Such a wonderful collection of pics. I loved Derby Baths so much as a kid. We went to swim there when I was in High School. The PE teacher forced me to jump off the 5m board. I used to go swimming with my friends at the weekend. I was so sad to see it go.
The baths were altered to make them suitable for the then new metric swimming distances. After several years serious cracks appeared underneath (it was possible to walk under the main pool! The cost to rebuild was too high and so it was closed. Also on the site there was a Turkish bath in an adjacent building .
I remember being able to walk under as well ( wish I’d taken pictures ) was odd you could see the pool through the tiny windows ) I explored the changing rooms that were sealed off as well !
I have always understood, for the last sixty years, that the baths were always measured/designated as a fifty yards pool as opposed to fifty meters. Subsequently it could never attract international events. I swam and "lived" in there in the as a kid in the the very early Sixties, but probably lost interest in later life. But this proposed conversion to Olympic standards is somewhat new to me. Do reply if you are so inclined.
Thanks for the pix. I haven't been to the Derby Baths since the 60s when I trained there several times a week. The Evening Gazette printed my letter when I called it a Winter White Elephant. It should have been open in the winter for the people of Blackpool. I learned to swim in a pool in the basement with Mr. B back around 1950. There was a Sun Terrace where we went after a Sunday training session. Although Derby Baths, Cocker Street Baths , Open Air Baths and Lido were all old, I was disgusted that no new swimming baths were constructed. The Sandcastle was not suitable for training and there is now a new baths down South Shore somewhere...I left Blackpool in 67.
I miss the old Derby baths ( south shore Lido as well even thou smaller ) Never got to swim at Cocker Street. The only semi decent one now is Palatine baths for the length !
I would guess that the building was constructed with asbestos and that the remedial cost was higher than any possible return. Might explain why nothing has been built on the site since.
Such a wonderful collection of pics.
I loved Derby Baths so much as a kid. We went to swim there when I was in High School. The PE teacher forced me to jump off the 5m board.
I used to go swimming with my friends at the weekend.
I was so sad to see it go.
I can say that I did jump off the top board ! !
My favourite swimming pool on holiday I just about lived there, but never dived off the top board.
The baths were altered to make them suitable for the then new metric swimming distances. After several years serious cracks appeared underneath (it was possible to walk under the main pool! The cost to rebuild was too high and so it was closed. Also on the site there was a Turkish bath in an adjacent building .
I remember being able to walk under as well ( wish I’d taken pictures ) was odd you could see the pool through the tiny windows ) I explored the changing rooms that were sealed off as well !
I have always understood, for the last sixty years, that the baths were always measured/designated as a fifty yards pool as opposed to fifty meters. Subsequently it could never attract international events. I swam and "lived" in there in the as a kid in the the very early Sixties, but probably lost interest in later life. But this proposed conversion to Olympic standards is somewhat new to me.
Do reply if you are so inclined.
Thanks for the pix. I haven't been to the Derby Baths since the 60s when I trained there several times a week.
The Evening Gazette printed my letter when I called it a Winter White Elephant. It should have been open in the winter for the people of Blackpool.
I learned to swim in a pool in the basement with Mr. B back around 1950. There was a Sun Terrace where we went after a Sunday training session.
Although Derby Baths, Cocker Street Baths , Open Air Baths and Lido were all old, I was disgusted that no new swimming baths were constructed. The Sandcastle was not suitable for training and there is now a new baths down South Shore somewhere...I left Blackpool in 67.
I miss the old Derby baths ( south shore Lido as well even thou smaller ) Never got to swim at Cocker Street. The only semi decent one now is Palatine baths for the length !
Named after my forebears, the Stanleys, of course - first earls of Derby...as was Stanley Park.
Never knew that!
I would guess that the building was constructed with asbestos and that the remedial cost was higher than any possible return. Might explain why nothing has been built on the site since.
Quite right
Went once when little....i hated the salt water
Do you mean cocker street baths ?
Blackpool council have a terrible record of destroying beautiful buildings and replacing them with crap.