A lost swimming pool was loved by Liverpool school kids who got "bussed there every week."
Many fantastic memories have been made on Merseyside at our local swimming pools. They were the places many of us first learned to swim and they were at the centre of numerous birthday celebrations, school lessons, weekend gala competitions and more.
But sadly as time goes on, we've said goodbye to a number of them - including Queens Drive Baths. Located on Queen's Drive in Walton, the baths are said to have first opened back in 1909.
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Generations of families headed there after school and of a weekend, with many fond memories being made. At one point, the site was also used as a dance hall and had dolphins come to visit.
It seems unthinkable now, but in the 60s, 70s and 80s, dolphins were allowed to swim in Liverpool's swimming baths as part of touring shows. A number of the city's swimming baths were used to stage a show involving the highly intelligent marine mammals.
Over the years, ECHO readers have written in to share their memories of Queens Drive Baths. In November 2012, George Perkins, from Walton, said: "The pool was drained and refilled with fresh water and the show was held for a number of days.
"My most vivid memory of the event was when the shows had finished, and the dolphins were being cradled out of the side exit of the baths onto the awaiting vehicles, with their specially prepared tanks. We were able to touch and stroke the backs of the dolphins as they were in their cradles. At the time this was probably the nearest any of us had been to wildlife of this nature.
"I have many happy memories of the old baths. I was about 16 or 17 when this event took place."
On our Liverpool memories and history Facebook group, we also asked for your memories of the lost baths. Vicky Hesketh said: "Loved it there xx."
Alan Jolliffe said: "Winning a Liverpool schools Under 11s winners medal for Breastroke when I was nine ... only thing was I was a ringer as the lad who should have been swimming broke his arm..... swam under the name of Geoff Ball." Paul Mangan posted: "Wasn’t that the baths we used at John Hamilton school? We used to get bussed there every week when I was at school."
Paul Little wrote: "My school used to use this baths. Brilliant." Ray G Jones said: "I can smell the chorine just looking at this."
Jhonni Pimblett commented: "Good times! Remember me dad throwing me in saying swim or sink you’re choice. thanks dad." Michael Pearce commented: "Used to go there when I was a kid. When growing up in Delamore Street in Walton."
Stephen Kelly commented: "Used to play it's a knockout here with dingies in the pool also seen Flipper, Skipper and Delilah the dolphin show." Pamela McGee wrote: "It was freezing and very old fashioned but I learnt to swim there when I was 5 years old. Happy times xx."
Sheila Burns posted: "My Dad taught me and my sisters to swim there - happy memories." And William Gardner commented: "Went to school next door. I was 11 and couldn’t swim. Went every lunchtime until I could swim a length of the pool. Remember starting out by using a white polystyrene float.."
Do you remember Queens Drive Baths? Let us know in the comments section below.
Queens Drive Baths provided a place to swim and splash around for generations of Liverpool families before being shut down and is now just a memory. In July 2007, the ECHO reported how Alsop Community sports centre had officially opened, bringing to a formal close the two-year project to replace the century-old pool.
At the time, the ECHO reported how the modern facilities were in "marked contrast to the old Victorian baths, which closed in 2004 after a health and safety inspection." Queens Drive baths received almost 17m visits from residents during its long lifetime, but city leaders had no doubt the Alsop complex will be able to compete.
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At the time, Council leader Warren Bradley, who performed the official opening, said: “It was a tough decision to demolish the old Queens Drive baths and start from scratch, but it has really paid off. It shows the huge benefits from a community working together. Residents were determined to get the best and this is the result.
"As Liverpool’s first joint venture between a school and a community leisure centre, we hope it is the blueprint for improving sports access across the city." The centre was paid for by the council and the Big Lottery Fund, but many still have fond memories of the original site through the generations.
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