The 1912 Amateur Swimming Association directory for swimmers in England listing: Indoor swimming baths, lidos, swimming lakes, swimming rivers, and seaside swimming facilities...
LEICESTERSHIRE
HINCKLEY.
Public Bath, Station Road.
Hinckley Lido Netherley Road
Leicester.
Public Bath, Bath Lane.
Leicester. Aylestone Swimming Baths
Public Bath, Knighton Lane. Demolished and replaced by Aylsetone Leisure Certre.
Nigel Allsopp writes: "I have much enjoyed your web site and wish that I could have enjoyed Wild swimming, unfortunately Lansdowne Boys school didn't succeed in teaching me, we went to the now demolished Aylestone baths, instruction was at the end of a rope which held you up as long as they maintained a grip on it, but after a few strokes they relaxed the grip and under we went. it was not until I was 25 that a workmate taught me along with his children at Wigston baths in the late 60s."
"Aylestone baths still sticks in my mind, Victorian I think with lots of cast iron and coloured tiles, the noise was tremendous when we were all in the water, echoing off the walls, at the end of the session if you were hungry and in funds you could buy a slice of bread and jam for a penny from the kiosk where you paid the entrance fee on going in. I remember the man doling it out at a penny a slice had very dirty finger nails and I just couldn't bring myself to be a customer."
Leicester.
Public Bath, Vestry Street. Demolished.
Leicester.
Public Bath, Cossington street. STILL OPEN.
Leicester.
Public Bath, West Humberstone. Demolished and replaced. Spence Street Baths.
Leicester.
River, Abbey Park Road. Historic wild swimming venue, Leicester Corporation.
Requests have been made to once again tolerate river swimming in Abbey Park Leicester, but sadly without success.
Leicester.
River, Abbey Meadows Bathing Station, Leicester Corporation.
Leicester.
River, Bede House Meadows. Historic wild swimming venue
Aylestone Boat House Lido (below)
Mr William Williams writes: "I was delighted to discover your pages about Aylestone Riveside Gardens. My parents often talked about this place and how they would spend many happy hours swimming there with their friends. My father even admitted that if money was short he and his friends had found a place where they could help each other over the fence and get in for free! My parents even held their wedding reception there on 29 March 1937"
Leicester Lido in Scraptoft Lane was open for swimmers between 1935-75 but was sadly demolished in February 1994.
"They had large black rubber tyre inner tubes in the water for the bathers' enjoyment.
"Unfortunately, there were only two or three of them. You had to wait until one became free and then there was a mad scramble to get hold of it.
"The main pool had a very high diving board which we used to jump from, but never tried a dive from that height.
"There was a shallow paddling pool adjacent to the lawned area, which was always packed with sunbathers.
"I recall being taken to the lido once or twice with the school when the weather allowed and we never knew until we got there if we were allowed to go in, because of the water temperature.
"With our teachers in attendance and lots of boring rules, it wasn't as good as when we went on our own! More...
Leicester.
South Wigston Swimming Baths 1930
Built beside the canal and filled with canal water. Open on Saturdays. Children swam in the lock when the pool was closed.
LOUGHBOROUGH.
Public Bath, Queen's park.
The interior of Loughborough swimming baths in the 1970s pictured right. The baths have now been turned into a museum.
MARKET HARBOROUGH
Public Bath.
MELTON MOWBRAY.
River, Swan's Nest. Historic wild swimming venue.
OADBY.
Public Bath. Main Street.
