I've just returned from a week-long tour of dead lidos in the
north-west, so can tell you that Southport Sea-Bathing Lake was 330 ft x 212
ft. It had a central straight swimming section, measuring 110 yds x 18 yds
and contained 1.42 million gallons of water.
By comparison, New Brighton Bathing Pool was 330 ft x 225 ft and
contained 1.37 million gallons of water.
So, on volume of water, Southport was the biggest, but on square
footage, New Brighton works out bigger at 74,250 sq ft.
However, see my reply to the query on the Jubilee Pool - which I think
is even bigger and, more importantly, is still with us!
Although Southport Sea-Bathing Lake was opened as long ago as 1928, I've
managed to trace someone of nearly 90 who took part in the opening ceremony.
To find out more, you'll have to buy the book when it appears next May!
For details go to www.playedinbritain.co.uk/books
Best wishes to all,
Janet Smith

----- Original Message -----
From: "ach39310" <a@...>
To: <lidos@...>
Sent: Sunday, October 31, 2004 11:03 AM
Subject: [lidos] Re: Sea Bathing Lake in Southport (and largest lido query)


>
>
> In addition to these postcards, I came across an intersting site with
> 7 photos and postcards of this 1928 swimming pool when I was
> searching for Britain's biggest artificial / man made swimming pool.
>
> http://cgi.southportchat.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=110, or
> http://cgi.southportchat.com/phpBB2/ then "Forum", "Southport
> Memories" and "The Sea Bathing Lake".
>
> I never did find out the size of this pool though! Does anyone else
> know please?
>
> For info, the biggest pool I have so far identified was the 1924
> South Shore Baths in Blackpool, at 376 x 172 feet.
>
> Cheers, Andy
>
> --- In lidos@..., "Oliver Merrington" <oliver@l...>
> wrote:
> > I recently had a enquiry from someone wanting to obtain a
> > > photograph or print of the Sea Bathing Lake in Southport,
> Merseyside
> > > (then Lancashire). This superb building was scandalously
> demolished in
> > > the nineties to eventually make way for a leisure centre.
> >
> > Naturally I passed this to Ian Gordon. Two nice scans of old
> postcards, from
> > him attached.
> > This pool was a monster!!
> >
> > Oliver
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> Yahoo! Groups Links
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