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29
SWIMMING BATHS
Circular No.l/60 of the Ministry of Health requires
the inclusion in the Report of certain information concerning
public swimming baths and I am indebted to Mr. J.W. Webster, the
Baths Superintendent for much of the information which follows.
The swimming baths in Hampstead are situated in Finchley
Road. The baths were built in 1887 and the administrative block
on the Finchley Road frontage was rebuilt 10 years later when the
underground railway which runs under this portion of the baths
was constructed. There are three swimming pools which are known
as the Fairfax Pool, the Goldhurst Pool and the Youth Pool.
The Fairfax; Pool is 100 feet long, 33 feet broad and
has a depth varying from 3 feet to 5 feet 8 inches and it has a
capacity of 100,000 gallons. The pool is open throughout the
year for public swimming but from 8 p.m. it is reserved for
swimming clubs. The pool is also open on Sunday mornings from
8 a.m. to 12 noon and during the summer season on Sundays from
2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The Goldhurst Pool has a length of 90 feet, breadth
of 33 feet and depth varying from 2 feet 6 inches to 5 feet
8 inches and a capacity of 90,000 gallons. The Goldhurst Pool
is open only during the summer season from April until September
for public swimming.
The Youth Pool is 57 feet long, 24 feet broad and has
a depth varying from 3 feet to 5 feet 4 inches and a capacity
of 45,000 gallons. It is used in the mornings and afternoons
by the schools for instruction in swimming which is given by
instructors employed by the Borough Council. From 4.30 p.m.
until 6 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 noon it is used
for individual instruction and in the evenings from 6 p.m. to
9 p.m. it is reserved for use by the smaller swimming clubs.
The water used in all the swimming pools is obtained
from the Metropolitan Water Board. There is no private well
or other supply.
The water in all the pools is treated by constant
filtration through pressure filters, but through two separate
systems. For the Youth Pool the filters were installed in
1930 and they have a capacity of 9,000 to 11,500 gallons per
hour. The filters are "back-washed" about twice a week during
the summer and once a week during the winter, the frequency