Thursday 7 January 2016

Who remembers getting near hypothermia at Peckham Rye Lido? .............. another story from Barny

Catford Lido, similar to Peckham Lido
Peckham Rye Common north, on East Dulwich Road, was the location of Peckham Lido, (the posh name for "open air swimming pool") opened by the London County Council in September 1923. 

The water was as cold as the council could get it without importing icebergs.

It was freezing, even in the July 76 heatwave.

The fountain
It's almost as if it were topped up every day with a bucket of liquid nitrogen!

It was closed in April 1987.
It appears that only the old fountain remains in situ.

At least Dulwich Baths, just a few hundred yards away was heated all year round.

Incidentally, not very from said Lido, on the corner of Forest Hill Road and Wood Vale, was Honor Oak Cemetery.

The Gothic Lodge
The Gothic lodge is a handsome c1856 British Listed Building described as constructed from "coursed rubble with ashlar dressings", and some other odd stuff.

Both locations were featured in the 1970 black comedy film "Entertaining Mr. Sloan", starring Beryl Reid, then 50, as Kath and Peter McEnery as Mr. Sloane.

Harry Andrews plays Ed, Kath's brother, who drives a 1959 Pontiac Parisienne, Reg. VYP 74, that once belonged to original Pink Floyd member Syd Barrett.

Pictures, Catford Lido, the Lodge, and the fountain,  from the collection of Barny

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