Nurse Gillespie

[Cathyg1947]

I'm trying to find out what happened to this swimming pool which has disappeared completely. It was a beautiful pool with a fountain at one end and it's tragic that it's gone. Can anyone help? Thanks.

[Cathyg1947]

Nurse Gillespie was the local midwife and live at 31 Forest Hill Road until 1972. Does anyone remember her? Thanks.

[Cathyg1947]

I remember playing on this as a bombsite before they rebuilt the pub, but now it's a block of flats. What happened? Thanks.

[dbboy]

The Kings Arms as it was closed and was redeveloped as the block of flats as it is now.

The open air swimming baths was run by Southwark Council who decided to close it, it was filled in and became the green space it is now. The centre of the fountain I think is still there.

[Cathyg1947]

Thanks for your reply re the swimming pool and the King's Arms. Do you know when the pool closed?

Regards

cathy

[dbboy]

It is reported that it closed in 1987.

See

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/oliver.merrington/lidos/lidos1closed.htm#_Toc2087989

[PeckhamRose]

About 1984 it closed. The blue swimming pool steps are still to be seen. If you really are interested in local history join The Peckham Society and also read John Beasley's books. They cover all these subjects and much, much more and I do not profit from advertising him or his books.

[Cathyg1947]

Thanks for yout help, it is much appreciated.

Cathy.

[Cathyg1947]

Thanks for yout help, it is much appreciated. It's just that I remembre swimming there in 1974 and in the 1050s and just thought it was a stunning pool. I couldn't believe some vandal had destroyed it. Thanks f or the info about the books, will certainly take a look.

Cathy

[PeckhamRose]

It was not vandalised so much as Southwark Council could not afford to keep the facility open.

Big shame but there we are.

The Peckham Society is great and the magazine won an award for the best local information and news magazine in the country.

Only about ?4 a year. John Beasley is the editor.

Half the membership live out of London and it's their way of keeping in touch and remembering things as they were (not always better, of course!)

[Cathyg1947]

I suppose I was just shocked to see it wasn't there any more and they probably had better things to spend money on. peckham Society sounds intersting and thanks again for your help.

Cheers

Cathy

[SteveT]

The next best open air swimming pool is tooting bec lido with a 100 yard length.

Brockwell park lido is fifty yards length.

and the goose green pool is going to be for midgets at 20 something yards when it opens.

[Cathyg1947]

The pool I remember at Goose Green was two swimming pools in teh same building. Are you talking about the new Leisure Centre?

Thansk.