I have just got around to adding the text to this one, local mythology about the demise of the Marina Swimming Pool, is diverse and I am sure commentators can add to it.
Some say it was a council blunder that damaged Ramsgate marina swimming pool so badly it could never be used again.
The story goes that some bright council officer decided to take the running of it from the borough engineers and give it to the councils leisure department.
The sceptical engineers handed it to the leisure department with a set of instructions about running and maintaining it, one of which was never to empty it without supporting the seaward facing side.
This was because it was designed so the weight of the water inside counteracted the forces of the sea battering against it.
The first thing the leisure department did when they took it over was to empty it unsupported.
In the resulting cover up councillors were told that the damage was caused bomb during WW2 that had weakened the structure.
Some say the problem was the old design of the building and that thee pool was actually on 'stilts' and you could walk underneath it at low tide. As the tide came in the void was filled with seawater. The dated building measures made this a fatal design fault. Gradually the chalk below began to erode, and as a result the foundations moved, causing the pool to crack. This was patched for years until repairs were impossible. It was also too expensive to replace.
Some say that the chalk at sea edge was excavated deliberately and that the council failed to stop this.
I believe the brewers Tomson and Wotton paid for the pool and that it was opens by Mrs T Wotton and Mr Martin Tomson in 1935.
Some say it was a council blunder that damaged Ramsgate marina swimming pool so badly it could never be used again.
The story goes that some bright council officer decided to take the running of it from the borough engineers and give it to the councils leisure department.
The sceptical engineers handed it to the leisure department with a set of instructions about running and maintaining it, one of which was never to empty it without supporting the seaward facing side.
This was because it was designed so the weight of the water inside counteracted the forces of the sea battering against it.
The first thing the leisure department did when they took it over was to empty it unsupported.
In the resulting cover up councillors were told that the damage was caused bomb during WW2 that had weakened the structure.
Some say the problem was the old design of the building and that thee pool was actually on 'stilts' and you could walk underneath it at low tide. As the tide came in the void was filled with seawater. The dated building measures made this a fatal design fault. Gradually the chalk below began to erode, and as a result the foundations moved, causing the pool to crack. This was patched for years until repairs were impossible. It was also too expensive to replace.
Some say that the chalk at sea edge was excavated deliberately and that the council failed to stop this.
I believe the brewers Tomson and Wotton paid for the pool and that it was opens by Mrs T Wotton and Mr Martin Tomson in 1935.
Looks like it was busy shame the pools closed Margate's one must have been just as busy.
ReplyDeleteNice collection. Haven't seen the 8th one down before with the two little tunnels going between the boating pool and main pool. Very quaint. Any idea on date for that one and when the pool was then altered removing the tunnels ?
ReplyDeleteOh and the conservatory on top of the Marina Theatre / Neros, that didn't appear to last very long ?
What a novel idea, having something that people want.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos. And what they communicate to me is civic pride. Something we could do with now.
ReplyDeleteThe residents of Ramsgate are slowly being robbed of our leisure areas.
ReplyDeleteStargazer.
anon again!
ReplyDeleteI remember the Lido in Margate, but for the life of me, cannot remember the Ramsgate pool.
I see by your reports that the destructive attitude of the Councils from then, run parallel to that which we have today!
if u look proply it is in cliftonville these pics are not raamsgate.
ReplyDeleteYes, OK......
DeleteYes they are. I grew up at ramsgate swimming pool were my dad was a head life guard I no it with evrey breath that I have. I was there evrey day. Held very good memories Xx
DeleteSpent my childhood late 1950s and 60s at ramsgate still have found memories such a shame the council let it go into decline over the years. Love to spend my retirement years there. Well here's dreaming
ReplyDelete