Championship Bath – Blackpool Derby Baths – 1939
The Famous International Championship Derby Baths Blackpool showing the topmost highboard – 10metres. First published 1999-www.soyouwantto.co.uk agj
The most famous of championship indoor swimming pools of its era in Europe.
An aquatic theatre hosting famous International Swimming and Diving events. These were International, Olympic, European and Commonwealth Level events.
Home to the annual Amateur Swimming Association Centralised Championships, Water Polo, and Synchronised Swimming Champs.
You can click to Pathe Clip – join in the excitement!
Cheers of excitement, foot stamping, hand clapping and chanting were the sounds of dramatic breaking of multi records. Inside this salt water championship bath were emotional swings between pure joy and sadness. Television took all the excitement into the nations homes. Deep in the depths of the building was a BBC broadcasting station. This regularly brought the sport of swimming into peoples living rooms. This majestic building produced many stars, the 1,800 seats filled to capacity.
The Gazette & Herald 29/08/1965 (Blackpool Central Lib.) The Opening of the Baths by Lord Derby in 1940 Interrupted by war. The Official Opening took place in the 60s
Everyone throughout Europe had heard unofficially it had opened to the public in 1939. The official opening of the championship bath was to come later. War had interrupted the official opening in 1940, by Lord Derby, and it wasn’t until 1965 that his grandson the Earl of Derby conducted the honours!
Exterior of the Famous Baths- North Shore. private postcard collection. agj.
During the war, 5 million servicemen used this awesome championship pool. The yellow tiled facade “Art Deco” style championship baths attracted 12000 swimmers the first day and 75% of them were visitors. […]
Read more…from these Championship Baths to the other end of the Promenade. ‘The most beautiful pool in the world’
Countless thousands learned to swim in the championship sea water filled baths. The championship baths later on were to give way to fresh water swimming. The building offered a Turkish and remedial section, the sauna facilities being out of this world.
The Baths in Construction
The Skeleton of the Baths. 1938. District Central Library Blackpool 1994. enlarge +
Basement to Ground floor and to go up! District Central Library 1994 enlarge +
The construction well under way. 1938 Blackpool District Central Library. 1994 enlarge +
The Lanes being installed 1938. Blackpool District Central Library. 1994 enlarge+
As time went on, for cost effectiveness, there were discussions about flooring the bath over during winter. This was to provide indoor bowling. This didn’t materialise as it was too costly laying the floor down. It would then have to be taken up again for swimming purposes. Discussions were taking place on how to bring the championship baths up to a modern day image.
The Amateur Swimming Centralised Swimming Championships were now being staged in the South at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre. By 1986 and 87 the championship bath saw patronage plummet. Fun pools and splash slides were the flavour of the time. By 1988 the championship Derby Baths began to live on borrowed time. Despite uproar and demonstrations there seemed no possible reprieve. There was a master-plan in progress to redevelop the growing shabbiness of this once wondrous pool.
The North Shore landmark was doomed to disappear.
Demolition of the Derby Baths. People in Blackpool were in mourning for this fine famous art deco swimming pool . Why? 2017 and it is still an open space.
In 1990 hearts were heavy in Blackpool and the Swimming world. The Championship Derby Baths were stripped bare, and amidst sadness and uproar finally razed to the ground. Developers wanted to to build a plush 12 Million South Sea Island Complex.
The memories remain. To this day it remains an empty grassland, and no redevelopment (2017)
From Greatness to Nothing agj
To think what once stood here. A world recognised championship bath. Grassland Site 2015 – will enlarge
Expand for full view ++ The site 1800s – 1914 plus, was formerly Claremont Park. Just one hotel /house on the corner of Warley Road and the Promenade. it is now a designated area and estate with boundaries near/around the Tower.
Read more…Cocker Street… another famous Sea Water Baths in Blackpool
Click for more famous pools in their Heyday. 
Blackpool Council for you, ruined a iconic swimming pool.
A wonderful pool that I well remember visiting in the 60’s.
The building was a true Cathedral in size.
We always popped to the Derby Road Supper Bar for chips after.
Anne: That sound a great finish to a great swim Michael!
Yes Sarah, the whole of the North were in mourning. Anne
Loved this pool.
I swam and won competitions here.
Broke my heart when they tore it down whilst I was at university.
So sad to read this.