Sudbury Vale Farm Lido – 1932 A family treasure with wide open spaces
Sudbury Vale Farm Lido above. Pictures from “Wembley Matters” – Wembley History Society 50s – click
Sudbury Vale Farm Lido saw families treasuring the wide open spaces around.
Sudbury Vale Farm Lido was inspiringly large
The Lido at play.
Sudbury Vale Farm Lido saw families saw time spent with with fun, and excitement. It was valued as a great asset in many ways. Many children must be filled with memories of learning to swim in this delightful large lido. There were playing fields a stones throw away.[…]
Swimming in Danson Park Lido – Welling
…from Sudbury Vale Farm Lido. Children must remember splashing around wildly within the confines of its 55 yard by 25 yard capacity.
The pool held 400,000 gallons, turned around in 6 hours.
The 3 metre firm board, 3 metre springboard with two 1 metre springboards facilitated children to learn to plunge into the 8 ft. 6 inches deep sparkling water.
A crowded Lido at Sudbury. Will expand +
In those days, the pool would have met the criteria for staging serious diving competitions.
The bathing pool had a heating plant but due to high costs and extremely high heat losses, the heating unit was not used following the war. As well as a social venue, the cafe was always there to provide a hot cupper on the chillier occasions It could be hired out for private functions.
Lady swimmer about to enjoy her daily swim
OUTCOME: Swimmers were asked to make the most of it during 1978, as the pool would be closing for good.
Not all bad news as it would be replaced by an indoor complex. One particular “regular” was a little unhappy at the thought of losing her therapeutic dips twice a day.
Concern was that the new pool would be half the size of the old one and would have to accommodate the same number of Vale Farm users.
Sudbury Lido site today. Gone the fresh air, the cool invigorating water, the sunbathing and the picnics…
However, despite protesting letters, the council saw there was not the demand for an open-air pool used for just 5 months of the year, where as an indoor pool would be open all year round despite smaller dimensions.
A crowded Lido at Sudbury. Will expand ++
Original plan of the Lido . Will expand++
More Pools in Lido Index
Thank you for your lovely story. I’m sure it was a fabulous pool and broke many hearts when it was gone. Anne
I spent endless school holidays at vale Farm pool. I would be there when it opened, I would love a hot mug of OXO or Bovril and I would be the very last to leave in the evening. I knew all the the staff who were brilliant. I swam in many Galas and diving competitions. I was there from 1956 to 1970 when I moved away. I consider Vale Farm one of my happiest times of my life and where I won ALL my swimming certificates as well as medals. Happy days
I can remember many a long hot school summer holiday at Vale Farm, or so it seamed. I particularly remember my Mum taking me and my friend Debbie Folkes to swim there and wee seemed to spend the whole day there in the 60’s/70’s.
I can also remember the glacial swimming lessons provided by Lyon Park junior school in the very chilli spring as not so enjoyable.
I remember the fountain and the group changing rooms which were freezing in winter. We used to do a width underwater but dived in which was necessary as it was 25 yards wide. I always used to go on the first hot day in May only to find it closed.
My Mum taught my brother and me to swim in Sudbury Lido in the early 50’s – I remember the sun sparkling on blue water and white buildings. There was a fountain we used to sit on. A crime to have shut it down!
Back in June 1977 I came down to London from Glasgow by car with 2 friends to attend the England V Scotland match at Wembley the next day 4th June. On the Friday night we slept in our car in the Wembley car park. The next morning we asked a local if there was anywhere we could get a wash and he directed us to the Sudbury Lido which was nearby. It was a beautiful sunny morning and we enjoyed our swim and wash before heading back to Wembley to see Scotland triumph 2-1. I now live in Stonehaven near Aberdeen and we are fortunate to have a beautiful art deco outdoor heated swimming pool. Kind regards, Tom.