Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral Now and Then Hoylake Baths

Nice one mate!

regarding the pics posted i used to go to the baths in the 70 s and they were further along than the bowling green and park but on the land that now as the lifeboat station on it and the sea water filling tank which was concrete is still there and been turned into a boating lake/paddling pool hope this helps

I remember going in Hoylake baths as a child. The square of grass that the new lifeboat station is on now was the main swimming pool. The currant location of the boating pool was the children's pool. when its empty which it often is you can still see the blue and orange paint on the bottom from when it was the pool. you can also make out where there where raised island things where that had water coming out the top. Beside the the children's pool at the very end was a sandpit for kids with a wall built around it to make it look like a castle. My mum would never let me in because vandals had smashed bottles and the glass was all in the sand.

Re: The Derby Pool baths. A while ago, when we were in the play area of the The Derby Pool pub, we looked over the fencing and you could still see the remains of the pool. Cant remember now exactly what we seen other than the changing rooms! Wish I had taken a photo now! Will have a look this week-end.

Regarding my previous post, just checked it on Live Earth and what was left has now gone, sorry! But if you look at it on Live Earth in bird's eye view, the remains of the baths were to the left of the pub looking towards the river mersey.

Hoylake beach 1957

My dad says he has colour photos from our outings to Hoylake baths when I was a child in the late 70s early 80s. Getting him to atchelly dig them out though will be a long drawn out affair. I will post them up if there's any interesting ones when I eventually get my hands on them.

My recollection of the boating lake differs somewhat to what has been printed above. The boating lake at the end of the war had motor boats which later went to West Kirby Lake, later canoes. Looking at the boating lake (never a holding tank, they were behind the swimming area!)to the left and adjacent to the baths wall was a concrete bunker were the petrol and oils was kept for the motor boats. The boating pool was filled from a pipe attached to the bathing pool pumps and the children's paddling pool was to the right of the boating pool and held a small concrete structure which represented the Isle of Man.

As I have mentioned before my dad has photos taken in the baths in the late 70s early 80s. So far I have only managed to get hold of one. I know its not very good but it gives a bit of an idea what some of it was like. Taken in August 1979. Yes that is me

It appears to be taken in the shop or the cafe looking out to the pool. You can make out the perimeter wall has a muriel to fool you into thinking you are on a tropical island not Hoylake.



Here is the poster enlarged. The prize money is a bit crap by todays standards.



Hopefully I can get hold of some better ones once he has got them all scanned.

This wasn't inside the baths, it was inside meols parade gardens

all i can remember is the lady bird summer we had ...