St Leonards Bathing Pool to be remembered on Sunday January 28: sunny days

The Bathing Pool was a wonder of St Leonards and far beyond when it opened in 1933 — the last word in facilities and European standards, ‘replete with every modern device and comfort for the ordinary holiday bather and for the championship swimmer’. The main pool was 110 yards by 30 yards, and held nearly a million gallons. Other facilities included a luxurious indoor seawater bath, the largest in England.

The complex was wildly popular both as a social and sporting venue, and a stage for major competitions (including diving). Despite demolition in 1993 the open space survives – for now – south of Seaside Road in West St Leonards. It is one of the sunniest places in the entire country.

The rise and fall of the Bathing Pool will be explained by Andre Palfrey-Martin, local historian and authority on ‘the Concrete King’. Unsurprisingly, the great Hastings Borough & Water Engineer, Sidney Little (1885-1961), was closely involved. From 1926 on he gave the Borough many improvements.

The talk is at the Royal Victoria Hotel (in the Burton Room), on the St Leonards Seafront. The meeting is by the Burtons’ St Leonards Society: for members it is free. For non-members admission is £5. As usual there will be a social gathering afterwards. More on the Society is at https://bsls.org.uk/ .