined with 9in. square blue “Cullamix” tiles; the scum channel (provided at the shallow ends only) is of cream “Cullamix” pre-cast blocks. Stairways are tiled with nonslip treads, and the coping is of non-slip cream coloured artificial stone. The depths of water are clearly marked at intervals round the pool by special coping stones with the markings in black cement on a white background.
The pool is 165 ft. long by 90 ft. wide, the depth of water being 3 ft. at each end, increasing to 6 ft. 6 in. in the centre, and on one side of the pool there is a 10 ft. 6 in. diving pit with maximum dimensions of 45 ft. by 45 ft.
Purification Plant
The filtration and sterilisation plant. housed at the eastern end of the administrative buildings. consists of two horizontal sand filters 22 ft. long and 9 ft. 6 in. diameter with air scour and reverse flow for cleansing. Continuous filtration is provided by pumping plant in duplicate. capable at full load of passing the contents of the pool, 472,000 gal. of water. through the plant in five hours.
Sterilisation is by the “Chloramine” process and sulphate of alumina is utilised as a coagulant to aid the filtration process.
Diving Stage
This is of reinforced concrete having two platforms there being a 5m. board and two 3m. boards. One metre springboards are also provided. The stairways to the platforms are designed as part of the structure, the whole of which is finished in cream colour.
Cascade Aerators
Two are provided, one at each end of the pool, constructed of cream coloured pre-cast reconstructed stone. The cascades can be electrically illuminated at night.
Surrounds
Sunbathing terraces are constructed at each end of the pool, raised 3 ft. above the general level of the surrounds, and are approached by broad treaded steps The whole of the surrounds and terraces are paved with red concrete slabs in 2 ft. squares. Raised ornamental flower beds surrounded by concrete kerbs are provided at intervals round the pool.
Buildings
The buildings comprise changing rooms, cafe, first aid room and entrance block. The changing rooms are designed with a view to encouraging bathers to use the showers, foot sprays and lavatories before entering the pool. After changing, entrance to the surrounds is obtained only by passing through the cleansing rooms, each of which contain eight showers, four foot sprays and a footbath, together with the appropriate lavatory accommodation for men and women.
The present total capacity of the changing rooms provides for 700 bathers of both sexes by means of 64 cubicles of steel covered plywood and 700 steel clothes lockers, and in addition there are two communal rooms for each sex. The lay-out of the scheme allows for doubling the present capacity if and when the demand arises. Separate lavatory accommodation is provided for the exclusive use of non-bathers.
The entrance block contains the entrance hall with turnstiles and gates on either side of which are the ticket offices, manager’s office, and staff rooms. The manager’s flat, consisting of kitchen, living room, 2 bedrooms, bathroom and W.C. is on the first floor. The cafe is 50 ft. long and 20 ft. wide and is provided with folding doors along the front to enable teas to be served in the open air.The floor is covered with rubber in a green and cream design and the walls and ceiling light cream. The serving counter and doors are panelled in Australian walnut. At the rear of the cafe are a kitchen, storeroom, and staff lavatory and, in addition, a small cigarette and tobacco kiosk with display windows is provided facing the main entrance.
The first aid room is 16ft. 6in. by 12ft. And contains resuscitation apparatus and medical stores. It is sited behind the diving stage. All the buildings, except the entrance block, are single storey, with flat roofs covered with asphalt. Walls are of 9 in. fletton brickwork rendered in cement and sand and finally coloured with light cream distemper. The entrance block has a pitched roof covered with green glazed pantiles.
General
A short approach road 20 ft. wide with two footways each 10 ft. wide leads off from the main road; concrete piers with wrought iron gates have been erected at the entrance. Space has been provided for a car park adjacent to the site. The works have been carried out by contract, at a price of £23,900.
Messrs. H. C. Horswill, Ltd., London, were the general contractors, and the following were among the principal sub-contractors:
- Filtration plant. United Filters and Engineering, Ltd. London.
- “Chloramine” apparatus, Wallace, and Tiernan Ltd., London.
- Pool tiling, British Art Tiles Co. Ltd. London:
- Partitions, Venesta. Ltd., London:
- Cascades, Bradford and Co., Ltd.,
- Foot sprays, etc., Gummers, Ltd. Rotherham:
- Diving boards, Spencer, Heath, and George. Ltd., Ponders End, Enfield.
The engineer responsible for the design and execution of the works is Mr. W. Lionel Jenkins, O.B.E., M.A.(Cantab.). M.Inst.C.E.. F.S.I. M.Inst.T., engineer of West Ham Borough Council. The borough engineer was represented by the deputy borough engineer, Mr. I. A. Neill, A.M.Inst.C.E., while the assistant in charge was Mr. V. D. Joll. B.Sc., A.M.Inst.C.E., A.M. Inst.W.E.
